Decide whether you are delivering your own food or other kitchens’ meals
A restaurant that delivers its own menu, an independent rider service, and a multi-kitchen delivery intermediary have different responsibilities. Decide who prepares the food, who takes payment, who handles complaints, and who is responsible if an order is incorrect or unsafe. Put those roles in writing before onboarding a restaurant or accepting public orders.
Choose a compact service area first. Map distance, traffic, road access, rider availability, and the time meals remain suitable for delivery. A wide map may bring more enquiries but can make late orders, cold food, and high fuel costs routine. Test actual journeys at lunch and dinner before promising a delivery window.
Work out the unit economics of each trip
List rider pay, fuel, maintenance, insurance, protective equipment, phone and data, packaging, customer support, order errors, refunds, and any merchant commission. If customers pay a delivery fee, decide how distance and waiting affect it. Do not use a flat fee across very different routes unless the margin can cover the longest trips.
Track orders by pickup, destination, distance, delivery time, fee, and complaint. Separate rider cash from restaurant sales and keep a record of money collected on behalf of merchants. Agree settlement timing and reconciliation with each kitchen. Avoid open-ended balances where neither side can tell which orders have been paid.
Keep food handover controlled
Use clean insulated bags appropriate to the meals and separate hot and cold items. Confirm the order number and contents with the kitchen before leaving. Keep packaging upright and secure. Do not open containers to inspect food unless the restaurant has a defined process; the delivery worker should not alter a meal.
Agree who handles a spill, wrong item, customer cancellation, or restaurant delay. If a meal is delayed beyond the time the kitchen considers acceptable, contact the customer and merchant rather than delivering silently. Train riders in hand hygiene, safe parking, road safety, and how to handle customer information.
Food businesses remain responsible for applicable food-safety requirements. If your company handles, stores, repackages, or prepares food rather than only transporting sealed orders, confirm which county approvals and handling rules apply. Do not describe your service as food-safe certified unless a responsible authority has issued that certification.
Keep menus and delivery promises current
Ask participating restaurants for current menus, opening hours, item availability, allergens they can verify, preparation estimates, and holiday schedule. Assign one person to confirm changes before the lunch rush. A customer who orders an unavailable dish should receive an alternative and price before the kitchen prepares it.
Use a clear order message with restaurant, item, quantity, total, delivery charge, address or pickup point, phone, and estimated time. Confirm substitutions in writing. Give customers a way to report a problem and record how it was resolved; repeated errors may come from a menu mismatch or rushed handover rather than the rider.
Find a few reliable kitchens first
Approach restaurants whose owners can confirm menu and prep times, not simply those with the largest menu. Trial a limited set of dishes and routes. Agree operating hours, payment, delivery fees, cancellation, packaging responsibilities, and promotional permission. A partnership should work for the kitchen and delivery team, not rely on one side absorbing all delays.
A KobStore page can share a participating food business’s menu or your delivery service details, but it does not dispatch riders, monitor live locations, process orders, or guarantee delivery. State the areas and hours you actually cover and confirm each order directly. Expand only after on-time performance, order volume, and cost per trip show that a larger route is manageable.
Decide what happens when a customer is not reachable
Agree how many times a rider or support person will call, how long to wait at a gate or reception, and whether an order can be left with another person. Get the customer’s instruction before leaving food unattended. Record failed delivery, return-to-kitchen, or redelivery costs and tell the customer how those cases are charged.
For repeat office orders, ask for a named receiving contact and a drop-off point that does not block an entrance. For home delivery, request directions that help a rider find the right gate without sharing a customer’s details with unrelated people. Good address information reduces late meals and unsafe last-minute calls.
Sources and verification: Kenya Revenue Authority eTIMS guidance; confirm food handling and county requirements with the local public-health office for the activities performed; verify rider and vehicle compliance with NTSA and insurers.
