Four in 10 restaurants already signed up to Takeout.com.mt

Takeout.com.mt, the food delivery listings portal launched on November 1, has signed up 45 per cent of Malta restaurants and is enjoying a wave of positive feedback from its first users, according to creator Jean Michel Azzopardi.

“Restaurants are coming on board at a steady pace and we are close to 600 likes on the Facebook page,” Mr Azzopardi, 22, told The Times Business.

An IT consultant and final-year student in IT and Networking at STC, Mr Azzopardi identified an opportunity after discovering that online search results for take-aways indicated nearby restaurants not the ones which delivered to the desired location.

Supported by a silent partner, he set about designing Takeout.com.mt a year ago in a bid to simplify the food ordering process to homes and offices. The website’s users only have to indicate their location to access a list of restaurants offering a delivery service, complete with menus and contact details.

Takeout.com.mt’s mobile application for Android is also proving as popular and an app for iPhone and iPad is currently being developed. Users calling restaurants and quoting Takeout.com.mt’s code of the day – Mr Azzoaprdi has prepared 365 codes already – could be entitled to offers, depending on the establishment.

A former student of St Edward’s College, Mr Azzopardi worked in sales for a few months before continuing his studies and learnt a few things along the way: “The service we offer is completely free at the moment as we work to bring as many restaurants on board as we can,” Mr Azzopardi explained.

“We are focused on making the website well-known right now and we are working hard to personally present our offering to as many catering businesses as we can. At first, most people think we are offering advertising, but we persevere and illustrate how the website can generate more business for them. Our strategy seems to be working.”

Mr Azzopardi’s research shows that four in 10 restaurants offer a delivery service with orders increasing steadily every month. While he analyses the users’ experience for his thesis, Mr Azzopardi is also mapping further opportunities for Takeout.com.mt’s next phase.

The business plan envisages an online ordering facility, bill calculator, payment gateway, and possibly a customer feedback forum.

Mr Azzopardi hopes the website will begin to generate some revenue after the launch period and inspire him to pursue even more ambitious projects.

What does he want to be when he grows up? “I’d like to have a collection of online products under my belt,” he replies. “But I’d really like to be a venture capitalist one day, to support other people.”