If you own a restaurant, here’s one number you need to focus on: 10,000. That’s how many people should be on your customer database if you want to unlock serious growth — and start competing with the big delivery players like Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat.
Why 10,000? It’s simple math. The average email campaign to existing customers converts at around 1%. That means, for every 100 emails you send, only one person places an order. So if you want to generate 100 orders from a single email, you need 10,000 people on your list. The good news is with a high quality database this can be 2% or even 3% but you still see why you need a lot of customers to have a busy week of takeaway orders.
Now ask yourself — how powerful would it be to hit “send” on an email and get a wave of orders without paying commission to a third-party platform? That’s what your database gives you: direct control, higher margins, and repeat business on demand.
Think about the big delivery apps. When they push a notification, thousands of people in the postcode areas around your restaurant get it instantly. That notification lights up their phone, nudges them toward dinner, and suddenly orders are flying in.
You need the same kind of firepower — and a 10,000-strong email or mobile list is your answer. It’s your own audience, your own marketing channel, and your own chance to create that “spike” in orders whenever you want.
Getting to 10,000 isn’t as hard as it sounds:
It doesn’t happen overnight, but if you consistently build your list, you’re building a direct revenue channel — one that costs nothing to activate.
Imagine sending one email and getting 100 orders — no delivery fees, no third-party cuts, just happy, loyal customers coming back for more. That’s the power of a solid database. If you’re serious about growth, start building it today. Your future self (and your bottom line) will thank you.
