外卖大战背后：火锅店老板的流量困局与川菜馆的私域突围之战

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the ongoing "takeout subsidy war" in the restaurant industry, highlighting how traditional dining establishments are struggling to maintain pricing power and customer visibility amidst aggressive discounting by delivery platforms [2][4][5]. Group 1: Impact of Subsidy Wars - The subsidy wars have led to a significant decline in profits for the restaurant industry, with some businesses reporting that they receive as little as 1.69 yuan from a 19 yuan drink after accounting for various subsidies and fees [5]. - Many restaurant owners are forced to use cheaper ingredients to maintain profit margins, which compromises food quality as they compete in a price-driven market [6]. - Some industry players believe that the subsidy wars can have positive effects, such as educating consumers and increasing brand visibility for larger chains [6]. Group 2: Strategies for Survival - Some restaurant owners, like He, have opted out of the subsidy wars by leveraging direct customer relationships through platforms like WeChat, allowing them to bypass high commission fees from delivery platforms [9][11]. - He’s restaurant has successfully built a customer base of over 3,000 WeChat contacts, demonstrating a shift towards direct sales and customer engagement [11]. - The article emphasizes the importance of regaining pricing power and customer relationships, suggesting that businesses should focus on building their own channels rather than relying on third-party platforms [14][15]. Group 3: Industry Dynamics - The article notes that the competition for customer traffic has shifted, with delivery platforms now serving as primary channels for customer acquisition, similar to past strategies used by retail giants [13]. - Some brands, like Starbucks, have managed to maintain lower dependency on third-party platforms by utilizing their own apps for delivery, thus retaining more control over pricing and customer relationships [14]. - The article concludes that the ongoing struggle between leveraging platform benefits and maintaining independent operations is a critical challenge for many small to medium-sized enterprises in the restaurant sector [15].