Why Overinflating Quote Times Could Be Costing Your Restaurant Tens of Thousands in Delivery Sales

In digital dining, speed wins.

Third-party delivery (3PD) platforms like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub have one clear objective: convert hungry browsers into paying customers... fast. Their algorithms are built to reward restaurants that consistently deliver orders quickly and on time.

That means when your restaurant manually inflates quote times to buy breathing room in the kitchen, it can actually work against you in a big way.

How Quote Time Inflation Hurts Your Visibility

3PD algorithms prioritize restaurants that can turn orders around efficiently. The shorter (and more accurate) your prep times, the more likely you are to appear higher in search results, featured lists, and delivery app carousels.

But when a restaurant routinely quotes longer times, say, inflating a 20-minute prep window to 45 minutes, the platform’s algorithm interprets that as slower service. The result?

• Reduced visibility in customer searches.

• Fewer impressions and clicks on your menu.

• Lost incremental sales that can add up to tens of thousands of dollars over time.

Simply put: the slower you appear, the further down the list you go.

Why Restaurants Inflate Quote Times in the First Place

It’s easy to understand why operators do it. When the kitchen is slammed, manual quote time adjustments are a natural defensive move.  Operators use inflated quote times as a way to reduce pressure and avoid late orders. But it’s a blunt tool that doesn’t account for real-time conditions.

The problem?

What’s meant to protect your team ends up throttling your digital sales instead.

The Curbit Advantage: Real-Time Accuracy That Drives Sales

This is where Curbit’s Dynamic Order Orchestration changes the game.

Curbit automatically adjusts your quote times in real time, based on actual kitchen capacity and order flow. When your restaurant is busy, quote times dynamically expand to protect throughput and guest satisfaction. When volume slows, they tighten up automatically — presenting accurate, competitive times to delivery platforms.

The result:

✅ Accurate quote times every minute of the day.

✅ Improved placement in 3PD listings due to higher perceived speed.

✅ Increased delivery volume and revenue without adding staff or capacity.

Real Impact: Accuracy That Pays Off

Curbit clients who previously relied on inflated manual quote times often experience a dramatic boost in delivery orders once the system takes over.

By simply ensuring that quote times reflect real kitchen performance, they not only climb higher in 3PD rankings but also see measurable gains in delivery revenue often adding tens of thousands of dollars annually in incremental sales.

It’s proof that in the world of digital dining, accuracy is profitability.

Speed, Trust, and the Guest Experience

When customers and drivers can trust your quoted times, the benefits ripple outward:

• Fewer driver delays and idle times.

• Better guest satisfaction and reviews.

• Improved brand perception as a reliable, high-performing restaurant partner.

3PDs want to show guests the restaurants that deliver on their promises. Curbit helps you become one of those top performers — automatically, intelligently, and consistently.

Final Thought: In Delivery, Speed Wins, But Accuracy Wins Faster

Inflated quote times might feel like a safety net, but they’re actually a hidden drag on performance. With Curbit, you can give your kitchen the protection it needs without sacrificing visibility, trust, or sales.

The future of delivery belongs to restaurants that can deliver both speed and accuracy. Curbit makes sure you’re one of them.

Book a demo with us and we can show you how easy it is to get started.