The environment for selling to consumers is ever-changing. The coronavirus pandemic's social segregationpractices have made the idea of diversifying selling techniques a top concern for many business owners, particularly restaurateurs who rely on in-person encounters to service consumers. Many restaurant operators are using delivery and curbside pickup services to maintain their operations as social distancing times continue to grow.
The Benefits of Curbside Pickup
for Restaurants
For years, many restaurants have
offered delivery or curbside pickup options, but others—particularly smaller,
locally-owned eateries—have been hesitant to join this trend or have found it
impossible to do so. Concerns about using such tactics include the extra
expenses connected with packaging orders and the requirement for staff to learn
new, difficult processes on occasion. On the
other hand, providing to-go options as an extra service over time can benefit
your company in a number of ways.
Customers are given a practical
alternative.
Curbside pickup enables your
greatest clients to keep coming into your business during an unheard-of
epidemic like this one without endangering their health or the health of your
staff. But even outside of rules governing social distance, this method offers
an alternative to a formal sit-down lunch. Curbside pickup or delivery might be
the perfect experience for those who don't have the time for a night out, are
concerned to bring rowdy kids inside, or simply want to eat in the privacy of
their own homes. These services come at no additional cost and offer the
delicious food that these people adore.
It starts an additional source of
income.
Although this program does incur
additional costs for takeout containers and food runners, it more than makes up
for that tiny financial loss by creating a completely new source of income.
Customers who may not have previously bought food from you now have the choice
to do so on their own terms. Additionally, in a situation like this, an
increase in online food orders from clients might replace lost revenue from
running a dining room, maintaining your cash flow and enabling you to keep more
staff on the payroll.
It lessens the need for outside
applications.
A fast approach to increase
convenience and profitability is to list your company on UberEats, DoorDash, or
other apps that provide food. These providers, however, deduct a fee from each
order, which can reduce your profits. Customers will have the opportunity to order
your food while avoiding delivery fees if you include curbside pickup as an
option on your own website in addition to delivery through outside apps. The
best part is that giving curbside pickup will enable you to maintain control
over the level of customer service they receive. Volusion is one of many
e-commerce businesses that allows you to quickly post your meals for purchase
on a dedicated website.
Advice for Restaurants That Offer
Curbside Delivery
To-go alternatives may appear to
be quite simple to deploy, but some tactics can increase your chances of
success. Here are six recommendations to make sure your business is producing
the greatest for the benefit of your
clients.
1. Avoid presenting your
complete menu.
Although it may be tempting, it is
not always a good idea to move your whole dine-in menu to go. Planning a
distinct menu can help you provide the best culinary experience while getting
the most value for your money.
Specify your top selling. Start
with your most well-liked dishes when creating your to-go menu to guarantee
that your devoted consumers can still order the items they are most eager to
receive from you.
Think about how each menu item
will fare while being transported. One menu item might be tasty and enticing
when it's hot, but it might go soggy on the way home. Consider whether you can
package it in some way. If you should serve it in a deconstructed form so that
it will still be excellent, or if you should completely omit it from your new
menu.
Look for substances that overlap. Making
the decision to include menu items with the same ingredients is essential to
cutting back on unneeded spending, especially during this pandemic when
cost-saving is more crucial than ever.
2. Take into account including
foods that aren't often on your menu.
A fantastic moment to get
inventive with what you are initially providing to clients is when you are
adding a new strategy to your business plan. Think about include these choices
on your to-go menu:
Family packs: Customers enjoy
receiving discounts when they purchase large quantities, so try to find a way
to combine certain meals to feed the entire family for a relatively low cost.
Reduced cost. Additionally, it might give customers a sense of a full eating
experience at your establishment.
food kits Concerned about the
flavor of some of your menu items after being reheated? Give clients the
opportunity to enjoy your food by preparing it themselves by providing a
separate meal kit option that includes all the required materials and cooking
instructions.
grocery essentials Selling a few
household and supermarket essentials (such as paper towels, dish soap, water
bottles, and others) during times like these when people are trying to cut back
on their journeys in public can help you make a little extra money while
sparing them from making an extra trip.
3. Examine your packaging
carefully.
Regrettably, regular to-go boxes
might not be sufficient for this endeavor. Make sure each food item is properly
packaged so that it accurately reflects the professionalism of your company.
All food items should be kept in
the proper containers. Ensure that any food that could leak is put in a sturdy,
completely sealable container, and that any hot or cold food is put in
containers with the appropriate insulation.
Keep all food containers closed.
To ensure freshness and to prevent needless additional handling, add a sticker
to the edge of your containers. Your food runners will be able to identify
contents without having to reopen containers if you also use clear lids.
Include condiments, napkins, and
utensils. This will enable your clients to eat. It also demonstrates that you
are interested in their entire dining experience by allowing them to take their
hot meal in their cars if they so choose.
4. Comply with sanitation and food
safety regulations.
Although it should go without
saying, adhering to sanitization protocols and food safety regulations is
crucial during an outbreak like the one we're currently experiencing. To
guarantee the health of both clients and employees, it is best to implement
extra precautions.
Create check-in and work routines
for team members. Make certain that every worker who arrives at work has their
temperature taken and is healthy. Establish strict hand-washing guidelines and
restrict close contact among personnel.
demand the use of gloves and
masks. This is already required in many places, but if If your neighborhood is
not one of them, this extra measure of security won't harm you and may even
assist stop the spread of viruses.
Inform your clients of your
sanitization practices. To provide your clients additional piece of mind,
include a statement detailing your practices on your website, in the order
confirmation email, and/or with the completed order itself.
5. Specify how customers should be
picked up and interacted with.
Nothing is more annoying than a
well-intended approach that fails to work when put into practice. Make sure you
have a detailed plan in place for each order step if you want to guarantee the
success of your to go business.
Ensure that the pickup directions
are clear. When a consumer pulls into your parking lot, should they make a call
or send a text? Will you compile vehicle data while the direction and go up to
them as they park? If you are providing this option, do you require more
delivery-related details? In a follow-up email for the order, let them know
what to anticipate from curbside pickup.
Make sure to accurately mark the
pickup location. It is helpful to post sizable signage on the building's
exterior or in front of the specific parking spaces you want to reserve for
food pickup.
Establish delivery guidelines for
team members. Make sure your staff is aware of the requirements for delivering
meals to a customer, such as passing products via a window or door. Give pickup
staff the instruction to fill drink cups only when customers arrive in order to
prevent watering down and give an even better experience.
6. Make sure people are aware of
your new curbside offers.
It's crucial to inform your
clients that they can now utilize the to-go experience after it has been set
up. There are various ways to accomplish this that shouldn't be disregarded.
You can use some templates that we've made here.
Outside your restaurant, add a
banner. The fact that customers who are driving by may still order and enjoy
your meal without having to sit down will delight them.
Digitally announce your new
project. Include an announcement email in your email marketing campaign
strategy, add a banner to your website, and make a social media post about it.
enhance word-of-mouth. Encourage
clients who use your new service to tell their friends about it. that this
alternative is now accessible. Given that word-of-mouth marketing is regarded
as the most effective type of advertising, this can be particularly effective.
As a result,
It's no secret that business is
tough for restaurateurs and their staff right now. However, by changing how you
handle customer service, your company can continue operating—and possibly
expand—until social distancing laws are relaxed. Offering curbside pickup or
delivery is a terrific all-around approach that can be maintained post-pandemic
for increased customer convenience and an additional revenue stream, even
though it is a sensible strategy for the coronavirus era.
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