Takeout business is becoming an incredibly important part of a restaurant’s success or failure. According to the National Restaurant Association, one-third of consumers say that purchasing restaurant takeout is an essential part of their lifestyle. In fact, nearly half of all adults and over 60-percent of millennials use the availability of takeout or delivery as a main factor in choosing a restaurant. Here’s how to grow your restaurant’s takeout business to take advantage of these new eating trends.
Implement a Restaurant Online Ordering System
To take advantage of takeout and delivery business, you’ll want to implement a restaurant online ordering system. Not only does this free up time for whoever would be taking telephone orders, but it also plays into one of the most important decision-making factors for young people: convenience. You want as few barriers as possible preventing potential customers from choosing your restaurant. Plus, online ordering systems can increase efficiency and make life easier for your employees.
Prioritize Quality
When it comes down to it, not every menu item will travel well. When creating your takeout menu, be sure to remove any restaurant items that won’t hold up to the car ride home. Additionally, you’ll want to train your staff to use the correct packaging, seal everything tightly, and pack hot and cold items separately to make sure proper temperature is maintained.
Make Space for Takeout
If you want your takeout business to thrive, you need to give it space to do so. That means creating a designated space for people to wait for their orders as well as creating a takeout staging area in the kitchen to fulfill orders.
Don’t Forget the Marketing
If you want your takeout business to grow, you have to be prepared to throw some money at marketing opportunities. If you’re thinking about branching out into food delivery, adding your restaurant to third-party delivery apps can help get you some much-needed publicity. Social media marketing is another way to advertise to potential clients, and by highlighting your takeout services and online ordering system, you can quickly grow your clientele. You might also try coupon marketing or loyalty programs to keep clients coming back for more.
Before you choose a foodservice distributor, be sure to contact us at McDonald Wholesale to find out what we can do for you. In the meantime, read our blog for even more great restaurant advice, including everything from how to reduce food waste in your restaurant to tips for managing rising food costs.