The pandemic has completely changed the restaurant industry, and while the vaccine rollout means restaurants will likely return to some semblance of normal by the end of summer, there are still lessons to be learned and innovations to be made. Here are some of favorite creative takeout ideas to try during the pandemic and beyond!
Date Night Specials
While it’s hard to beat the thrill of going out to a nice restaurant on a date, takeout date night specials can bring that dining experience into your home. While date night specials should likely include shareable appetizers, two entrees, and dessert, there’s plenty of room for more innovation. We love the idea of including two roses, to-go cocktails or wine pairings, candles, and anything else that might add to that date-night ambiance, including shareable playlists, craft ideas, or movie recommendations.
Takeout Happy Hour
In the same way that offering late night and happy hour menus can be good for business, so can a takeout happy hour. If your city allows you to serve alcohol to-go, you can offer a happy hour special discount for any takeout order from 4-6 p.m. that includes a to-go cocktail, a growler, or a bottle of wine. This is one of our favorite takeout ideas because it encourages more people to order during these slower hours between lunch and dinner, and it encourages them to order alcohol, which can be incredibly profitable for your restaurant.
Themed Dinners
Perhaps the thing people miss the most during the pandemic is experiences. Themed dinner takeout specials offer your customers a unique dining experience from the comfort of their home, whether you pair the meal with a gift certificate to a virtual escape room, an iTunes or Google Play credit for movie night, or themed to-go cocktails to drink during an award show. Get as creative as you want, and remember, the more unique the experience, the better.
Family Meal Deals & Kits
Especially during the pandemic, it can feel like all our time is spent either working or preparing meals for the family. Family meal deals and meal kits are two of our favorite takeout ideas, because they can solve multiple problems at once. While family meal deals are great when you don’t have the time to cook but don’t want to spend a fortune on takeout, family meal kits work well for families looking for activities to do together. Whether you’re looking to entertain or feed the family, family meal deals and family meal kits let you provide a valuable service to your customers when they need it most. In addition to providing the highest quality wholesale food ingredients, McDonald Wholesale also offers restaurant marketing and other helpful services to our customers throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California. Contact us today to become a customer for life! In the meantime, check out our foodservice blog, where we cover restaurant management tips, including everything from 5 fun ways to attract diners during COVID to our guide to no-contact curbside pickup and delivery