Going to restaurants used to be saved for special occasions. But nowadays, foodservice visits are the norm for many consumers—and with the growing desire for takeout and delivery options, many diners aren’t even sitting down at a restaurant when they visit.
And instead of asking if they need delivery services, operators today are instead focusing on how they can implement the best off-premise strategies for their locations. Learning more about who’s ordering and what they want can help restaurant operators cater better to their takeout and delivery customers.
Appeal to younger consumers with better-for-you options
According to Technomic’s recent Takeout & Off-Premise report, 49% of 18- to 34-year-olds say they are ordering food to go more often now than they were three years ago. Younger consumers are leading the trend of to-go food, perhaps because of their busier-than-ever lifestyles. Whether they’re picking up lunch, having it delivered to the office or stopping by on the way home to pick up dinner for their family, younger consumers need a variety of options. More younger consumers are trending toward lighter fare, likely thanks to the increased frequency of ordering out, so adding a few healthier options can be a way to attract these diners.
Utilize mobile apps and ordering
It used to be that ordering food meant making a phone call, but today’s consumers don’t have to pause to hear what topping everyone wants on their pizza anymore—they can do the ordering online with the click of a few buttons. Modern delivery and takeout ordering can even be done via text—in some cases, sending just an emoji can trigger an order to be made—so it’s crucial for restaurants to explore tech options to stay relevant. As younger consumers are the heaviest users of social media and mobile technology, it makes sense to offer tech solutions for to-go food.
Build meal bundles for busy families
Most parents with kids under 12 are millennials, and for those families, ordering food a la carte can get pricey. To appeal to families who want to order a full meal without breaking the bank, restaurants can offer meal plans that include an entree, one or two sides and a drink or dessert, all for an affordable price. Additionally, with pre-curated meal bundles, the customer doesn’t have to come up with a menu on their own—it’s all ready to go for them.
Use high-quality packaging
It’s happened to everyone—they order something that they’ve been craving, and anxiously await its arrival. Except, when it finally gets there, it’s no longer hot—it’s lukewarm or colder. Restaurants should be using the proper packaging for to-go orders—and that doesn’t necessarily just mean insulated packaging, either. Instead, operators need to choose packaging that will not only preserve temperature, but texture as well. After all, warm French fries are great, but not so much if they’re soggy from being delivered in packaging that traps steam. Consider the food being packaged when choosing packaging—salads aren’t going to need the insulation that chicken parmesan will, for instance, and soup containers will need to be spill-proof.
This post is sponsored by Land O'Lakes Foodservice