While restaurants, bars, and entertainment centers have reopened in some places, the coronavirus pandemic is still rampaging on, with cases spiking in several states. If you’re one of the many restaurants that has pivoted to takeout and delivery via an online ordering app (GrubHub, DoorDash, Postmates, Uber Eats, etc.) it’s likely providing you with some much-needed business during this stressful time for the food service industry.
While these apps can be helpful, they do take a sizable percentage of each sale, and many of your regular customers may not be keen on paying additional service charges and delivery fees on top of the price of a meal and tip.
You may be thinking, “Hey, what can you do? That’s just the way it is,” but if you want to streamline your takeout operation, consider setting up your own curbside pickup program. Whether you move to curbside pickup instead of or in addition to your existing takeout and delivery program, these tips can help you deliver a seamless, enjoyable experience to your customers.
How to Set Up Restaurant Curbside Pickup
Have a Plan, and Communicate It
Curbside pickup is not something you want to jump into unprepared. That’s a recipe for mix-ups, mistakes, and grumpy customers. Think through how you want to handle this new offering and what each member of your team will need to do in order to execute the plan. Train your staff until they are very clear on the protocol. Once you have that in place, your next job is to communicate it to your customers.
Use your email list, social media channels, your website, even signs in the windows of your restaurant or at designated parking spots to let customers know that you’re offering curbside pickup and how the system will work.
Adjust Your Menu
Trying to execute a new curbside pickup program with your full menu can be challenging, especially if you have a long or in-depth menu. Instead of trying to juggle so many plates, so to speak, focus on your most popular menu items that also travel and/or reheat well. A limited menu will help keep everything on track and allow your team to execute fewer things well, rather than a lot of things not-so-well.
You can also take advantage of the fact that many people are at home with more time on their hands by selling your own meal kits. Delivery/subscription meal services are more popular than ever right now, so throw together some meal kits or family packs that include everything needed to pull off dinner for 4. (Or 6, 8, 10…)
Pay Attention to Your Packaging
Something as simple as a new type of takeout packaging might seem inconsequential, but as they say, “The devil’s in the details.” Instead of styrofoam boxes that employees have to open to see what’s inside, swap in food containers with clear lids. Consider adding a sticker or seal of some kind after the item is boxed up to let the customer know that it hasn’t been handled further. Have you reopened your restaurant? How are you dealing with curbside pickup and takeout during this time? We’d love to hear more about your creative solutions!
