22 Mar Leveraging Off-Premise Dining
Even if your dining room is closed there are several ways to help drive revenue and connect with your customers. Here are some steps to consider when shifting your focus.
1) Communication with your customers:
The number one thing you can do for your business right now is to communicate with your customers. Most small restaurants have a broad community of customers that care about them. They want to support you! Share with them how they can support you and stay healthy. For many restaurants, that’s curbside pick-up or delivery.
Action items:
- Update your website
- Post on social media
- Post signs on your doors
- Update your phone tree
- Update your online menus (including on third party delivery sites)
While this is a stressful time for everyone, don’t forget your humor and gratitude. Share with your customers what you’re doing to keep everyone safe, and meals available. And, as always, keep your customer service shining by telling your customers how much they mean to you and how much you appreciate their orders.
2) Make sure your tech is in order:
If you want to offer pick up or delivery to your customers, that’s going to require a shift in how you do things. Your first step is to get your technology in order and make sure you can offer customers the food they love in a new way.
- Add contactless delivery option to online ordering, enable pre-pay options, pick up instructions that include doorstep pick up or curbside, and clearly label packages (preferably using sticky printers).
- Use mobile payment devices to avoid cash hand to hand transfer.
- Send a digital receipt with digital coupon to thank customers for their business.
- Thoroughly disinfect devices your staff and patrons contact.
3) Change Product Offerings
Offering delivery or curbside pick-up isn’t enough. While you must change how customers are getting your food, you might also need to change what products you offer to customers. Your customers are currently working from home without the ability to leave, many of them will also have their kids or other family members home with them. Some of your customers are now out of work or working reduced hours.
Change your product offerings to serve your customers’ needs. Shift the types of dishes you prepare to be more affordable, one-stop meals. Consider offering boxed lunches and simple dinners. Customers are seeking, healthy, flavorful food that’s affordable.
4) Offer Alcohol
Many states have legalized restaurants to offer alcohol for pick up or delivery. Check with your local TABC offices.
Kitchen Armor has been serving the food service industry for over 10 years and one of our main focuses has been to position our customers to maximize their off-premise dining capacities. The current reality makes this more important than ever before and we only expect more demand for this in the future. We’re committed to helping our customers navigate the many challenges during this time. For more information on off-premise optimization please reach out.
COVID-19 Hotline 877-357-3572 Ext. 4 or email info@kitchenarmor.com
