Increasing Sales
with Take-out
“The availability of takeout options has become more important as a decision attribute for customers than at any point in time,” says the National Restaurant Association’s economist Hudson Riehle. “Looking out over the next decade, off-premise traffic is only going to grow in importance.” The attraction to takeout is spread over demographic groups, but millennials seem to be embracing it most— although they also enjoy sitting down to a restaurant meal. In data compiled by the NRA at the end of 2014, 61 percent of respondents ages 18 to 34 said takeout was a reason to choose table-service restaurants. - Restaurant Business Online 2015
Spotlight on Takeout What are you most likely to order for dinner to go? Select all that apply
51%
of consumers report ordering food to go (including pickup, takeout or delivery) once a week or more often.
Base: 2,009 consumers aged 18+
What are the most important factors in deciding where you purchase food to go?
PIZZA
80%
FRIED CHICKEN
66%
CHINESE
65%
Choose up to seven options
Food tastes just as good as when dining in Orders are accurate A convenient location Food tastes just as fresh as when dining in Food is prepared quickly
68% 67% 56% 56% 48%
STEAK
57%
ITALIAN
57%
Base: 749 consumers aged 18+
Base: 1,500 consumers aged 18+ Source: Technomic, Inc., 2013, The Takeout & Off-Premise Dining Consumer Trend Report
technomic.com Contact Chris Urban 312-506-3929
Products & Packaging PRODUCTS: o Mirror or limit your existing menu - include as many of your “signature” dishes as possible. o Products must travel well, so, test them. Only offer products that will maintain their integrity. o Include garnishes, along with bread or roll selections, as you would for dine in customers, in order to increase the visual and portion appeal of take-out entrées. PACKAGING: o Your take-out packaging should enhance the look of your menu selections, as well as preserve the food’s freshness, temperature and overall quality. o Wrong packaging causes the greatest failure rate because operators choose by price. o Maintain flavor integrity - Don’t let items touch by using compartmentalize packages. o Keep hot foods hot, cold foods cold. When selecting the appropriate containers for your take-out operation, make sure the packaging passes the following test: o Are the containers strong and attractive enough to reflect the image of your operation? o Is the packaging leak-resistant with secure lids? o Do certain high-heat food items have the capacity to melt the material? o Do all foods stay appropriately hot or cold inside the containers? o Do compartments properly separate side dishes and entrées? o Will foods reheat evenly inside the containers? o Do they preserve the quality of the food - or does food become soggy and unappetizing? o For storage purposes, do the containers stack? “When a guest comes into the restaurant and sits down for a meal, you’ve got 45 minutes to make the experience right,” says Corey Will, Applebee’s director of offpremise operations. “When a guest comes for to-go, you have three minutes.” - Restaurant Business Online 2015
Pricing Strategy o Pricing for your take-out menu should be consistent with your dining room menu. o Consider offering bundles or family meals. • Appetizer, Two Entrees, Dessert • Family Style (large salad, family size entree, shareable sides, whole cakes/pies) o Offer dine-in customers a refill of their beverage to-go for a small fee.
“Amid stale sales, takeout is a fresh spot! In 2014, casual-dining concept Bob Evans store sales were flat for the quarter, but takeout sales rose 21.3 percent. Even at Boston Market, a chain that always has seen to-go as a dominant force, takeout has increased 8 percent over the past three years.” - Restaurant Business Online 2015
o G o T r i e h Make Txperience Great! E
Process & Implementation o Dedicate staff to handle take-out orders. o Consider a dedicated phone line for take-out orders. “Call-ahead services are vital; 69 percent of limited-service takeout customers and 61 percent of fullservice takeout consumers say they would likely use call-ahead ordering if it was offered.” - Technomic 2015 o Educate those taking phone orders about the take-out menu. Stress the importance of asking relevant questions to ensure the accuracy of the order. Tell the customer exactly where to go when picking up the order; the hostess station or bar for example. o Before handing the customer their order, confirm that what they are receiving is what was ordered. Provide necessary cutlery, napkins and condiments. o Consider dedicating separate parking spaces and possibly delivering to the car. o Make staffing adjustments according to times of the day that are typically busy for take-out. o Packaging dressings and sauces on the side to accommodate customers’ varied tastes. o Eliminate selections that tend to become soggy, chewy, over-cooked, congealed, separated, leaky, cold and unappetizing. o Adjust the length of cooking time on takeout selection to account for the continued cooking that occurs in take-out packaging. o Consider extending take-out hours. “Be familiar & adept with ordering methods that appeal to your customer base. The most common ways of ordering takeout include phone and online. Many restaurants are equipped to receive text-message orders and orders through restaurant apps from mobile devices; this is especially popular with teens and young adults.” - NRA Website 2014
Marketing Techniques o Target those with fast-paced family lifestyles with no time to cook and looking for alternatives. o Dine-in customers are potential take-out customers • Sell to-go desserts and coffee for dine-in guests that may be too full to eat it at the restaurant • Train staff to up-sell sides, appetizers and desserts to increase check averages. • Provide take-out menus with each guest check. o Use stickers with your logo on the containers to advertise your restaurant & dress up packaging. o Online presence - make sure your phone number and address is clearly available and information on takeout or delivery is stated. • Instagram, Facebook, Google, Twitter, Website
o Other Marketing Ideas: Table Tents, Frequent Customer Cards, Take-out Deals, Contests o Keep track of contact info for customers who order online and by phone or mobile device. Maintain a contact database and market directly to those existing customers. Tailor offers and promotions to their habits and preferences. o Create a catchy name - Applebees has “Carside to go”, Panera has “Rapid Pickup”. “Convenience is key for the takeout customer,” said Joe Pawlak, Senior Vice President at Technomic. “They want consistently high-quality, wellpackaged meal solutions that can be sourced in truly convenient ways. Enhanced amenities and services— from updated delivery and call-ahead services to easy-to-use mobile apps and online ordering platforms—can help provide an edge over competitors and improve takeout and catering sales.” - Technomic 2015
Sysco Trendz:
A Fresh NEW LOOK!
Sysco is dedicated to keeping our customers on top of the latest developments in the disposables marketplace. With new menu options, dining trends, market changes and consumer insights driving the demand for an ever-increasing range of disposable goods, Sysco is proud to offer the largest coordinated line of disposables available today: Sysco Trendz. Trendz is the latest addition to Sysco’s line of highquality foodservice disposables, representing a refreshing new take on take-away design. The look and feel of Sysco Trendz has been carefully crafted using up-to-date graphics, contemporary design elements and modern color schemes, making it the perfect choice for today’s forward-thinking foodservice professional.
Hospitality businesses of every type can benefit from Sysco Trendz — restaurant owners, hotels, caterers, colleges, universities, recreation and leisure operators, and more. The Sysco Trendz line is perfect for customers who are looking to give their disposable packaging a more upscale feel without the added expense of designing and printing custom logo ware. Fresh. Bold. Contemporary. And backed by Sysco’s Quality Assurance guarantee.