Demand for takeaways exceeds COVID lockdowns, but is it something your business could offer?

Accordingly to a recent report published by leading research group Mintel, demand in the UK for takeaways post lockdown is exceeding the demand seen during lockdown.  Their research also found nearly a quarter of people are spending more on takeaways and food deliveries now than before the pandemic.

This was further supported by Accountancy firm KPMG, who looked into how much people in the UK spent per month on takeaways. Before the pandemic they found that it averaged around £38 a month.  This has increased to £53 between Spring 2020 to Spring 2021. Will Hawkley, the global head of leisure and hospitality at KPMG, stated “change that would have happened in three to five years in the sector has happened in months when businesses reacted as the pandemic started”.

Restaurant owners have begun to adapt to this shift in consumer demands and habits post-pandemic. As they put more resources in place for the growth in takeaways, many are expecting more and more customers to turn to ordering online.

Is your restaurant already making the most of this opportunity and offering takeout?  Maybe you like the idea of the additional revenue stream, but are unsure where to start?  Below are 5 points to consider when looking to begin a takeaway service:

Understand the capacity of your kitchen

Can your kitchen staff produce full menu for takeaway alongside catering for dine-in customers? If not, the following ideas may assist in managing takeaway demand:

• A reduced menu
• Specific ordering times
• Longer lead times 

Packaging your food

There are a variety of options available at the moment including environmentally friendly packaging.

Give your customers a way to order

• This could be via phone calls however you will need to consider the amount of staff you have a whether or not they have the time to answer the phone during busy periods.
• An alternative to this to consider is an online ordering platform such as a website or app which takes away the need for staff to deal with takeaways order. This is because the customer will typically order and pay from their device with their order going direct to your kitchen.
• Third party platforms offer a similar service, however they do have downfalls and could end up charging you up to 30% in commissions from your orders.

Provide an incentive to order

Allow you to provide exclusive offers for customers who order takeaways or click and collect. This will incentivise them to continue to order with you.

Promote your service

Let your customers know! You can do this for free via social media or contact your local newspapers, magazines and radio stations.

When fitting new restaurants, businesses must begin to think about how they navigate their takeaway orders so not to take away from the customer experience, as customer dining in will often share the same space as those collecting.

App4 enable their customers to evolve and grow their own businesses with the technology they provide. They help businesses to succeed by remaining up-to-date with their consumers wants and needs via online ordering solutions that charge no hidden costs.

To find out more on how an online ordering solution could support your business to provide click and collect or delivery options for takeaway, call us on 01332 742 514 or email sales@app4.co.uk

Read more on this topic here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57489195