10 years ago, I worked with a couple of burger clients, one of whom would not do delivery because of “the quality of the burgers by the time they travel” – and another who, for the same reason, did not even offer to-go orders.
Flash forward to today and that thinking has vanished, like talking about the advantages of a newspaper vending machine outside your restaurant front door.
The 3 Biggest Permanent Consumer Changes
- Rising consumer confidence benefits other segments of the economy more than ours.
- Guests like to eat your food at home even after it travels there.
- Customers have a new idea of what value means, and it has very little to do with price.
Last week, I told you about the first change. This week, I will tell you about the second change. Next week, we will come back to value.
These days, delivery and to-go are critical to any healthy restaurant company simply because that’s what your guests have said they want.
It turns out that people happily trade away the quality, taste, and appearance of the food they’d get by eating in your dining room for the luxury of sitting on their sofa – holding their remote or phone in one hand and your (hopefully branded) container of food in another.
When they use their microwave to “wake up” that delivery, you know they will really be putting it to sleep or killing it. But even though the idea makes you a little queasy, it makes them happy.
We live in the age of omnichannel, where the best operators understand that failing to let guests choose how to use your brand may end up driving them into a competitor’s arms.
And what’s the worst thing that could happen then? They might actually like your competitor’s food.
Today’s TPD sale could be tomorrow’s dining room reservation – and tomorrow’s dining room reservation could be a catering order or a private event.
Get Started Tonight
The quality of the delivery experience translates to value and a connection to your brand, especially when that brand penetrates the home or office.
The number one thing I suggest you do? Order to-go, delivery, or third-party delivery from your own restaurant. Do that tonight. You’ll get to see ways to improve it and make it an experience.
Create that 20% of revenue related to to-go, delivery, events, and catering to become a healthy modern brand with industry-leading profit.
You must have a game plan for your off-premises sales. Include that in your 2025 plan.
