Brought to you by Burns & Ferrall, the Innovative Heart of Hospitality.
In many ways, the COVID-19 pandemic has acted as a time machine to the future. Technology that was only beginning to gain traction prior to 2020 has surged in use which has accelerated, not only the number of apps and technology platforms that are available, but also their ease of use and functionality.
This is good news for business owners as they prepare for operation at different Alert Levels, but along with restaurant tech, other considerations need to be made, such as menu choice and packaging suitable for takeaway and delivery - no one wants soggy chips!
Working to pivot your business to operate under different restrictions will maintain your brand and customer base through this tumultuous time. It is important to continue to engage with your customers and community as we together try to weather this Delta storm.
There was a huge surge in the demand for delivery during the 2020 lockdown, what is interesting is that even as dining out resumed, the demand for home delivery and takeaways continued to grow. This means that businesses that take the opportunity that COVID has presented for implementing strong ordering and delivery capabilities will be future proofing their brand for whatever the ‘new normal’ looks like.
Overseas, countries have already faced their second and third waves of lockdown, adding to the the increase in delivery. In England, hunger for takeaways grew even bigger in the first six months of 2021 as lockdown restrictions led to a 76 percent increase in orders at Just Eat Takeaway. Consumers stuck at home placed 135 million orders which was 58 million more than in the equivalent period of last year.
Here at home, Kiwis not only have a hunger for the takeaway food and coffee that they have missed, they are also hungry to support their local cafés and restaurants.
The opportunity to provide a takeaway or home delivery solution to local communities is a welcome relief to many hungry diners who are keen to support their favourite eateries the best way they know how, by placing orders.
There are several options for what restaurants and cafés can offer, so don’t think it’s relegated to just coffee and burgers. If you’re a restaurant that doesn’t feel comfortable pivoting to takeaway because your food offering is simply not made for that, why not try takeaway meal kits.
Meal kits encourage customers to stay engaged with your brand by cooking some of your simplest dishes at home, all you need to do is provide ingredients and a recipe. Add a cocktail kit or recipe to help recreate that full dine-in experience that your customers are craving.
Kiwis are also searching for value so food packages are a good way to go, try ready-made dinners for two promoted for a ‘date night’, or packaged family feasts that make life for those at home a whole lot easier.
Tasting menus are another great way to engage with your customer base, you could even host a social media tasting event. Create a ready-made tasting plate with different bites of your classic dishes for fans who are missing their local and to encourage new customers to try your your best bits.
Burns & Ferrall are ready to help fulfil those customer orders faster and more efficiently, with an extensive range of takeaway and home delivery packaging products available to order today. You can check out their Fast Food & Packaging Guide here.
Of course, operating in a COVID world is all about hygiene and sanitation. Customers are aware of health and safety more than ever before and will choose to spend their money with brands they trust and businesses they see doing everything they can to keep their customers and staff safe. Burns & Ferrall have you covered for these essential items too.
These are challenging times, it’s important to stay connected to the industry and look after yourself. For mental health resources, click here.
If you need some advice, you can read about how one Upper Hutt business owner prepared for Level 3 here.
For a reminder of Level 3 operation guidelines, click here.
We’d love to hear from you, how’s lockdown going for you this time around? You can have your say here.
