Expand the Reach of Your Restaurant by Offering Takeout

While most people would like to take the time to sit down and eat at a restaurant during the week, it’s often not the reality for most. From evening work meetings running late to after school sports for the kids, the time we have in the evening is limited and going to a restaurant for our favorite meal is usually not an option. Even with not being able to go out to eat, customers still want to have their favorite restaurant’s food for dinner! For restaurants, offering the option of takeout makes sense for both the restaurant and customer. Restaurants offering this convenient option makes for happy customers and not to mention increased restaurant revenues.

When it comes to ordering, customers may not have access to a computer while on the go, and menus often do not show up correctly on a cellphone. Knowing this, paper takeout menus are a must for any restaurant. When it comes to designing a takeout menu, here are some options to consider:

Menu Design: Will your takeout menu mirror the regular restaurant menu or will the design be different? When it comes to color, restaurants can opt for a simple black and white menu or a full color menu that will stand out in a drawer full of other items. For size, having a menu too small may have hard to read print but a menu too big cannot easily be stored. Choose from a standard paper menu size or go custom with a different shape! Whatever the design, make sure it will catch your customer’s eye.

In addition to being a great tool for your current customers, the takeout menu is a great way to continue your restaurant’s marketing beyond your restaurant’s walls, earn additional business as well as promote and advertise your restaurant.

Offers/Coupons: Similar to offering specials at your sit-down restaurants, you may want to offer deals and coupons for to-go orders. For example, if a customer spends a certain amount of money on their order, a free loaf of bread may be included with the order. To encourage frequent to-go orders, a loyalty program could be offered.

Menu Selections: Do you want to offer all your restaurant’s menu items on your to-go menu? Before you say “yes”, think about your menu and if there are items that are overly messy, hard to keep a certain temperature or even have a low revenue margin, as you may not want to include these dishes. Are there any foods that may not transport well? You want to ensure your customers are getting the same experience that they would in your restaurant as a disappointed customer may not order again.

For those in a hurry or for those that just prefer to eat at home, having the option of takeout can expand the reach of any restaurant.