7 Way to Ramp Up Your Takeout Sales

Contributor: Mike Mirarchi of HuffUnited

1. Know your capacity.

In order to determine how much potential your restaurant has to grow, you have to know how much you can handle. What is the maximum amount of diners you can reasonably accommodate in a day? How many diners do you need to serve to cover your costs for the day? Once you hit that number, the challenge is to find other methods for making profit.  Many restaurants have certain days when they are below their breakeven point, and some when they are over. Most often, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are three nights when there is plenty of capacity to do more business.  That is where we want to focus our efforts and grow takeout business.

2. Make a Separate Menu.

If you are going to focus on takeout, you must have a separate menu.  Why? All of the items on your menu may not be suitable for takeout.  If the dish doesn’t travel well or it creates havoc in your kitchen when ordered, it should be eliminated from the takeout menu.  When a customer does call for takeout, make sure a menu goes with the order.  When consumers are ready to order takeout, the first thing they do is open the junk drawer and look for a menu. Not having a menu available could be the difference between a customer choosing your establishment or someone else’s.  If you have your menu online, make it available in a PDF format so it can be printed out.  You could also add a coupon to the menu (half-priced appetizer, for example) or something else to increase the order size.

3. Upgrade the Packaging.

Your takeout packaging should mirror the quality of dinnerware you use in the dining room.  If you own a high-end establishment serving $50 steaks, would you serve your meals on a foam plate in your dining room? Of course not! Part of the reason someone will pay $50 for your steak is the quality, atmosphere and image you create; the same is true for takeout.  The experience the diner has taking-out has to match their experience in the dining room.  

4. Don’t Forget the Dessert.

When was the last time you ordered dessert when taking out? For most people, the answer is almost never.  Why not? Many restaurants don’t give the customer an option.  Did you ever notice when driving through a fast food restaurant, there is a recording asking if you would like to order a blended beverage or new item? The reason is when the suggestive question is asked, 3 out of 10 consumers will say, “yes.”  However, the question must be asked every time in order for the ratio to be correct; that is why a recording is used. Training your staff to make asking part of their routine will increase your dessert orders. Another way to increase dessert sales is to offer a takeout dessert program.  How many times after a large meal do you tell the waitress that you are too full for dessert? If you have a takeout program, you can offer for the customer to take home the dessert home and have it later.  The only thing required is a takeout container and the suggestion.

5. Do Market Research.

In grade school and through college, we are taught not to look on the others person’s paper, as it is considered cheating.  A funny thing happens when we start working in the real world; it’s called market research.  Looking at what someone else is doing to look for the answer to your problem is encouraged.  If chain restaurants—your competition—are going to spend millions developing systems to sell more to each customer and create a special experience, then you should spend the cost of a meal to do market research.  Go eat at the chains and understand what they are doing.  Understand how their waitresses are trained and suggestively sell.  Look at their menus and menu items to understand the latest trends. Order takeout and examine the packaging they use. Then, go back to your place and incorporate what makes sense for your establishment.

6. Learn and Use Social Media.

Social media has become a powerful free tool for establishments that know how to use it.  If you aren’t currently taking advantage of it, don’t be afraid to ask the younger members of your staff if they can help. The key is not only to learn to use social media for promotions, but to actually engage your customers and potential customers by using it.  It’s also important to know what people are saying about your establishment.  You must constantly monitor Yelp, Trip Advisor and other rating sites for potential negative comments that will hurt business.  It is also important that you keep your information up-to-date and accurate. Increasingly, people are turning to these sites to make decisions about where to dine.

7. Offer Grab-and-Go Meals.

As our population is getting older and people are getting busier, more are relying on restaurants for their source of meals.  Offering grab-and-go meals is a great way to increase sales and profits.  The goal is to raise your average check size. If you have 4 people come in for dinner and you are able to sell them 4 dinners to go, you will have dramatically increased the size of their check. The benefit to them is that they get to enjoy a delicious meal at home that they don’t have to cook.  The packaging is the key for a successful grab-and-go program.  It must be in a freezable, microwavable, oven-safe container so it can be easily stored and reheated.

 

If you take these simple steps, you can increase sales and profits while helping your customers bring your restaurant experience into their home.  To learn more about how SFS can help grow your takeout business, call us at 800.800.0557!