How to implement curbside pickup in your restaurant
During the Covid-19 pandemic, restaurant owners overwhelmingly turned to curbside pickup, and it’s now a staple of the industry. Would you like to give it a go? Read on to find out why it’s a very good idea and how to get started.
1. Build an appealing website and menu
Curbside pickup is not rocket science. Thousands of restaurant owners have successfully implemented this solution during the sanitary crisis in order to compensate for the losses they have had to endure.
All you need to do is to keep these good practices in mind. You’re wondering where to begin? By the website: it should be well thought-out and you should use the right digital tools to promote take-out.
Just like the QR code, curbside pickup can accelerate the digitalization of your restaurant. To implement it, you need :
To be able to count on a quality website
It is the storefront of your restaurant and it must make guetss want to order. Ideally, there would be a section dedicated to curbside pickup. A section that would allow you to walk your diners through the process without wasting their time.
You must pay attention to the security of your website, especially when it comes to the banking data: security breaches are the enemy of curbside pickup. Guests will enter their payment information if they feel like they can trust you. If not, they may well walk away…
To have a digital menu that’s up to the standard
Here again, it’s impossible to cut corners: the menu is essential. The aim is making people hungry and wanting to order your food. If you can, avoid PDF menus.
Always favor a clickable menu that’s integrated to your website. Don’t hesitate to add photos of your dishes. It’s a small effort that might make a big difference to your bottom line.
To talk about curbside pickup
If you have a Facebook page or an Instagram account, use them to spread the word. Loyal diners will probably be delighted and new visitors will know that the option is available.
To choose the right software to collect and manage your orders efficiently
There is no shortage of solutions and you should have no trouble finding the one you need. And if it can also help you manage your inventory in real time, it’s even better.
Do you want to implement curbside pickup in your restaurant?
What is curbside pickup exactly?
Curbside pickup has become extremely popular since the sanitary crisis, whether in restaurants or in other stores. It’s a very simple system: diners read the menu of a restaurant on the website, order their meals and pay the check.
They can pick up their food at the restaurant directly right at the time that’s specified on their order. It’s quick, easy, and beneficial for everyone, if done right.
Curbside pickup combines flexibility, limited health risk and diversification of the restaurant business. It has allowed many professionals to continue to work (a little) during sanitary restrictions.
2. Organize your restaurant for curbside pickup
Implementing curbside pickup in your restaurant requires a certain amount of organization. It’s not something that you can pull out of your hat.
You won’t need to rehaul your entire business, but you will need to adapt and change some of your habits. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Have a dedicated area in your restaurant for takeout
The success of your curbside pickup endeavor depends on it. It’ll make your lives and that of your teams easier and make your clients happier. All you need is clear indications and to show your diners where they need to go. If you do so, pickup should be a pleasant experience for everyone.
Don’t overlook the line
Prioritize the comfort and safety of your guests by avoiding long lines in front of your restaurant. Guests should not be standing in a crowd while they wait for their food. That’s why good order management is so important. If you don’t get it right, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and disappoint your diners.
Training your teams is essential
An efficient curbside pickup system is a smooth-running operation with zero guesswork. Everyone must know what they are supposed to do and know your way of working inside out.
How to implement curbside pickup?
3. Pamper your guests
For restaurants, taking care of the diner experience is essential: nothing you didn’t already know. This obviously applies to visitors who eat on site, but not only.
Curbside pickup must also be flawless and in keeping with the standing of your establishment. Service, packaging, ordering information… this is what you need to keep in mind.
To avoid disappointment, ask your employees to be as cautious with curbside pickup diners as they are with the others
Your regulars should not feel the difference between the treatment they get when they sit at a table or get their meals to go.
Choose your packaging carefully
Packaging is undeniably important for your meals: it should be practical, cute (if possible), resistant and adapted to your meals. The meals should still look just as good when they finally make it to your guests’ tables. You can also turn to eco-friendly boxes.
Give diners all the information they need when they order
Nothing too far-fetched: an estimate of when the meal can be picked up, an order number, your contact information just in case and a confirmation email or SMS will suffice.
This way, your curbside pickup service will be up to the standard of most food delivery services. Pampering your guests is the easiest way to keep them loyal.
They’ll come back, spread the word and leave positive comments online. In short, an efficient curbside pickup system will hugely benefit your restaurant.
Pay the check in 10 Seconds with sunday
Our goal here at sunday? Save restaurant owners time and money. To achieve this, we have created the fastest way to pay at a restaurant. After scanning a QR code, diners can pay the check with sunday, without having to wait for a waiter to bring it to you.
They can pay with ApplePay, a mobile wallet, or their bank card. They can even leave a tip. And the numbers speak for themselves: “By testing the solution out in our restaurants, we realized that 80% of guests used it and that tips increased by 40%…“, explains Victor Lugger, one of the founders of sunday.
No more waiting at the checkout, 15 minutes saved per table, a faster turnover, no reported fraud, more motivated teams and satisfied diners… sunday is the ideal partner for restaurants. To try it, go here!
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