Rethink your menu

Since restaurants traditionally gave people the chance get anything on the menu to go or to have delivered, it could be a good idea to offer a selection of easy-to-prepare foods that travel well and are easy to eat. According to a 2018 Technomic study, 52% of consumers consider portability an important criterion when it comes to breakfast or lunch.    

To meet this demand, try developing a take-out menu available all day long, with items like pizza, all-in-one dishes and snacks. You can even offer the consumer the ability to select their main ingredients so they can create the ultimate sandwich or pizza for themselves.

Speed up operations

 Today more than ever, time is money. So it’s vital to ensure that table or counter service time is optimal, without of course compromising the quality of the food. To speed things up, try pre-cooked products from Olymel, which can significantly reduce prep time.

So your customers don't waste a second of their precious time, it's important that they can both order and pay online, especially if you are targeting today's younger consumer. An online ordering app can also be useful if you are thinking about introducing delivery.

Be Creative

 With 61% of consumers eating a sandwich at least once a week (Technomic, 2018), this versatile food is always a hit. But if you want to really seize this opportunity, do not hesitate to take things a step further by offering more creative recipes and presentations.

Sandwiches lend themselves readily to all sorts of food trends, whether these include ethnic flavours, gourmet presentations, comfort food, local ingredients or healthy menus.  Don’t hesitate to marry styles and flavours and to vary the bread element (baguette, naan, flatbread, focaccia, pita, bagel, Kaiser rolls, tortillas, tacos) to enhance the flavour experience.

Olymel supplies over 60 pork and poultry products that you can really build a creative menu on, for example:

• Rethink your chicken salad sandwiches by combining Olymel cubed chicken with exotic flavours: tzatziki, peanut sauce, salsa, hoisin sauce, spicy mayo, etc.

• To vary your sandwich and sub offering, consider all possible types of available pork deli meats: ham, roast pork, bacon, bologna, salami and pepperoni.

•  Offer healthier versions of your sandwiches by using turkey as a filling.

Don't forget packaging!

Specialized packaging is designed to protect foods during transport and make it easier for consumers to handle while eating. They also play a role in the overall experience of a customer who elects to take out. Consumers want to enjoy their food on the go, but they also are conscious of protecting the environment. So, in this era of climate change, environmentally friendly packaging is an absolute must.

Today, two major trends are taking shape. Even if it's plastic, polypropylene packaging is recyclable, in addition to being sturdy and available in a wide range of sizes and shapes, with or without compartments. On the compostable side, paper or moulded-fibre packaging are the way to go.

With the right menu, efficient service and proper packaging, you can profit from the take out meal trend that lets consumers eat where they want, whether it's at the wheel, in front of a computer or while texting.