It’s no secret that the COVID-19 world health crisis is having an especially large impact on the restaurant industry. As an independently owned and operated company, we take the success (and challenges!) of our clients personally, and we’re working harder than ever to help your restaurant thrive in the face of these uncertain times. In today’s blog, we offer tips for how to keep restaurant costs down and revenue up during coronavirus.
Offer No-Contact Restaurant Curbside Pickup & Delivery
With Stay at Home directives being ordered in many states, restaurant delivery and takeout business are more important for your business than ever. To best take advantage of potential orders, make sure you’re offering no-contact curbside pickup and/or delivery so your customers can feel safer ordering food from your restaurant. Not sure how to do it? This guide to no-contact curbside pickup and delivery can help you get started!
Offer a Limited Menu During Coronavirus
While your restaurant is only offering takeout and delivery, you might want to consider switching to a limited menu. That way, you can reduce your inventory ordering and focus on dishes that offer higher profit margins. Need help creating a temporary delivery and takeout menu for your restaurant? Here are some takeout dinner ideas. Plus, McDonald Wholesale offers menu design services.
Promote Gift Cards
This COVID-19 quarantine won’t last forever, and one way you can help keep your restaurant afloat is by selling restaurant gift cards. Make it as easy as possible for customers to purchase your gift cards online or over the phone and consider offering discounts and incentives for people to buy gift cards now to use later.
Take Advantage of Coronavirus Relief Efforts
From the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund and the SBE’s Disaster ReliefLoans to informative COVID-19 restaurant webinars and Facebook’s advertising grants for small businesses, there are an increasing amount of resources available for restaurant owners and their employees during the coronavirus pandemic. McDonald Wholesale even created the Oregon Takeout and Curbside Services Facebook Group to help disseminate information about local takeout and curbside services.
Push Branded Merchandise
Especially when you aren’t able to host diners in your restaurant, the “extras” become more important than ever. Pushing your restaurant’s branded merchandise during this time can help increase revenue. In fact, you might have more luck selling your restaurant’s secret sauce when people are anticipating weeks of cooking at home. Whether it’s t-shirts, sauces, or pint glasses, marketing your restaurant merchandise might be one way to keep your business above water.
Offer “Make-It-At-Home” Food Prep Kits
Creative problems require creative solutions and offering “Make-It-At-Home” food prep kits can be a great option for restaurants looking to push out inventory and provide activities for families cooped up at home. While this option seems to be most effective for pizza shops, don’t be afraid to get inventive in order to apply this idea to your restaurant’s unique menu.
Talk to Your Food Vendors
If you’re running into financial problems, make sure to approach your food vendors to discuss your options. At McDonald Wholesale, we’re committed to our customers, which means that we’re open to working together to find ways to help cut costs. In fact, because food vendors work with so many restaurants, we’re able to offer valuable insight into alternative methods of cutting costs and boosting revenue. Before you start cancelling orders or closing up shop, be sure to discuss your options with your food vendor.
Need additional ideas to cut food costs or market your restaurant during the coronavirus pandemic? Contact McDonald Wholesale today!