As carryout and delivery business continues to bloom, more attention than ever is focused on foodservice packaging. While the CDC issued statements that the risk of contracting the coronavirus from carryout and delivery food products is “very low,” it’s never a bad idea to seek out packaging that prioritizes food safety; e.g., seals well and resists tampering. Another trend that has been consistently popular in the past few years is a continued focus on sustainable packaging.

More than half of US consumers reported they are more likely to make a restaurant choice based on eco-friendly practices, according to the National Restaurant Association’s State of Restaurant Sustainability 2018 report. Consider this before stocking up on Styrofoam. Consider how to avoid single-use plastics.

Beyond those recommendations, there is also the issue of putting your food into a package that will get the food home in better than average condition. Here are a few tips on getting your products ready for the short trip home with your best customers.

Fried foods do not like steam. Anything breaded or battered is going to be a problem in an airtight container. So, if you want to ship off fish and chips, make sure both the fish and chips can breathe on the way home. Think cardboard packaging rather than tightly-sealed containers.

Bread doesn’t like steam either. Just like fried foods, anything with a bun or sliced bread that has a hot ingredient in it is going to want to breathe on the way to its final destination. Burgers, grilled sandwiches, sub sandwiches, and the like are best sent on their way wrapped in a combination of foil and paper to keep them from getting soggy.

Pasta likes lots of sauce. If you are selling anything with pasta and a sauce, make sure you overdo the sauce a little. Unfortunately, pasta absorbs sauce as it sits in a container, so once it gets home, it may not look nearly as appetizing as it was when it left the restaurant kitchen. Provide plenty of extra sauce on the side to add to the item. Your customers will love you for it.

And if you are selling a carryout or delivery salad, keep in mind, your customer is probably going to put the salad on their own plate. Some of the cleverer restaurant chefs are making the salads upside down, so when the customer plops the salad onto a plate, it’s right-side up.

Desserts love to travel. So, make sure you are offering dessert. The best number of desserts to have on your menu is seven. We have learned seven is a magic number. HotOperator research shows that dessert sales are a bell curve. Six offerings sell less than seven, and seven sell more than eight.

Don’t forget the side dishes. Side dishes represent incremental sales and allow customers to get a taste of other items in addition to their entrée. Make sure you promote those items to your guest when they order.

Source: RestaurantOwner.com