​In restaurants just a couple of weeks ago, having a solid plan for off-premise business was highly recommended but perhaps not essential. Well here we are – and for restaurants across the nation, takeout has suddenly become the only option to allow business operations to continue for the time being. Whether you offer off-premise menu items such as takeout meals that customers can pick up outside your door, or you have food delivered, restaurants can play an important role in providing a sense of normalcy and community in these unsettling times. Try to think of your menu and marketing in a new way. What items available through your regular suppliers can be included in care packages to be sent home with people who are house-bound right now? Can you create meal bundles complete with appetizers and comfort food that may appeal to families looking for relief after a day of managing remote learning? Do you have a popular house-made beer that people may crave to relieve some stress at the end of the day? (Note that state regulators have begun to allow delivery of cocktails.) Can you create partnerships with other restaurant operators to pool resources on a temporary basis? How can you think outside of the box and provide food and some much-needed positivity to your customers through the weeks ahead? When spreading the word about your takeout options, think beyond the usual channels – on your social media and email list, encourage people to help promote you to friends at their schools, houses of worship and other local organizations that are eager to help people in your community the weeks ahead.
With reduced dining room capacities take out and curbside pick ups will be with us for some time.  Some things to consider when building these menus are:
  How well does a menu item travel?  
   Packaging
   Tamper evident packaging  
Who's driving?
Third party delivery service
    Expensive
    Who controls the customer data
Self delivery
    You control data
     You control timing
     You control how product is handled    
Below we have offered some resources for your pick up and delivery program.

​Delivery  - will you use a Third-Party Service or your own staff?

With operating cost increasing and possible incoming decreasing, it is more important than ever to look at your reveune streams and areas were you are spending more money.  Chances are your delivery business, is you offered it, will be increasing at the same time your delivery costs may be increasing as well.  Now is the time to determine if you are going to use/continue to use a third party delivery service or if you will self deliver.  Here are a few things you should consider:
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  • If you have a current arrangement with one or more third-party delivery service, contact them to ask for a fee reduction.
  • If you do not have a current third-party delivery relationship, secure quotes for long-term relationship  
  • If you do not charge a delivery fee today, determine if you can competitively charge a fee or raise delivery menu prices.
  • Do a pro-forma P&L on different levels of sales made through delivery using your negotiated third-party rate vs. what it would cost you to establish your own service
  • Determine how to scale up your self-delivery business if business improves rapidly
  • Remember: if orders come in through the third-party delivery service, THEY own the data and customer information. With Self-Delivery, YOU own the data and your relationship with your customer.
  • The biggest delivery services charge is between 20% and 30% of the meal check for their service
  • Some local governments are trying to regulate those charges – San Francisco is capping fees at 15%. There is great deal of change that will happen with the third-party companies over the next 12-18 months. Who wins (the operators or the delivery companies) is yet to be seen.
  • If Self-Delivery is an attractive idea for your business, here are some steps that you should take:
  • Choose responsible drivers
  • Check driving records
  • Make decisions on using employee vehicles vs those owned by the business
  • Establish cleaning & sanitation protocol for the drivers and the vehicles
  • Secure Vehicle Insurance & Liability Insurance
  • Self-Delivery Cost Components
  • Insurance
            Liability
            Auto
  • Employee 
  • Vehicle Cost
            Auto Loan/Lease or Employee Reimbursement
            Operating Cost & Maintenance
  • Food Warmer/Cooler Equipment (thermal delivery bags, etc.)