Curbside pickup has become an increasingly common choice for restaurant customers who want to enjoy their favorite dishes from the comfort of their own home. Rather than dining in, customers can order ahead, pull up to the restaurant, and have their to-go order brought out to the storefront curb or their vehicle.
For restaurateurs, curbside pickup is an effective tactic to increase sales without expanding capacity, raising prices, or investing in additional equipment.
While there has been a sharp increase in curbside pickup offerings due to COVID-19 closure mandates, the practice is nothing new. It's been an option at some chain restaurants for years. It's so widespread that some stores even have a separate door and counter dedicated to curbside pickup and take out.
However, to be successful at this new venture, your restaurant needs to plan and anticipate challenges before they arise. If you're starting a curbside delivery or pickup service for the first time, or if you're looking for ways to improve your current system, here are best practices and tips for success.
1. Prepare Staff for Curbside Pickup Success
Just like the dine-in side of your restaurant, success with curbside pickup is contingent on your ability to provide high-quality food, stellar customer service, and fast, effortless pickup. It all starts with your waitstaff.
If possible, assign separate staff to handle curbside pickup customers. Segmenting workflows will allow the front-of-house to focus on providing customer service to dine-in customers rather than splitting their time and attention (if the dining room is open amidst COVID-19).
Staff training is crucial; ensure staff understands that providing customer service and anticipating customer needs are still essential, even when the customers take their food to go.
2. Create Curbside Pickup Staging Area
Use a table, separate counter, or cart to create a curbside pickup staging area. Stock it with items that to-go customers are likely to need so they are handy—including to-go silverware, extra sauces, napkins, etc.
Creating a designated area to prepare curbside pickup orders will streamline the process and prevent congestion during rushes.
3. Designate Parking Spots for Pickup Orders
To improve the efficiency of curbside pickup service, reserve several parking spots for curbside pickup customers only. These spots should be as close as possible to your pickup counter—even if that isn't the front door—to ensure staff can deliver food as quickly as possible.
If possible, install cameras or sensors to alert staff when a car parks in a pickup spot so they can bring orders out as soon as customers pull in.
To obtain the vehicle's make and model in advance, you can request that your customers include this information during the online ordering checkout process. On the Menufy platform, restaurateurs can display a curbside pickup instructions field on the checkout page.
4. Invest in Quality To-Go Packaging
Fast service can't make up for poorly packaged to-go orders. Soggy fries, hot salads, and drippy soup won't bring customers back for more. Instead, invest in high-quality to-go containers that keep warm foods warm, cold foods cold, and all food safely stored in its respective container.
Consider ordering custom take-out containers with branding—you can use bags and boxes to remind customers (and their friends!) about your curbside pickup option. Include a phone number and brand name in a prominent location and let your packaging do the advertising for you.
5. Consider Dish Presentation
Inside the restaurant, chefs and cooks devote a great deal of attention to ensuring dishes have the proper presentation. The plating could be disturbed when the food shifts inside a to-go box.
Don't let the presentation fall by the wayside—but also consider how to package dishes to ensure they last the car ride home. For example, grilled chicken for a chicken salad should be packaged separately from the cold greens. A balsamic glaze might be better served on the side so it doesn't seep out of the container.
It might take a bit more imagination, but presentation and packaging can have a significant impact on the perceived quality of dishes.
6. Speed Up the Payment Process
Customers choose curbside pickup because it's fast and convenient. Asking them to wait while a staff member walks their card back inside to process the payment can result in additional touchpoints and a lengthy wait—negating one of the primary benefits of curbside pickup.
Instead, make it easy for customers to pay online so they can grab their order and go. Or, equip your staff with a mobile POS system so they can process payments or upsell at the customer's vehicle. We suggest mobile POS devices from our technology partners, such as Clover’s Flex and Shift4 Payments’ SkyTab.
Success with curbside pickup relies heavily on your ability to offer fast service and delicious food consistently. These tips will help you prepare for a successful expansion of your current business with minimal upfront investment.