In these unprecedented times, restaurant owners have done everything that they can to adapt. Some eateries have responded to the coronavirus pandemic by offering customers more ways to order and pick up takeout, safely. While in-person dining is down, restaurants that serve organic food can at least try to make up for some of that lost business by offering curbside pickup. However, there are challenges, and making this process easy for customers and staff alike is going to take some work. These tips might be able to help.

Don’t Offer a Full Menu

It hurts to cut favorites from the menu, but offering your full menu for curbside pickup can end up being a major hassle. It means keeping a lot of ingredients on hand while business is slower, so you run the risk of ingredients going bad and money going down the drain. It’s more work for your cooks and other staff. It’s also daunting for the customer! Narrow down the menu to some popular picks that travel well, and your regulars will come by when they’re craving your food.

Make Instructions Clear

Ensure that customers know exactly where to go when they pick up their food. If there are parking spots for curbside pickup customers, make sure the signage is clear and easy to read. Let customers know how to check in when they’ve arrived to get their food, whether that’s through a phone call or other means. On top of all that, make sure that your staff knows exactly what to do when a customer pulls up. A bit of extra effort can help things go smoothly.

Consider Adding Some New Items

This may seem like it runs contradictory to the first piece of advice, but hear us out. Take the food you’re already offering and package them together into family meals, giving a slight discount to the customers who are making a big order. If there’s an item that uses ingredients you already have and you think it will do well among curbside pickup customers, now is the time to try it out. Limited time items could also encourage people to come back regularly.

Advertise Your Service

Make sure people know that you’re doing curbside pickup! Use your social media channels and hang up a banner or sign outside so that your customers know that they can safely come and pick up the food that they love.

Rethink Your Packaging

Your normal to-go packaging is fine for carrying leftovers, but now that you’re selling full meals you want to make sure that your packaging is up to the task. Make sure that potentially leaky foods are stored in sealed containers and that insulated containers are used for items that need to stay hot or cold.

Helping Organic Restaurants Reach Customers

So if you’re running a restaurant and plan to implement a curbside pickup program, make sure that you’re committing to the best possible practices and doing right by your customers. If you’re looking for more tips about how to operate in these strange times, check out the Organic Restaurants website.