3 tips for takeaway

May 9, 2020, 5:07 PM

Australians are feeling time-poor. Busier lifestyles have reduced the time consumers have to cook for themselves, driving them to seeking convenience food options.

Australians eat out an average of 2-3 times a week, spending an average of $94 a week or $4905 a year, with the fast food sector attracting the largest portion of total weekly household expenditure on eating out.

Time-poor consumers, especially those living alone, have continued to favour convenient and competitively priced goods. The shifting socio-demographics favour the ready-meal and fast-food markets, with singles and couples without children expected to account for 50 per cent of all households by 2035. Here are 3 tips for creating your takeaway menu.

1. Price smart

Customers are no longer paying for the social experience of dining in so they expect to pay less ($22 smashed avo on sourdough won’t cut it!). Keep your pricing as low as possible whilst still protecting your target margin. Check your cost-of-goods and highlight the most profitable items on the menu. To compensate for lower pricing, add a meal deal or combos to boost the average spend.

2. The rule of three

Remember that your customer is simply hungry, thirsty or both. A wide choice can be overwhelming. Cover the necessary categories but with limited and strategic offers i.e. 3 flavours, 3 sizes and 3 types of food or beverage. Every item you add creates more cost and time, keep it simple!

3. Presentation (still) matters

Be smart about packaging. Use the same packaging for multiple products and make sure the items will travel well! Use a more durable (& eco friendly) option, but price it into the product to ensure the item is still viable. Tip: Put yourself in the customer's shoes to ensure the way you package and serve your product is correct. For example: A toasted sandwich might be best served in Insulated packaging with sauce on the side. This will ensure the item doesn't get soggy and remains hot during transport