Eating a good meal isn’t just about filling your belly. It’s the entire experience. The flavors, the ambiance, the service — they all matter. Today, curbside pickup is stronger than ever (and here to stay). The convenience of grabbing a tasty, quick meal is through the roof. But some of the niceties that face-to-face service brings are limited with less human interaction.
Still, there are numerous ways to make each customer feel important and have an excellent curbside experience that brings them back time and again. Let’s explore five tips on how to do curbside better than the rest.
1. The right technology
A fundamental part of curbside service is incorporating the right technology. Of course, some smaller restaurants may choose to stick with call-in orders, but many establishments (no matter their size) are finding that customers prefer a simple digital ordering format. If you haven’t already, consider incorporating online ordering into your operation. Be aware that with a predominantly digital setup, the experience needs to be excellent — from beginning to end. Look for apps that are well designed and simple to use. You have about 50 milliseconds to grab consumers' attention, and those that have frustrating experiences are 59% less likely to use it again.
Think about systems that incorporate an interactive menu, your company’s branding and professional food photos (which tend to increase sales). Some apps feature handy notifications that update customers with the timing of their order and when exactly it’ll head out the door. Others flag the customer's location, so an employee can pinpoint the guest’s whereabouts and quickly hand off their meal. But before you purchase any technology, make sure it’s compatible with your current point of sale (POS) system. This will make for an easier and less expensive transition.
2. A personal touch
Your brand is important; pay attention to places you’re able to incorporate it into your curbside service. Is it a quick thank you note from the server? Would offering a freebie or punch card for each pickup order spotlight your brand, or maybe it’s simply a consistent cheerful greeting? Little personal touches that are in line with who you are as a company are integral to customer satisfaction and loyalty. And always, a good experience is rooted in excellent hospitality — tasty, temperature-appropriate food, with the correct order and served on time.
3. Separate curbside area
Organization and ease make most people really happy. One way to provide an orderly curbside experience is to designate a separate outdoor area with an exterior wall or some obvious feature that denotes it as a curbside location. Servers can simply carry to-go meals to the customer. It could also be a fully self-serve area where food is placed in a designated area for the customer to pick up. Temperature-controlled food holding lockers are a unique and individualized way to offer this type of contactless service. Once inside the restaurant, the customer or delivery driver taps the illuminated touchscreen that displays the customer’s name. A code is entered and the locker opens with the customer’s order kept at the perfect temperature. The goal is to create a convenient environment that still offers excellent service and quality food.
4. When in doubt, ask
Gaining the feedback of your customers can be a difficult task with contactless service. Unless there’s a call-in compliment or complaint, you have very little to go on. Try sending out a short survey; it can be as simple as a quick email or providing a paper survey with meal pickup (an incentive of free food for a completed survey can be handy too). The results offer valuable information on what you're doing well and where you can pivot to be better.
The right tools.
With the right tools, curbside service can be a revenue-making machine for your operation and a welcomed convenience for your customers. Looking for more ways to increase your take-out business? Take a peek at our blog post, How to Pivot Your Fine Dining Restaurant To Include Take Out. (Hint: The tips aren’t just for fine dining!)
