The holidays are a great time to offer time-saving services to customers. Familiar favorites like fried or rotisserie chicken, ribs, burgers, steak, rice bowls, pot roast, macaroni and cheese, and other comfort foods are just as popular for takeout as they are for dine-in. And fortunately, all these items travel well.
30% of off-premise customers said they would be more likely to choose a restaurant that offers meal bundles in the months ahead.
Consider building a to-go family meal with a choice of entrée, several side dishes including starch and vegetables, and bread or rolls. An enhanced family pack might also include an appetizer and/or salad and dessert. Homestyle choices like lasagna, family-size meatloaf, pot roast, and signature macaroni and cheese work well, and are popular enough to appeal to groups.
Look at preparing some of your signature dishes in larger quantities for special menus, or to offer special “large format” items like whole roasts or a platter of fried chicken and fixins’, to be shared by a group.
Ghost kitchens are another way operators can maximize on the takeout and delivery trend. Ghost kitchens are one of the foodservice industry’s solutions to meet consumer demands for delicious, convenient meals in a safe takeout or delivery environment. They offer foodservice operators opportunities to boost off-premise food sales, easily customize and adjust web or app-based menus, and cater to evolving customer needs.
At its core, a ghost kitchen is a kitchen space outfitted for delivery that does not have the dine-in trappings of a classic brick-and-mortar restaurant. Ghost kitchens can host single or multiple brands at a time and boast lower overhead than their conventional counterparts.
Analyze your market while building out the menu for your ghost kitchen. Identifying popular categories and gaps in the local restaurant landscape is key to crafting items for your target segment, so it is vital to research offerings in your immediate area. It is also crucial to offer items that travel well, ensuring that those in your delivery radius receive their food fresh and delectable.
Read on for recipe ideas, articles, and videos to help you build takeout, delivery, and ghost kitchen sales.
Recipes: Minor's
Five Onion Soup Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup Classic Tomato Bisque
Baked Crab Dip (Gluten Free*) Steakhouse Poutine Deviled Eggs Teriyaki Wings
Beer-Braised Pork Bowl with Arugula-Basil Salsa Verde Herb Cavatelli with Buttered Vegetables Build-Your-Own Chicken Tacos Bourbon Marinated Skirt Steak
Beefy Roasted Steak Potatoes, Gluten Free* Loaded Poblano French Fries Hot Tarragon Potato Salad
Recipes: Stouffer's
Caprese Flatbread Crispy Calamari with Alfredo Sauce, Gluten Free* Fried Macaroni and Cheese Sticks Mac 'n' Cheese Tots
Wild Mushroom and White Cheddar Pasta Shrimp and Kale Penne Alfredo, Gluten Free* Stuffed Cabbage Patty Melt Five Cheese Macaroni & Cheese Chicken, Asparagus, and Sun-dried Tomato Pizza, Gluten Free*
Creamed Mushrooms, Gluten Free* Spinach Artichoke Bake Baked Zucchini, Gluten Free*
Recipes: Chef-mate
Microbrew and Blue Cheese Cheddar Fondue Chili and Chicken Quesadillas Pueblo Steak Fries Buffalo Chicken Cheese Dip Southwest Sweet Potato Tots Chili Flatbread Beer & Chorizo Queso Dip
Cheddar Cheese Chicken Tamales with Roasted Poblano Sauce Mexican Burger Cheesy Stuffed Poblano Peppers White Cheddar and Brussels Sprout Quinotto Black-Eyed Pea Cakes
Grab & Go, Re-Pack and Meals Bundled To Go Brochure
Chef-mate: Confidence To-Go Brochure
Minor's Winter Guide Brochure
Articles
Ghost Kitchens—A Winning Response to Trying Times
Ghost Kitchens In Foodservice
Family Meals Feed the Soul
Takeout: Comfort Foods and Family Meals
Takeout and Delivery—More Important Than Ever
The Future of Foodservice at Home
Make Takeout Part of Your Success
The Well-Traveled Meal
10 Reasons to Make Soup a Takeout Star
Meal Kits Offer New Opportunity for Foodservice
Videos
White Cheddar Mac & Cheese with Poblano Chicken video recipe featuring Stouffer’s White Cheddar Mac and Cheese.
Masala Roasted Cauliflower video recipe featuring Minor’s Masala Curry Flavor Concentrate.
Watch how CHEF-MATE® Chili Con Carne and just a few simple ingredients can be used to build this comfort dish that’s perfect for takeout or delivery.
Plant Based Take-out Fake-out with Sweet Earth: Chef Matthew Jordan uses plant based Mindful Chik'n for a twist on traditional stir-fry dishes.
