However, the grit and determination of our hospitality industry has sparked a new wave of innovative businesses that are now offering a pub food online ordering/delivery service to continue trading in these unique times.
At ICRTouch we have seen many of our pub & bar customers implement a TouchTakeaway webshop, our online ordering platform that integrates with TouchPoint tills and TouchOffice Web business management software. It offers delivery options such as ‘zero contact’, ‘safe place’ drop off and postcode areas. As well as this, TouchTakeaway also now has an ‘NHS Staff’ option so that businesses can offer their support to our healthcare workers with discounts and freebies.
If pubs haven’t got our till systems installed yet, they can utilise the TouchTakeaway Commander app, that enables online orders to be processed and managed from a tablet, without the need for a full EPoS system.
So has online ordering been effective in this industry so far? Are your customers interested in pub food/drink at home? Below we take a look.
Case Study: Deliver Pub Grub
Install by Authorised ICRTouch Partner, Cornwall Scales Equipment
Inn Cornwall Limited launched a new brand and overing in Cornwall, Deliver Pub Grub by implementing an ICRTouch TouchTakeaway shop across their three-pub chain, where their customers could place an order online and have it delivered to their door.
They provide hot traditional pub food, desserts and bar drinks.
‘Team Vic’ set up a central call centre to process direct line calls using the TouchTakeaway platform.
Seven front of house employees have become delivery drivers to bring the meals to the customers.
Last Sunday (5th April) proved a success, as over 500 hot pub roasts were delivered across Cornwall, which assisted in a generating turnover of over £15k gross sales in its first week.
The team is targeting a 12% week-on-week increase, as more & more customers are discovering the online order and delivery service, planting the desire for something a little special in the comfort of their home.
The St. Austell Brewery Tenants have been able to add off-license products to the menu delivering local ales such as Tribute & Proper Job.
Their social media has also seen a massive spike in support, likes, customer photos and reviews.
Deliver Pub Grub are offering hot meals for NHS staff at 40% off and have been donated a number of BMW i3’s to assist with the deliveries.
Top Tips For Setting Up Your Delivery Service
- Get up and running – Offer a reduced menu of your most sold items to get up and running fast. You can always add more products later.
- Payment Providers – Look at services that offer no monthly cost for taking payments initially but a small transaction fee. Once you hit a certain amount per week it would be worth looking into a monthly-payment alternative.
- Discounts – Provide discounts for NHS staff and those that are more vulnerable to generate some positive PR buzz about your new service and stir up more customers.
- Source cost-effective containers to deliver your food – This could be tin trays for hot meals, cardboard containers for chips, paper bags for delivery or wrappers for burgers.
- Transport – Discover what transport your staff have to offer, look into various options whether it be bikes, cars or vans. Organise delivery trips so that multiple meals can be delivered in one trip.
- Keep the food warm – Source enough heat bags for your drivers and their meals, ensure food is being prepared with delivery times in mind.
- Social Media – Post your menu, meal pictures and a webshop link to your social media accounts and any groups or discussions relating to food delivery. Post a video to update your customers on how they can order.
- Flyers – Flyers are an affordable way to advertise to your community. Drivers can drop leaflets to each street as they deliver food. Use local marketing companies to co-promote each other and support your community.
- Classified Ads – Utilise local online classified marketplaces to reach more people.
