Just a Quick Question About Take-Out Food For My ATS Friends...

Many of you know that I am a baker and own not only a bakery but Chinese/Pizza Take-Out as well. If you remember in a long ago thread, it was very controversial as to whether it would work or not. Well it did and more than we thought actually.

But that's not a question is it?

My question is if something I'm doing in business would make a difference to you in your day or not.

Let's just say that first of all we have not spent one thin dime on advertising from day one and we are experiencing continual growth. We have been asked to produce wholesale products but have no time so we turn a lot away. Hate to do it but we only have 5 hands.

So my question is this:

What we believe to be as a strength and point of word of mouth advertising is that we tell our customers when they order that it takes longer than other places because unlike a traditional take-out we make everything to order. Large or small orders. Pizza? Hand rolled...and Chinese? No rice makes it to the next day into a warmer. Done.

So...What we do is tell every order that they can sit at home (or wherever) and we will call back 5 minutes before the order is ready. Each and every single order. If they need 10 or 15 minutes, that's the time we call.

So, it's doing great in my area and people appreciate not having to wait 15 minutes for plastic pizza or 5 minutes for pre warmed chicken balls and rancid rice.

It works in our area because we stuck to our belief in fresh-to-order food.

Sorry...rambling again.

My question is if YOU would appreciate the extra wait and a phone call from your local Take-Out place or would you rather have warmed over food quicker?

Call it market research if you like but that's not what I'm getting at. Is it better to wait for freshness or have garbage served instantly? I know my answer.

And the kicker? Next time you order take-out ask them to call you just before it's ready. What would they say? Maybe it's something they could adopt as a service because in all honesty it costs me nothing but a few seconds of time to give my customer a courtesy call to say "Hi! Your dinner will be ready in 5 minutes!"

Thanks for any input.

Peace

We do a wait and pick up whenever we order from Pizza Hut or get Chinese take-out. It seems to heighten the anticipation.

Originally posted by EllaMarina
We do a wait and pick up whenever we order from Pizza Hut or get Chinese take-out. It seems to heighten the anticipation.

What I've experienced is that most people don't want to wait. They have lives, families, schedules, jobs...

We have a lot of people that appreciate the fact that they can phone in, relax and then come for pick-up when we call.

We feel it's a great service as do many of our customers. We have actually been told that we are their first choice because of it. We don't offer delivery but have not suffered because in our particular area we are the only ones that offer fresh-to-order with a courtesy call.

Thanks,

Peace

Definitely better to wait for freshness and good food.

Would places around here give the courtesy call? Maybe in the rural areas. They're never really busy.
Not likely in the cities. Totally different attitudes in city folk...

I dont mind waiting at all.

The few places I do order from are mom and pop places and everything is made fresh to order so there is always a wait and they let you know that as well. Some people dont like to wait but I would rather wait for good food than get a quick delivery of crap!

I waited an hour and 15mins for my dinner tonight but it was GOOOOD. I order from a local Italian place here and they have delivery, in a small area. I'm glad i live in that delivery area because being pregnant right now it has been one of my main dinner go to places! I had chicken marsala tonight

Glad to hear your business is doing well!

Originally posted by mblahnikluver
I dont mind waiting at all.

The few places I do order from are mom and pop places and everything is made fresh to order so there is always a wait and they let you know that as well. Some people dont like to wait but I would rather wait for good food than get a quick delivery of crap!

I waited an hour and 15mins for my dinner tonight but it was GOOOOD. I order from a local Italian place here and they have delivery, in a small area. I'm glad i live in that delivery area because being pregnant right now it has been one of my main dinner go to places! I had chicken marsala tonight

Glad to hear your business is doing well!

You are the customer that we love to have come thru our door...or phone.

Feed that baby good food!

Peace

Originally posted by snowspirit
Definitely better to wait for freshness and good food.

Would places around here give the courtesy call? Maybe in the rural areas. They're never really busy.
Not likely in the cities. Totally different attitudes in city folk...

Just ask for a call next time. You might be surprised and if you tell them how much it's appreciated it could become a regular thing.

Peace

reply to post by jude11


Surely you will find that people are willing to wait for Good Quality food. As long as it is Not Microwaved. People have the tendency to know when the microwave has been used on their food.

There is a local restaurant here that was doing kind of the same thing, Looking to see if people were willing to wait. And they concluded that it was. So, they made signs and hung them up everywhere. They say " The minutes you wait will be rewarded in Quality and Taste: Believe me that the food is Fantastic and Worth The Wait.

As for the phone call to let them know. .. . I don't think so, so much. Because they already know it is going to take a while. If you are looking for coordination, tell them ahead of time ( make a time estimate ) how long it is going to take. If they arrive and it is not done, they will gladly wait.

Im for quality over speed any day, as for the updates maybe add a SMS txt alert system for the order.

Personally prefer getting a txt when it would be ready than getting a phone call, could go out and do errands while driving and not have to answer to know my order was up.

If the food quality held consistent as you say? I'd order from no one else when I wanted what you had. No question. By the same token though...if you just claimed it, yet an order came out with bad food that showed it was just a claim? I'd not only never order again, I'd spread the word as far as I could, taking such a thing a little personal for waiting on junk.

So... I think the bottom line is, you have a 100% winning idea that I really believe most people would prefer over speedy garbage...as long as you ride the employees close to insure they never cut corners.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
If the food quality held consistent as you say? I'd order from no one else when I wanted what you had. No question. By the same token though...if you just claimed it, yet an order came out with bad food that showed it was just a claim? I'd not only never order again, I'd spread the word as far as I could, taking such a thing a little personal for waiting on junk.

So... I think the bottom line is, you have a 100% winning idea that I really believe most people would prefer over speedy garbage...as long as you ride the employees close to insure they never cut corners.

Great advice...thanks.

As a side note, sometimes we are a few minutes late and most don't mind but if we're late we make sure that there is a free dessert for their table. Never discounting the food whatsoever because that's just cheap IMO.

Peace

Originally posted by benrl
Im for quality over speed any day, as for the updates maybe add a SMS txt alert system for the order.

Personally prefer getting a txt when it would be ready than getting a phone call, could go out and do errands while driving and not have to answer to know my order was up.

We tried that and found that many like the personal touch. Plus a lot of people don't look at the sms while driving and then would blame us.

So we have told everyone that if we give personal service we expect you to answer your phone...personally. It works.

Peace

reply to post by jude11

My question is if YOU would appreciate the extra wait and a phone call from your local Take-Out place or would you rather have warmed over food quicker?

If you can prep to make things faster I would suggest this. I designed my restaurant so it would be the fastest service possible. With the freshest food possible.

Damn near had a stroke putting it together.

I have a new respect for you Jude...

PS, since we both have a controlling stake in the food industry and we're members here, how long before we get outed as illuminati members trying to take over the food supply J??

LOL I bet you're still telling people you're against GMO food! Yeah, uh me too... btw, I have a great deal on Flour_83947_trioxyfluorcrystaline_additive_rich_Niacinimide_X661 from Monsanto. Makes wicked pizza dough! But you already knew that...

reply to post by jude11


Absolutely worth the wait. And the fact is, that if things take a little longer to prepare, you've covered that base by showing your customers you're prepared to ring them back as their food is ready, thus saving them waiting time. In this way alone, people can go on with their daily grind knowing that when their food is ready, they will get a call to come and collect it.

There are times when you just want to duck into McDonalds or Dominos and grab something that is going to be done like that, but to be honest, it's rarely satisfying, and these days tends to cost almost as much as something prepared anyway.

For our family McDs can cost up to $40-$50 for meals for everyone (6-8 people), whereas buying from the local Chinese restaurant or pizza bar is pretty comparable, and usually you have either enough for everyone, or leftovers.
At the end of the day, people will pay and wait for quality, and the fact your business is expanding by word of mouth only, says you must be doing something right.

BTW, a little off topic... A while ago, you posted a thread about Aussie meat pies. How did you get along with that?

Originally posted by boncho
reply to post by jude11

My question is if YOU would appreciate the extra wait and a phone call from your local Take-Out place or would you rather have warmed over food quicker?

 

If you can prep to make things faster I would suggest this. I designed my restaurant so it would be the fastest service possible. With the freshest food possible.

Damn near had a stroke putting it together.

I have a new respect for you Jude...

PS, since we both have a controlling stake in the food industry and we're members here, how long before we get outed as illuminati members trying to take over the food supply J??

LOL I bet you're still telling people you're against GMO food! Yeah, uh me too... btw, I have a great deal on Flour_83947_trioxyfluorcrystaline_additive_rich_Niacinimide_X661 from Monsanto. Makes wicked pizza dough!

But you already knew that...

edit on 11-5-2013 by boncho because: (no reason given)

Boncho, Boncho, Boncho...

Respect back at ya brother.

Want to know something really funny?

AFTER I grabbed this location I learned that Monsanto/Cominco is the main industry in this town. Sucks to be a fool right?

Yup, hard to make it honestly these days but many of my customers are supporting us. We bring in the free range eggs, source out local ingredients as much as possible and WILL NOT keep food in warmers. Taboo in my World.

And yes...the prep time is the killer but we wouldn't have it any other way. We'll close before serving day old rice or pink slime to our friends/customers.

Respects back sir!

Peace

Originally posted by 74Templar
reply to post by jude11

 

Absolutely worth the wait. And the fact is, that if things take a little longer to prepare, you've covered that base by showing your customers you're prepared to ring them back as their food is ready, thus saving them waiting time. In this way alone, people can go on with their daily grind knowing that when their food is ready, they will get a call to come and collect it.

There are times when you just want to duck into McDonalds or Dominos and grab something that is going to be done like that, but to be honest, it's rarely satisfying, and these days tends to cost almost as much as something prepared anyway.

For our family McDs can cost up to $40-$50 for meals for everyone (6-8 people), whereas buying from the local Chinese restaurant or pizza bar is pretty comparable, and usually you have either enough for everyone, or leftovers.
At the end of the day, people will pay and wait for quality, and the fact your business is expanding by word of mouth only, says you must be doing something right.

BTW, a little off topic... A while ago, you posted a thread about Aussie meat pies. How did you get along with that?

edit on 11/5/2013 by 74Templar because: (no reason given)

ah crap, those pies!

We are doing them and to be honest, it's tiring as so many people want them and it takes away from our bliss direction. "Follow Your Bliss" right? ...Gluten Free Wholesale BTW.

Still undecided as to whether or not we want to continue on these.

Side note: We have developed a Gluten Free Pie that even our regular customers buy without question because many have said that they prefer it.

So difficult.

Peace

reply to post by jude11


A lot of overseas friends are pretty wowed by the humble meat pie and pasty, particularly those from North America. It's funny, they're a staple here, but people from the US have never seen anything like it. If you want to try something different, look up the pie floater. It's not for everyone, but could be a good addition to your 'unique' menu...
I guess you gotta go with what you want to do really, but hey if it works, it's business at the end of the day.

I meant to add in my last post, the only time we go to the fast food outlets (have a McDonalds and Dominos) is when they have their specials. I have just found a chinese/japanese restaurant that makes everything from scratch right in front of you, in much the same way you seem to do.

The taste just can't be beaten, it's so fresh and full on flavour. I tried their sushi rolls last week, and have been there like six times for lunch since. Four rolls about 2-3inches long will set you back about $13, and is enough for a lunch meal.

We all sat down the other day as a family and had several of their different meals together. When we have junk, there's either bits left over or it's cold before it's finished, and the kids won't eat it. This time round there was nothing left, and the total cost was $72, to feed 7 people. Plus you don't have that yuck feeling you get after eating junk food either, which says a lot about junk food in general....

My question is if YOU would appreciate the extra wait and a phone call from your local Take-Out place or would you rather have warmed over food quicker?

reply to post by jude11


It's a no brainer for me, if the quality is consistently good and the food is guaranteed fresh, not only would I wait the extra time I'd even pay a bit more for it .

Kudos for your ethos there should be more like you around jude11

Cody

reply to post by jude11


Oh, that's almost exactly what we do. We call in, chill at home and then pick the food up after a certain amount of time has passed.
Just curious, but what's the difference between that and waiting?

reply to post by jude11


My 2 cents:

It is obviously the right answer to say that fresh is obviously better. No doubt about it. And if you are able to make hot and FRESH take out, kudo's.

With that out of the way, some input:

- if you only have 5 employees, and not having enough employees is the primary obstacle to you accepting new business, I would recommend running some numbers to determine profitability of making some new hires. I understand that too much growth can threaten the artisan nature of what you are doing. However, you are admitting to steady growth already. The growth is going to happen unless you just outright stifle it by becoming service restrictive (which it sounds like would go against your nature as an artisan and a business owner).

- You should quantify what the cost of the call back program truly is. "A few seconds" translates into labor cost. As an example, lets say you are doing 100 turns a day. Lets assume that your few seconds actually averages to around 30 (to give time for dialing, ringing, and talking). Add on another 2 minutes for handwashing once you complete handling the phone, obviously. But for the sake of this argument, we will assume handwashing is already built into the labor model (although it is a significant increase in time, coming to a total of 200 addional minutes of labor just for handwashing). So you have 100 turns at 30 seconds apiece. Over the course of a week, you are committing a total of 5 hours of labor. Not sure of your payrate for that position, but I am sure you can do the math. However, consider that you would have 130 hours a year. That is money right out of your bottom line, which for a business owner means "right out of your pocket". not saying you shouldn't do it, as it seems to be a nice value add service. Only that you should quantify it from a planning and budgeting standpoint.