Few industries have been hit harder by the pandemic than restaurants. Many have closed their doors for good, and the rest struggle with evolving restrictions. More than four in ten have added delivery services to help stay afloat, and consumers responded, with the average order size growing by 20% versus last year.

As food delivery has exploded, so too have the complaints. While the chief complaint has been late delivery, 36% of consumers report their food was cold or not fresh when it arrived. A poor customer experience is not necessarily the fault of the person doing the delivering. Sometimes, poor meal packaging is to blame. The right food containers and lids can help you improve your yield and present a standout, at-home dining guest experience.

It’s about the packaging

If you’ve ever arrived home from the drive-thru to find your fries soaked in cola or your meal is cold, you know that not all meals travel well and not all food containers are created equal.

Four food container tips for takeout

I’ve been working with our food service clients to help them choose the right containers for takeout. We have a large selection of aluminum foil containers and lids that can be securely crimped into place to keep food warm and liquids inside. Best of aluminum is unique as it is 100% and infinitely recyclable. In fact, 75% of all aluminum ever produced is still in use today!  

Here are some some take out tips to keep your guests coming back:

1.     Size: Make sure the container matches your serving size. You don’t want your employees guessing about serving size or driving up costs by filling a too-large container. Selecting the right size container ensures consistent yield.

2.     Presentation: The right container will present your food just as well at home as in your dining room. Select one that shows the food beautifully without making it feel like too small a serving.

3.     Strength: Don’t try to save money by using a container that buckles, folds or leaks because it is not strong enough for the job.

4.     At-home experience: Containers should have tight-fitting lids that don’t leak and should keep the food at just the right texture while maintaining a safe temperature. For hot foods, consider using foil products that allow customers to pop the containers in the oven to stay warm.

The Art and Science of Food Packaging

Along with the food service industry, we are eager to see the return to full dining rooms and more growth in takeout and delivery.

In fact, more than a third of restaurants that began offering delivery at the start of the pandemic plan to continue when it’s over. But remember, consumers will hold them to a high standard – more than a quarter of consumers say they stopped ordering from certain restaurants following a bad take-out experience.

If you’re looking to improve your take-out experience, now is the time to work with an expert who understands your business and can help you find the best packaging way. We’ll work with you to help you choose the best package for delivery. Then we’ll take an unbiased approach in helping you select the right packaging to improve yield and your guests’ at-home dining experience.

At Proecopak we’re dedicated to making packaging that protects products, improves efficiency and leads the industry with innovative, solutions. We’d love to help you rethink your food packaging. Bon appetite!