How to Start a Grab-N-Go Hot Food Program
Grab-N-Go food items have seen a boom in the last decade. As consumers lives become busier and more hectic, the need for quick, convenient, hot and tasty food items becomes more important. Consumers want to purchase hot breakfast items, quick snacks, and dinners that can be prepared easily. And that trend doesn’t look like it will be slowing down. According to a report by Technomic’s Consumer Brand Metrics, nearly 67 percent of consumers say that a restaurant or food establishments’ take out options are either important or very important to them when they are deciding on a place to get food. With the desire for grab-n-go food items at an all-time high, follow our advice on how to start a grab-n-go food program to give your business an extra boost.
Grab-N-Go Food Trends of 2019
2019 looks to be another year that grab-n-go items increase in popularity among consumers. According to a report by Datassential, between 2013 and 2017, grab-n-go food available in restaurants at all price points grew 67.1 percent, and the increase doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.
Here are some of the grab-n-go food trends of 2019:
Smaller Portion Options
It’s not just a giant burger or a huge burrito that consumers are looking to buy as grab-n-go food. Smaller grab-n-go food items, in the 1 and 2-ounce range, are a great option for parents trying to feed their kids a tasty snack. Also, letting consumers buy pizza by the slice instead of the whole pie, or half a sandwich caters to those looking for a smaller meal and something that is portable and can be eaten on the go.
Healthy Options
Offering healthy options to your customers is a trend that isn’t going to end. Not everyone wants a cheesy, greasy slice of pizza or a sandwich covered in buffalo sauce. Serving healthy options will broaden your customer base. Make sure to include labels on your healthy or organic items so that your customers are aware. Consumer awareness of foods that promote health and wellness is only going to continue to rise, and your customers will thank you for letting them know if items are locally sourced or organic.
6 Items You'll Need to Start a Grab-N-Go Program
1.Packaging
Dot It can provide you with all the food packaging products you will ever need to get your grab-no-go food service up and running. Choose from Planglow USA’s windowed sandwich boxes, salad boxes, wrap pack boxes, hot food boxes, cups and lids, windowed bags, and containers.
2. Labeling
Dot It offers a ton of label options and styles for all your food packaging needs, including nutritional labels and tamper-evident labels so your customers know their food hasn’t been tampered with. We also offer automated labeling via the Date Code Genie label printer so you are able to print hundreds of custom labels in minutes! View our stock labels online or submit a request and receive a free quote for custom label printing.
3. Set Menu/Food Offerings
Come up with a standard and consistent menu for the foods that will be part of your grab-n-go program. Keeping it consistent will build loyalty and trust with your customers. Dot It can provide your business with a custom quote for designing and printing your grab-n-go menu.
4. Display Cases/Racks
Your grab-n-go display needs to be eye-catching, needs to be kept clean, and may need refrigeration depending on the items you plan to sell. You also want your display to be easy to restock.
5. Disposables
You will need an assortment of disposables, like napkins, cutlery, cups, and plates, for your customers to use.
6. To-Go Bags/Boxes
Dot It can provide your business with custom branded to-go bag and boxes in all shapes, materials, and sizes.