Feature: Home comforts

Deliver a seamless dining experience direct to customers’ doors
Enjoying restaurant-quality meals at home has become a beloved ritual among UK consumers. Top-notch eats from their favourite joints are only ever a few taps on the phone screen away, delivered straight from store to door with rapid speed and convenience. The nation’s delivery and takeaway channel has directly benefited from this shift in consumer expectations and behaviour, expected to reach a value of £17bn by 2026.
Just last year, four in five casual dining brands offered delivery services, all of them now increasingly turning to digital channels in order to connect with guests.
“The delivery and takeaway market has completely transformed in recent years – it’s now easily one of the largest secondary revenue streams for my businesses,” says Richard Poole, co-founder of Slurp Thai and Dang’s in Shoreditch, and owner of Tai – the recently opened restaurant in Brockley. “Monetarily, it accounts for around 45% of our business – and in terms of exposure, it’s really helped us make a name for ourselves in Brockley, which has been very positive.”
When Poole first started working in hospitality at age 15, he used to take orders over the phone and would manage the restaurant’s delivery drivers. “I remember when restaurants employed their own drivers but now everything runs through a tablet,” he adds. “There are no calls, and we don’t even know the drivers. There are many positives to this shift, but also a lot of negatives when it comes to being the proprietor of a food business.”
Customers will travel to a restaurant, but the reality is that takeaway or delivery will be much more attractive to those within a three-mile radius of the establishment. And, as Adam Knights, marketing director at Rational, explains: “By identifying this audience and introducing their services using physical signage and flyers, email marketing or redesigning the website homepage, takeaway services can attract new customers. Loyal dine-in guests can also be contacted by social media.”
Ultimately, sales are driven by your restaurant’s clientele, so you need to make sure you’re thinking creatively, listening and responding to customer demands and spreading the word on exactly what you offer.
The beauty of choice
When it comes to takeaway and delivery, one size certainly doesn’t fit all – in terms of equipment, style, menu choice or pretty much any other element of your business. Every operator knows their own business best, and there’s no doubt the sector is seeing a huge amount of innovation and creativity coming out of commercial kitchens. Long gone are the days of having just one Indian, Chinese or Italian to choose from on the local high street; with global influences shaping consumer food culture in the UK and beyond, there are now heaps of options to scroll through when choosing a takeaway or delivery option.
“Alongside the growth in cuisines from around the world, we’re also seeing a significant elevation of quality among traditional favourites – including chicken,” notes Michael Eyre, product director at Jestic. “No longer just a last resort on nights out, fried chicken has grown in reputation with consumers enjoying everything from traditional US favourites to Korean or other Asian twists on the style. One thing that’s crucial for any operator serving fried chicken is that it has to be cooked to perfection – crispy, hot and delicious.”
Why not use chicken as the basis for a dish, but allow guests to tailor it to their preference with the addition of customisable options? As Oli Sampson, MD at Central Foods, points out: “A chicken doughnut sandwich or something like waffles and chicken work well when teamed together, and could earn you a reputation for serving quirky but trendy products."
Today, there are very few cuisines that don’t offer delivery or takeaway options, and packaging innovation means that delivery drivers are now as likely to carry noodle soup as special fried rice. This is a real boon for consumer choice as it means new options are always launching on menus nationwide. It’s important for operators not to overlook the long-term favourites, approaching items like American-style burgers with an increasing focus on quality and visual appeal. And of course, no burger-based meal is complete without a healthy portion of fries! “What better way to provide budget-beating dishes that thrill than offer upgraded fries that customers love?” asks Ash Liles, trade marketing manager at Lamb Weston. “With the potential to be loaded with international flavours, these dishes perfectly align with the UK’s growing street food scene.”
Standing out in such a saturated market can seem like a daunting challenge, but there are a few simple ways restaurateurs can differentiate their menus, such as switching up traditional sides. “Why not opt for moreish tater tots instead of fries?” suggests Tom Styman-Heighton, development chef at Funnybones Foodservice. “These spuds are compatible with practically any meal and can also be loaded with the likes of chilli, pulled meats or smothered in cheese to become a meal in their own right.”
Central Foods
Pizza has been a hugely popular takeout choice ever since it became a fixture of our high streets just a few short decades ago. And, as Eyre suggests: “It’s great value, works brilliantly for families and friends and makes for a convenient treat at home. It’s one of the few options that just seems to work for everyone.”
While classic curries remain staples, modern trends lead toward fusion flavours, like creamy spiced yoghurts, saag paneer dips and tandoori-infused sauces. Fusion condiments, such as masala aioli or Indian-Mexican salsas, are also on the rise.
“Korean flavours are influencing UK menus too, with fermented condiments like kimchi and gochujang rising in popularity,” Barnaby MacAdam, development chef at Paulig Pro, observes. “These bold, umami-rich ingredients enhance a wide range of dishes; for example, our Korean bulgogi tacos recipe, made with sweet-savoury beef, black pepper soy sauce and fermented soy and chilli paste. It showcases how Korean condiments bring complex and exciting dishes to modern fusion dishes.”
According to MacAdam, elevation is the new innovation when it comes to takeaway food. ‘Elevating’ can be as simple as using spices, sauces and seasonings to create more standout signature dishes. This is important, as it gives the customer a reason to return and gives your restaurant an edge over the competition.
“Spice blends, in particular, offer chefs an easy and cost-effective way to add bold and distinctive flavours to their food,” he adds. “They save restaurants from having to overcomplicate their inventories and they come with long shelf lives too, making them a smart choice for operators who offer diverse, on-trend menus all year round.”
For the best return, focus on low-cost, high-profit and easy-to-prepare dishes. Study your menu and find items that use the same ingredients or preparation methods, saving you time and inventory costs. “This is particularly important if you are experiencing staff shortages or operating at peak times,” chimes Knights.
Safe travels
The longevity of your business depends on your ability to encourage repeat custom. When it comes to takeaways and deliveries – your best bet at getting locals to order time and time again – ensuring that food arrives at just the right temperature requires the right packaging and equipment; think insulated food transport boxes for shorter journeys and heated boxes for those that take longer.
“Keeping things cool will also be a priority during the warmer months and, again, insulated food transport boxes will score points with customers, showing them the caterer has invested in quality to ensure their delivery is at the right temperature,” says Jon Walker, MD of BGL Rieber.
Anything that’s ‘wet’ – soups, stews, sauces and curries – tends to transport well because it will be good at retaining heat. The problems generally come with lighter foods – pâtisserie, desserts, chips and dough-based products like pizza – but these issues can certainly be mitigated with a specialist transport box in tow.
“Mobile food-holding technology has changed,” adds Walker. “Insulated food transport boxes now have the option of heating using standard sockets, which makes them ideal for event catering. These boxes can keep food hot indefinitely, which means that, in addition to single-meal deliveries, multiple deliveries can be made on one journey.”
Poole believes Thai food travels particularly well, benefitting from a strong flavour profile that doesn’t lose its “panache” over time.
“Some dishes are just not meant to travel,” he posits. “I genuinely believe certain dishes shouldn’t even be offered for delivery, which is why our eat-in menu differs from delivery. No matter how quickly an order is made, there will still be some dishes that won’t arrive in a satisfactory state.”
For example, a papaya salad should be freshly prepared and served there and then, he says. He goes on: “I have yet to find a French fry that stays crispy more than five minutes after being packaged! The best advice is to avoid offering these types of dishes for delivery and focus instead on items that will taste just as good as they do fresh, like a good green curry or a well-made stir-fry."
Good packaging is vital, directly influencing the customer experience and satisfaction overall. If patrons receive cold or soggy food, mixed-up items or containers that aren’t easy to eat from, they are highly unlikely to place a repeat order.”
So, be sure to seek out sturdy, sustainable, well-insulated or ventilated packaging options to optimise quality, temperature and presentation. And don’t forget that promoting your venue’s takeaway and delivery service on social media is a must. As Sampson concludes: “Take top-quality images and video and highlight the dishes you offer on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Include relevant hashtags and post regularly to build a following. Creating a good reputation for offering great-tasting food will help to secure repeat business.”