Off-Premise Dining: The New Normal?

• Between March and August 2020, restaurants lost $185 billion
• COVID-19 has effectively pushed for off-premise dining to become a necessity
• Restaurants with a well-organized delivery system have prospered

A few years ago the term “off-premise” in association with hospitality and food service wasn’t considered an extreme priority. Yes, takeout, delivery, and drive-through restaurant service existed—but they were ancillary services. They were simply an alternative to dining inside a restaurant. Now they’re everything! The onset of COVID-19 in March 2020 brought about that dramatic change.

According to the National Restaurant Association, between March and August 2020, the industry sustained losses surpassing $185 billion. With statistics like these, and faced with the challenge of profitability while operating in an off-premise mode, it is safe to say that restaurateurs are eager for practical solutions.

COVID-19 has negatively affected many industries, restaurants and hospitality included.

Through minimal assistance from the government and with the cooperation of some landlords, a minority of restaurant owners saw continued losses decrease to some extent. This happened in the summer of 2020, as restaurant restrictions were lifted. But unfortunately, closures are an ongoing threat. In fact, right now in 2021, the country faces what appears to be an even greater threat. This proves how unpredictable the pandemic is.

It also shows that the pandemic has enough power to shake one of the most profitable and stable industries in the country. Unlike numerous tech companies that have seen their stocks climb during this time, restaurants have not experienced that same growth. This is due to one key difference: Restaurants have been a vital, daily part of everyday life for millions of people—but eating virtually is impossible.

However, in spite of the pandemic that has crippled many restaurants, those restaurants with a well-organized delivery plan have prospered. As an example, COVID-19 couldn’t touch restaurants like Domino’s Pizza and Papa John’s. Why not? Because they have successfully used pick-up and delivery services for years and designed a solid plan for doing so.

Pizza places have used in-house delivery for years without the help of third-party delivery apps. This helps explain why they are remaining profitable during the pandemic.

Today restaurateurs need practical and affordable off-premise solutions. It is an absolute must! In the midst of a pandemic, issues like building loyalty, quality control, and managing staff do not go away. In fact, they are—perhaps more than ever—serious and legitimate concerns. And restaurateurs face a very daunting task in trying to stay ahead of these issues.

According to a recent article published by Restaurant Business, restaurants may not see a full recovery until 2025. Not only is this shocking, unfortunately, it is very believable.

As mentioned in the introduction to Tría, we are not only committed to the success of our clients—we also strive to empower them in very unique ways. One way we seek to do that is by providing training, insight, tools, and the opportunity to overcome the complex challenges of off-premise processes.

Our philosophy is simple: we do not consider third-party delivery services a practical solution to off-premise success. The lost revenue, along with the lack of quality control, is a very bad decision altogether.

Our off-premise recommendations are simple and practical. We don’t claim to be professionals in the restaurant industry, but we are professionals at solving complex business problems. Therefore, we encourage you to consider the solutions we have proposed, the tools we provide, and the support that has proven to help restaurants like yours succeed in this challenging environment.

In our off-premise restaurant guide, we will cover how to utilize Tría for Curbside pickup/delivery, and how to create your own delivery service. And yes, it is possible to do that. Remember this is your business, don’t let a third party represent it.

Please do keep in mind that we are extremely committed to assisting you in your off-premise journey. We are constantly listening to all of our clients, gathering information, and sharing it with our Tría family. We do understand that what we present as an opportunity to some can be overwhelming. We get that. Believe it or not, we know how that feels. We started as three young and motivated individuals who saw a need, and we responded. No matter the level of discomfort, inexperience, or just plain fear, there is always a way to succeed. That’s what Tría is all about. That is our promise—and you can take that to the bank.

The Tría promise… To serve as a guide to owners and operators in the foodservice industry on their journey to increasing revenue and enhancing positive communication with their customers.

Forms of “Off-Premise” Dining

The term “off-premise” is by no means new to the restaurant industry but the context and application of it in 2020 has in fact changed. The term basically means you purchase food from a restaurant and consume it off-site. Drive-thru, takeout, curbside pickup and delivery service are all considered off-premise methods, but again, they are now magnified like never before in the history of modern restaurants.

Our primary focus will be two of the four above methods mentioned. The processes and recommendations in our Off-Premise Guide are applicable to ALL forms but we are focusing here on Curbside Pickup/Delivery and Delivery (specifically in-house).

We have mentioned we are not professionals in food service delivery or restaurant management, we do however provide the resources and coaching necessary to empower any restaurant to be successful in their off-premise efforts.

There are six primary areas in which we feel Tría can assist you in being more productive and profitable in your off-premise experience.

1. Eliminating the fees associated with credit card processing.
2. Providing one of the most innovative platforms in online ordering.
3. Compete more effectively online through social media and Google platforms.
4. Having more control over the food quality and customer experience.
5. Building a long term and sustainable off-premise program.
6. Avoiding third-party systems that ultimately stand in the way of a truly profitable off-premise program.

We provide many resources associated with the six primary areas mentioned. What we will focus on here is building a successful curbside/delivery program and a in-house delivery program. Our experience has shown us that most restaurant owners are very accepting to the thought of a curbside/delivery or takeout program. After all, not much new here, but delivery programs? That’s another story. But what we have seen time and time again is that not only does it make perfect sense, but it is more profitable and provides more opportunity for growth and sustainability. We will cover this in more detail as we move for forward, so let’s get started.

Remember, the Tría team is committed to the success of all of our clients. Not only do we continue to improve our ordering platform but we continue to provide training and coaching that is second to none. We believe that in all we do we should do it in excellence. In the midst of a tragic pandemic, we can rise to the top and achieve more, displaying resilience while providing a customer experience that says “I appreciate you”.