Menu boxes and meal boxes for deliveries: which are the best practices?

Home delivery of meals, or take-away menus, have boo2med over the last decade and have taken off in the last 12 months. Apps for smartphones allow you to mobilise a large number of meal deliverers, and to be delivered at the touch of a button on a smartphone screen. 

While convenience, speed and choice are great advantages, plastic is often over-present, and in large quantities, from boxes, cutlery and sauces to bags of sauce. But the intensification of the war on waste has brought about change. 

Keeping food fresh, safe and tasty is of the utmost importance, especially if you offer food delivery services. In order to ensure the freshness of food, it is essential to consider the packaging of your product. Whether you own a gourmet restaurant, a café or a fast food chain, it is imperative to use the right packaging material and design.

To remain competitive in today's highly competitive market, you need to plan and implement food packaging strategies that not only comply with health and safety regulations, but also meet your customers' expectations and give you a competitive edge.

The advantages of a suitable lunch box

Protection against cross-contamination

In a restaurant, cross-contamination refers to the passage of bacteria or other harmful microorganisms into food, from production equipment, or from people. This can occur at any stage of food production, including packaging of take-away food or during delivery. Appropriate food packaging protects food from cross-contamination that may occur during delivery, which is particularly important for slowing the spread of coronavirus. 

Making food more attractive

Many factors influence how we enjoy the dining experience, including the view (how a dish looks when it arrives at its destination). Proper packaging keeps the food intact, so that it arrives looking as appetising as it would in a restaurant. 

Temperature control

Ordering soup, pizza or pasta and receiving it cold is always a bad experience!  In fact, 60% of respondents consider the quality, freshness and temperature of food to be "the most important factor in a home delivery". Ideally, hot and cold food should be packed separately so that each dish arrives at the temperature at which it is supposed to be eaten.

Helps sell more food

People also buy with their eyes, and attractive packaging encourages repeat sales. In fact, one survey found that 72% of American consumers say that packaging design influences their purchasing decisions. Just think of the hype that surrounds the design of Starbucks holiday cups each year.

Connecting with your audience

Your potential customers are looking for an experience. For this, the restaurant was the ideal place, with the possibility to stage and create specific atmospheres. In the current circumstances, this is no longer possible. One of the tangible elements to be taken into account is the packaging, and in particular the lunch box. If you offer children's menus, why not, for example, offer children's lunch boxes with a goodie? There are many possibilities, from seasonal gadgets (think Easter or Halloween) to fun and educational goodies. 

Allows you to offer a higher rate

Well-packaged food has a higher perceived value. As one study revealed, almost a quarter of consumers are willing to pay up to 20% more for products with environmentally friendly packaging.

Strengthens your brand identity

The packaging is another point of contact with the brand that helps you get in touch with customers through the intelligent use of colour, design and text. If your restaurant is known for its quirky humour, you can create packaging that reflects this unique brand personality.

Present your company values

Whether it's a commitment to the environment or raising awareness of important social issues, your packaging can convey the values of your restaurant. For example, biodegradable packaging is an easy way to show your customers that you are committed to protecting the environment.

Whichever way you choose to select the most suitable meal delivery packaging for your dishes, a few points are essential to keep in mind. In home delivery, all your choices must be considered in relation to the mode of transport, in this case the delivery bag. Each packaging solution must also be easily stackable and resist the weight of other containers during transport.

There are many players in the home delivery market. To differentiate yourself from the competition, it can be interesting to offer cutlery to accompany your containers. In another post, we'll take a look at trends in food packaging for delivery, and what to look out for

The Welcome Family team will also help you in the selection of your food packaging.  Do not hesitate to fill in our contact form to be contacted!