How to Create an Effective Grab-and-Go Menu: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Create an Effective Grab-and-Go Menu: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why do we need grab-and-go menus? In a perfect world, we’d all take a leisurely hour or two for lunch and sit down to elegant, multi-course meals that we can enjoy slowly and peacefully with friends and family. Our breakfasts wouldn’t be stuffed in our faces while we’re herding kids out the door. Unfortunately, we’ve become a society of rushing from one place to another, and food is often seen more as fuel than a pleasurable experience. 

That’s why more and more restaurants are offering grab-and-go items so their busy customers can still enjoy their incredible food. They focus on delectable dishes that can be created quickly, packaged conveniently, and easily eaten on the run. If you want to do the same, this article will help you get started figuring out what market segment to aim for and how to choose or design a menu that they’ll definitely go for.

In this article, you will learn: 

• what a grab-and-go menu is,

• how to design one for your restaurant, and 

• how to take your menu online.

Understanding Your Target Audience

While many customers still want casual, sit-down meals, some might want the option of grabbing your tantalizing treats on the run. The first place to start when building your grab-and-go menu is to consider the demographics and preferences of their customer base. Author and marketing professor Philip Kotler gives this advice: “There is only one winning strategy. It is to carefully define the target market and direct a superior offering to that target market.”

So think carefully about the segment of your customers who seem to want grab-and-go meals. Have you noticed any groups asking for quick takeaway foods or speeding through their meals? Are they health-conscious individuals looking for dietary options, busy professionals seeking convenient meals, or students in search of affordable options? This understanding will guide your decision-making process and ensure that your grab-and-go menu meets their needs and desires.

How to Create a Grab and Go Menu

When you know who you’re building your menu for, you can get started on its construction. Here are some steps to guide you through menu development:

Select Core Ingredients

It’s important to choose a variety of versatile ingredients to be the foundation of your menu. Most dishes will be built around proteins (steak, chicken breast, eggs, tempeh, etc.) or carbs (bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, quinoa, etc.). 

The goal is to create a menu that offers something for everyone, especially those in your target segment. Make sure to include vegetarians, vegans, and individuals with dietary restrictions.

Write Out All Menu Items

Now, it’s time to create your menu items built around the core ingredients you selected. You have three choices on how to design them – some can be identical to the items you currently offer for sit-down service, some can be modified versions of these current dishes, and some can be completely new offerings. 

Categorize Menu Items

Cone you’ve created a list of items you can offer for your menu, it’s time to organize them into categories to make the menus clear. These could include sandwiches, wraps, salads, bowls, snacks, and beverages. Categorizing your menu will help organize your offerings and make it easier for customers to make decisions quickly. 

When building out your menu, it’s important to take menu engineering into consideration. This is looking at how much items cost, how much profit they make, and which ones sell best to help you decide what needs to stay on your menu. 

Create Signature Items

Most restaurants have a selection of signature items that are unique to your grab-and-go menu but also make sense, given the ingredients you use and your restaurant’s style. These items should showcase your culinary expertise and set you apart from competitors. Be wary of following fads if they have nothing to do with your style, ingredients, and experience. For example, cold noodles aren’t a great trend for a taco joint.

Set Menu Prices

The rationale for building a grab-and-go service is to capitalize on customers who may otherwise not have time to patronize your restaurant. Your menu should, therefore, bring in added profit, but prices also need to reflect your customers’ needs and ability to pay. As food and inventory prices climb, you have to ensure you’re making a profit but still keeping your items affordable. You may be able to offer lower prices because you’re not spending money on services, but remember, packaging is an extra cost. To help, implement a restaurant menu pricing strategy such as fixed prices or promo-based to push profitable items. 

Create Menu Descriptions

Menu descriptions should be short, crisp, and to the point. But they also need to reflect the information your customers are looking for. If your target segment is health conscious, emphasize fresh and healthy ingredients. If you’re targeting busy professionals, you can focus more on taste and quality. Use clear language to make all descriptions accessible so that everyone can quickly understand what you have on offer.

Consider Packaging and Portability

Packaging plays a crucial role in grab-and-go menus. People are looking for packaging that’s appropriate, attractive, sturdy, and easy to carry. They want containers that won’t be awkward, messy, or prone to failure. Consider using clear containers to showcase the freshness of your ingredients. Ensure that your containers keep cold food cold or hot food hot as much as possible to improve the customer’s experience. Additionally, provide utensils and napkins with each order to enhance convenience and ensure customers have everything they need to enjoy their meals on the go.

Menu Layout and Visual Presentation

While you might want your food to speak for itself, customers have to interact with your menu in order to access it. A clumsily-designed menu can be hard to follow and can even frustrate and drive customers away. Take the time to plan your grab-and-go menu following menu design best practices to make it attractive, clear, and highly successful in producing orders from your customers. 

Step 1: Design an Eye-Catching Menu Board or Display

Create an appealing menu board or display that showcases your offerings in an attractive and organized manner. Use high-quality images and incorporate your brand's colors, fonts, and style to establish a cohesive and visually appealing menu.

Step 2: Use Descriptive and Engaging Language

Craft enticing descriptions that highlight the unique flavors and qualities of each menu item. Use descriptive language to create an emotional connection with your customers and entice them to try your offerings.

Step 3: Highlight Specials and New Additions

To encourage repeat visits, feature specials and new additions prominently on your menu. Consider using eye-catching visuals, callouts, or separate sections to draw attention to these items and create a sense of excitement and exclusivity.

Step 4: Design for Easy Readability

Ensure your menu is easy to read and navigate, even at a glance. Use legible fonts, appropriate font sizes, and clear section headings. Avoid clutter and maintain ample spacing for easy comprehension, especially when customers are in a hurry.

How to Make a Restaurant Menu Online

If your menu isn’t online, you’re going to be missing out on a lot of business. Younger customers, especially Millenials and Gen Z (Zoomers) are constantly online and connected, so you need to give them something they can order online from easily.

Once your grab-and-go menu design is finalized, it’s critical that you have a digital version. These days, your graphic designer is going to have it digitized and will be able to convert it into the file type you need (usually an image or PDF). Then, you can get it up on your website, GoogleMaps, and all of your social media pages where it can be seen. It’s also very useful to generate a QR code that customers can quickly scan and open on their phones as they pop by your location(s).  

Your Restaurant Needs a Grab-and-Go Menu

Rather than asking yourself if it’s worth it to start a grab-and-go service at your restaurant, you’d be better off asking if you can afford not to. Engineering a menu and setting up the service might take time and investment. However, it will also generate a new profit stream from busy customers who would otherwise rush past your restaurant looking for quicker, more convenient options to fill their bellies.  

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