Turning Your Restaurant Into a Takeaway Success

Today’s diners want their food fast, fresh, and fuss-free, and restaurants that meet these expectations are winning repeat business. In June 2025, deliveries and takeaways made up 18.3 pence in every pound spent by participating restaurants—i.e., approximately 18% of sales (source: CGA by NIQ).

Follow the steps below to turn your restaurant into a successful takeaway with smart menus, tech, and marketing strategies that boost profit and guest loyalty.

Step 1: Dig Into Your Operations Data

Before changing your service model, understand your numbers. POS reports will reveal which dishes travel well, deliver the strongest margins, and sell best at peak takeaway times. 

Riding House Café used Toast POS system to refine seasonal menus and publish updates instantly across locations, saving hours of admin time and boosting efficiency. This kind of data-led decision-making is what separates successful pivots from costly experiments. 

Step 2: Craft a Takeaway-Optimised Menu

A takeaway menu should be purpose-built, not a boxed-up version of your dine-in offer. Prioritise dishes that maintain their quality during transit, are easy to package sustainably, and have strong add-on potential such as sides, desserts, and bottled drinks. Consider how your hero dishes look and taste after a 15-minute journey. 

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, 36.5% of UK diners say menu photos are very important when ordering online —making professional photography essential for your website and delivery listings. For guidance on eco-friendly packaging, see the Sustainable Restaurant Association.

Step 3: Streamline Your Tech Stack

When orders increase, efficiency is key. Integrated POS and kitchen display systems (KDS) can significantly improve speed and reduce errors. 

Wolfpack sped up match-day service by replacing a server-based POS with Toast’s integrated payments, removing redundant steps. According to the Voice of the Restaurant Industry UK report, one in four operators plan to use technology to better run their business this year. Check out UKHospitality, the trade body for hospitality in the UK, for regular insights on tech adoption in our sector.

Step 4: Nail Your Packaging and Presentation

Packaging tells your brand story when you’re not there to tell it yourself. It should protect food quality, signal your commitment to sustainability, and clearly display your branding. 

The Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025 shows that 29% of UK diners will choose one restaurant over another if packaging feels premium and sustainable . For compliance, refer to Food Standards Agency packaging rules, and explore sustainable solutions via WRAP.

Step 5: Market Your Takeaway Offering

Make sure people know you offer takeaway. Start by adding “takeaway available” to your Google Business Profile so you show up in local searches. Use social media to build buzz—share special launch offers and behind-the-scenes clips of your team in action. Teaming up with local delivery platforms can get you in front of more customers, and a good loyalty scheme will keep them coming back for more.

Pricing matters too, if you want to attract new guests and returning visitors. According to our Consumer Preferences Survey, 43% of guests say they’re very likely to avoid a restaurant if they suspect overpricing.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing andMarketing Week both provide valuable case studies and resources for hospitality marketing.

Step 6: Keep Guest Experience High

Takeaway customers expect the same quality, accuracy, and friendliness they’d get dining in. Use order tracking, ensure allergen labelling is clear, and make pickups and deliveries professional and personable. 

UK allergen labelling must comply with FSA regulations, including Natasha’s Law, which applies to pre-packed food. 

Step 7: Track, Refine, Repeat

Check in on your takeaway performance every week. Look at how many orders you’re getting, what customers are saying, and which dishes are selling best. The most successful operators tweak their menus with the seasons and respond quickly to what guests want more (or less) of. For a bigger-picture view, benchmarking reports from organisations like The National Restaurant Association can help you see how you stack up against the rest of the industry.

Conclusion

Takeaways can be a growth engine for your restaurant. By grounding decisions in data, optimising menus for travel, investing in the right tech, and maintaining guest experience standards, UK operators can capture a bigger share of the convenience-driven dining market. Whether you’re adding takeaways to an established business or making it your primary service channel, the opportunities for sustainable growth are there for the taking.