| Due to more demanding schedules at work and | | | | Staffing and training are the essential ingredients |
| home, an increasing number of Americans are | | | | to effective carry-out service, Schier says. This |
| ordering carry-out from casual restaurants instead | | | | starts with having employees whose sole role is |
| of eating inside. Restaurateurs who execute | | | | serving carry-out guests. |
| carry-out properly will stand out from the | | | | It's important that the phone is appropriately |
| competition. | | | | staffed during peak hours by employees who are |
| Americans are in a hurry. From balancing deadlines | | | | trained on proper etiquette, menu knowledge and |
| in the office with raising a family at home, men | | | | how to clearly communicate with customers. It's |
| and women alike have schedules that are more | | | | better to have staff members whose job is to |
| frenzied than ever. With less time for relaxation | | | | service carry-out guests than have a bartender |
| and a declining interest in cooking homemade | | | | trying to answer the phone on a busy Friday night |
| meals, a rapidly increasing number of Americans | | | | in addition to serving the bar guests and running |
| are using the carry-out option rather than eating | | | | the service bar. |
| dinner inside a restaurant. | | | | Hosts are the employees most often assigned to |
| Consumers are demanding this convenience, and | | | | carry-out since servers focus on in-house guests |
| many restaurants are responding. However, a high | | | | since they depend on tips. Yet, in many |
| percentage of these restaurants have | | | | restaurants, hosts are not given menu training. |
| implemented service measures specifically | | | | Obviously, it's not a good idea to have employees |
| designed to create an ideal carry-out experience | | | | without in-depth menu knowledge answering the |
| for their customers. | | | | phones. Your carry-out team members should be |
| Customers want convenience, and it is easier for | | | | prepared to answer questions, especially when |
| many people to phone in a carry-out order at a | | | | guests don't have a menu in front of them. |
| casual restaurant. We don't want fast food and | | | | A side entrance for carry-out with its own POS |
| pizza all the time - there are days when we are | | | | terminal and an employee behind the counter is |
| craving dinner from a place like Chili's or Outback - | | | | the ideal set up. Restaurants that still require |
| but at the same time we often don't have the | | | | guests to navigate their way to the bar for |
| time or don't feel like going inside to eat. | | | | carry-out pickup make the experience |
| Recognizing the revenue stream potential, many | | | | inconvenient. It is also important to include utensils, |
| restaurants have refurbished their restaurants to | | | | napkins, condiments and a carry-out menu with |
| accommodate carry-out business. Yet the | | | | the order, which adds to the convenience factor. |
| customer service for carry out in casual | | | | Twenty years ago, nobody would have imagined |
| restaurants is typically less polished than in-house. | | | | that the drive-thru would represent more than 60 |
| Carry-out should be an experience for guests just | | | | percent of a fast-food restaurant's business. |
| as eating in-house is. Casual restaurants that offer | | | | Today, the carry-out element is gradually |
| carry-out are competing with quick-service | | | | composing a higher percentage of a casual |
| restaurants and pizza delivery chains. Customers | | | | restaurant's sales. Carry-out may only be a |
| have a growing number of choices, so casual | | | | fraction of a restaurant's business today, but it will |
| restaurant operators need to incorporate | | | | continue to grow if it is executed properly. And |
| techniques that give their guests a favorable | | | | this is one more way that a restaurant operator |
| experience - one that will make them want to | | | | can stand out from the competition. |
| return. | | | | |