Real advice from employees at Upper Lakes Foods
How should I start curbside pick-up?
- Focus on 5-6 menu items that travel well (pasta, pizzas, etc.).
- Family meals to-go are popular, capitalize on serving entrees and sides.
- Get set up so customers can have the ability to pay roadside in case they don’t prepay (Square One).
- Advertise on social media.
- Come up with fun ideas to get people at your curb. Free roll of toilet paper with every order, anyone? There might be some takers.
- Have a food truck? Work with local government to secure parking spots in front of businesses if needed.
Any tips for starting delivery?
- Don’t try to have too big of a delivery area. Small can have a big impact too.
- Set manageable minimums, but make sure you cover costs.
- Offer menu items that travel well in to-go containers.
How do I deal with labor shortages?
- Condense down your menu to manageable number of items.
- Make smart business decisions, not personal.
- As an owner, you may have to fill in labor gaps to get through these hard times.
