Although some of the lockdown measures are being lifted in most parts of the UK, social distancing is still in place, which makes reopening a restaurant or bar a little difficult. As well as this, it has been shown that over half of Brits would not feel comfortable heading out for a bite to eat even once lockdown is fully lifted. Unfortunately, as a food business owner, this may leave you worried about the future. However, there are some things you can do to keep your business afloat, even during a pandemic. Here are some ideas.
One way to promote your product is by giving goodies to your customers like tumblers and shirts, you can check US Imprints online if you want your logo tumblers printed.
Offer a Delivery Service
If customers won’t come to you, why not go to them? You can sign up with a readymade delivery service like Deliveroo or Uber Eats or you can invest in your own vehicle. A van with your company logo written on the side will also help advertise your services, and get the word out that you are still operating. However, as you’ll need to tighten the purse strings in these difficult times, be on the lookout for money-saving deals, such as no deposit van insurance. You can compare no deposit van insurance deals with sites like quotezone.co.uk. If you find a good deal on a van, simply type in the reg plate and quotezone.co.uk will compare all the top UK insurance providers.
When you begin your delivery service, it’s important to reassure customers that you are taking all the necessary precautions. So, don’t forget to let them know that you have implemented a contactless service, which includes online payments and leaving the food on the customer’s doorstep.
Sell Any Surplus Stock
We all know only too well how much food is wasted in our households, and the pandemic hasn’t helped the issue. Restaurants that were ordered to close back in March 2020 will not have had time to use up their perishables. If you have stock leftover, and you aren’t reopening just yet, consider signing up to a site like Too Good to Go, which is an app dedicated to rescuing unsold food from shops, cafes, and restaurants. Food is sold to customers in the form of ‘Magic Bags’, and those losses are consequently turned into income! Other apps to try that work on a similar principle include Karma and Olio.
Sell Gift Vouchers
Lastly, why not consider selling gift vouchers? This is something that requires little investment but relies on the loyalty of your customers. You could ask them to buy vouchers that they will use later when lockdown has eased and corona cases have significantly decreased. You don’t even have to have them printed, as you can send them via email and offer them as an alternative to cancelled reservations. Don’t forget to include a personalised message and a thank you note when they do agree to purchase one.
There are many other things you can do to keep your business running; it just requires a bit of creative thinking.
