How to Bring Dine-in and Take-out Service Under One Roof

At one time, guests were pretty much forced to make a choice between dining convenience and dining quality. Those days are past.

Casual dining operations continue to raise the bar on their menu offerings; convenience and quality are not mutually exclusive. Upscale dining operations have increased the convenience of their concepts for diners who want the fare, but not a table.

One of the important considerations as you start your new restaurant is maximizing the utility of your asset - including leased property. Takeout dining helps full-service operations generate sales that would have gone to quick-service operations in the past. Another important consideration is to determine if your business is incorporating menu and service trends that resonate with your market. Younger diners are driving much of the market for online ordering. It nearly goes without saying, you can't ignore their preferences. They are the future of your business.

Takeout "isn't just for the quick-service guys anymore," says Chris Tripoli, principal of A 'la Carte Foodservice Consulting in Houston, Texas. "Actually, it hasn't been for a while. As consumer demand increased for higher quality, and better variety met head-on with the popularity of convenience, many independent restaurants reacted by improving their takeout programs."