This week I’m absolutely delighted to welcome Lewis Wild to the Fudami team. Lewis is a third year student at Bournemouth University and is joining us as a marketing intern helping across clients and also with his background in journalism curating this newsletter with me. His first fab opinion piece is below.
Also please do check out an amazing job opportunity at the bottom of the page.
The Rise of Curbside – By Lewis Wild
2020 has been a time of uncertainty for the hospitality sector in many ways. The COVID-19 pandemic has led the industry to have to innovate and adapt to these changes. But this isn’t looking like a temporary solution, they’re here to stay.
One emerging trend across the pond has been the next iteration of convenient and safe collection with the development of Curbside. Simply put, Curbside is click and collect for restaurants which allows customers to order in advance and have food handed to them in the car park upon arrival.
The increase in the use of this strategy is for a number of reasons. The completely contactless process prevents staff or customers congregating in the same space and taking the risk of infection. Also due to in app location tracking, food can be prepared depending on how close the customer is to the collection point. This prevents long queues in drive thru’s and allows the restaurants themselves to run their kitchens much more efficiently, streamlining the entire process.
The huge advantage of Curbside is that a physical drive thru isn’t necessary. The use of an app allows any business no matter how small to run a virtual drive thru with a collection point close to their store. This has been revolutionary for such businesses as without it they could have been facing severe financial trouble.
Even before all of this, Curbside service has shown signs of success over in America with a number of famous brands giving it a try. Taco Bell has plans to further its new concept “Taco Bell Go Mobile” by redesigning all of their drive thru lanes to be specifically made for customers ordering ahead through their mobile app. (https://www.qsrmagazine.com/fast-food/taco-bell-unveils-new-restaurant-built-digital-future)
With plans to be up and running by Q1 2021 this is something that is clearly here to stay COVID or not, I don’t think the UK will be far behind either with many big chains already having trialled the method.
FOOD DELIVERY NEWS
McDonald’s UK has trialled their parked cars food delivery scheme via their app. The initiative, “Click.Park” allows food to be delivered to a parked car outside the restaurant. Other measures recently have included the introduction of more menu items from the previously limited range.
@Pizza have launched an £820,000 crowdfunding campaign to support the launch of the UK’s first drive-thru pizza concept. The funds will be used to expand through permanent and semi-permanent sites, with the latter being in the form of shipping containers. They would be able to produce 10 pizza’s a minute with unlimited customisation which is ordered via their app and either collected or delivered to their vehicle.
This will be one to watch. If anyone gets to try it please share back with us. The news not the pizza – that’ll be cold.
Brewer and retailer Greene King is trialling a new virtual delivery brand, Proper Club Classics Co. Currently available from select pubs through Just Eat, the menu features pub classics Fish and Chips, Steak and Ale pie and a selection of burgers. This is understood to be starting with small local pubs with ambitions to extend it to many more.
The Big Table Group, operators of Bella Italia, Las Iguanas and Cafe Rouge have launched a new virtual delivery brand “Stateside Diner.” Currently available from select Bella Italia sites through Deliveroo are a variety of US-Style cuisines from hot dogs to Mac ‘n’ cheese.
I think we better start a list of all the dark kitchen brands – there’s going to be a whole sub world of eats.
Dark Kitchen Space to rent in Central London
– Price: £2,250 inc all bills,
excluding VAT
– Holborn WC1A 1BH
– Great for production or delivery
– £6.25 per square foot.
JOB OF THE WEEK
Managing Director – Fit Food Business, London £70k
COREcruitment is working with an amazing start up food concept in London who we think are going to be MASSIVE in the next few years
Managing Director might be a little grand as a job title, this is a very hands on role that will work with the founder and cover all elements of the business
We are looking for someone who can create a great culture and ethos as well as running a profitable business.
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