There is no denying that Malaysia’s food delivery industry has flourished over the last couple of years, and it is expected to keep growing going forward. Many restaurants and cloud kitchens have enjoyed meteoric rises as a result. While the dishes they prepare are, without a doubt, an integral part of their success, there is one aspect of many F&B businesses that usually goes neglected – food delivery packaging.
You might be thinking: ‘Why it is so crucial?’ and ‘What kind of impact can it have on your establishment?’ To put this into perspective, we at Kitchen Connect have prepared a comprehensive guide on how to ensure your food delivery packaging ticks every box and gives your customers the ultimate dining experience.
- Material
- Size
- Durability
- Branding
- Customer Opinions
The ideal material
There are so many materials that can be used for food delivery packaging, but which one is best? This depends on the type of cuisine you serve and the dishes you prepare in the kitchen. The last thing you want is anything spilling, so to help you pick the right type of material, here are a couple of options you can choose from:
- Plastic – The go-to choice for most restaurants and cloud kitchens to numerous kinds of food, whether it be soup, pasta, or nasi lemak. What makes it more appealing is the fact that it’s recyclable.
- Paper and cardboard – Very similar to plastic in that they can hold most types of food, except soup, and can be recycled too.
- Aluminium – Ideal for wrapping burgers, burritos and kebabs and keeping them hot. The only setback to using aluminium is how expensive it can be.
- Foam – It retains heat very well but comes up short in the environmentally-friendly department.
- Biodegradable options – Materials like bamboo and rice husk are becoming more popular, especially given how many restaurants and cloud kitchens are concerned about reducing their carbon footprint.
Picking the right size
The size of your food delivery packaging is just as important as the material you use as you want to make sure everything fits perfectly.
Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether to go bigger or smaller:
- A nice fit – Many restaurateurs believe that one container size is enough to deliver all the dishes their restaurant makes. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and it is important to use different sizes based on the amount of food that is going to be put into the container.
- Make use of dividers – If your dish features different elements, you won’t want them mixing together. As a result, having dividers will keep everything separate and is hygienic as well.
- Keep some ramekins on hand – Many dishes might need traditional or special dipping sauces. The best way to avoid any spillages is to use disposable ramekins.
Great durability
When you get orders and deliver food to your customers, the packaging you use has to be able to hold up and not fall apart easily. To achieve this, consider the following:
- Strong seals – Whether you opt for plastic lids or paper tabs, you should use a seal that won’t break while it is being transported.
- Weak areas – It is important to check whether your container has any weak spots that can cause it to break as you don’t want to find out about it when the customer lodges a complaint!
- Absorbency – If you use a lot of sauce on a certain dish, it would be a good idea to place it into moisture-resistant food delivery packaging so that nothing happens during the delivery process.
Let your brand take centre stage
Virtually every restaurant or cloud kitchen has its brand plastered across the food delivery packaging they use. This goes for major conglomerates like McDonald’s to PappaRich in Malaysia.
Here are some steps you can take to make sure your brand stands out:
- Get your name out there – It is imperative that your restaurant or cloud kitchen’s name be visible and stand out. Make sure to include your business’ logo and contact details too.
- Stay consistent – Use the same colours, fonts and logos on all your packaging to ensure you don’t confuse your customers.
- Get professional help – If you have the funds available, it is worth getting a professional to help you design your food packaging.
Pay attention to your customers
When sending out orders to your customers, it is important to consider their wants and needs and incorporate that into your food delivery packaging. This would include the following:
- Crystal clear labels – Everything from the name of the dish to the ingredients used needs to be identified, especially for customers with certain dietary requirements or allergies.
- Easy to follow instructions – It may surprise you how many people have problems when it comes to opening the packaging their food is delivered in. To avoid falling into this trap, you can use the illustration of an arrow or clearly worded instructions.
- The little add-ons – When delivering food, it is simple etiquette to include cutlery, condiments and paper napkins. It might not seem like a major thing, but it may be vital to your patrons.
Packaged and ready to go
With all this in mind, it is essential to ensure that your food delivery packaging is of the highest quality and won’t lead to any disastrous results from when it leaves your kitchen to the point it is handed over to the customer. Remember, your restaurant’s reputation is on the line!
Are you considering opening a cloud kitchen in Malaysia? Fill up the form below to get in contact today!