Ladies and gentlemen, the holiday season is officially upon us and with it, an interesting statistic from foodservice consultants Technomic: More than 40 percent of consumers are buying platters or prepared food for holidays and celebrations. QSR reported that while the recession has continued to take its toll on the restaurant industry, Technomic’s study revealed a potentially vibrant market that has gone largely untapped in the quick-service sector – catering – a promising growth opportunity for quick-service outlets both large and small in the coming years. The study suggests there is a shift in consumer behavior, as the home is replacing the restaurant as the central meeting place for social gatherings. And it appears quick-service owners and operators are already beginning to adjust to the trend including Wingstop, Bruegger’s Bakery Café, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Panchero’s Mexican Grill and Cousins Subs.
Panchero’s launched its first catering program in April and has resulted in shifting the responsibilities of workers in an effort to minimize the added stress of taking large, bulk orders. “The biggest challenge for us was that we wanted to keep things the same. We didn’t want managers running around all day trying to deliver catering orders,” says Jay Hochenedel, Panchero’s director of operations. “This meant being a little more organized and shifting responsibilities. That way we didn’t have to bring on more labor to support the concept.”
Larry Weissman, vice president of marketing for Cousins Subs, which offers a full, on-site catering menu, says timing is catering’s most important element. “The big thing is really in the area of delivery,” Weismann says. “When a customer tells you, ‘I need it delivered at 12:30,’ that’s not a joke. They want it there at 12:30. In the end you have to make sure you can execute.” If these various needs can be met, quick-service operators that have experience with catering all say the same thing: The marketing benefits are significant. A catering order means a larger group of people will be snacking on the product, and the likelihood of reaching a new customer in that setting is pretty good.
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