5-minute read ---
In efforts to save money and reduce waste, restaurant owners are experimenting with creative ways to use and monetize excess food. By distributing ingredients or pre-made menu items to members in their community, restaurants maximize their inventory while encouraging new and existing customers to experience the store’s environment, food, and drinks.
Aldelo Express offers cloud point of sale solutions and features that support natively integrated digital menus and a cloud back-office platform that equips restaurant owners to maximize their profits via inventory oversight, item sales reports, and operational analysis. In addition, Aldelo Express users customize an ecosystem of merchant- and customer-facing solutions to expand their reach and provide customers with increased accessibility to the restaurant’s digital menu and related services.
Here are some ways restaurant owners are using excess food with their Aldelo Express Cloud POS solution.
Aldelo Express offers cloud point of sale solutions and features that support natively integrated digital menus and a cloud back-office platform that equips restaurant owners to maximize their profits via inventory oversight, item sales reports, and operational analysis. In addition, Aldelo Express users customize an ecosystem of merchant- and customer-facing solutions to expand their reach and provide customers with increased accessibility to the restaurant’s digital menu and related services.
Here are some ways restaurant owners are using excess food with their Aldelo Express Cloud POS solution.
“Flash Menus”
While many restaurants simply donate food and drink items, others are creating “flash menus” to use up inventory items before they expire. With the right inventory controls, such as those built into Aldelo Express Cloud POS, managers can keep track of items getting close to their legal expiration date and create limited-time special menu items to promote purchases of these items.
Like a “flash mob,” “flash menus” are exciting food and drink offerings that catch customers by surprise. Restaurants promote these special menu items with emails, social media posts, signage, and by word of mouth from store employees. Owners and operators that use Aldelo Express and Masa+ easily update their digital menu with these items. By rewarding customers that purchase these items with double loyalty point offers and “buy 2 get 2 free” promos, restaurants increase customer traffic and incentivize purchases on items that would be otherwise discarded.
Through these initiatives that draw customers to the restaurant, operators generate incremental revenue, boost the sale of other items, and reach new customers.
While many restaurants simply donate food and drink items, others are creating “flash menus” to use up inventory items before they expire. With the right inventory controls, such as those built into Aldelo Express Cloud POS, managers can keep track of items getting close to their legal expiration date and create limited-time special menu items to promote purchases of these items.
Like a “flash mob,” “flash menus” are exciting food and drink offerings that catch customers by surprise. Restaurants promote these special menu items with emails, social media posts, signage, and by word of mouth from store employees. Owners and operators that use Aldelo Express and Masa+ easily update their digital menu with these items. By rewarding customers that purchase these items with double loyalty point offers and “buy 2 get 2 free” promos, restaurants increase customer traffic and incentivize purchases on items that would be otherwise discarded.
Through these initiatives that draw customers to the restaurant, operators generate incremental revenue, boost the sale of other items, and reach new customers.
Discounted Add-Ons
Selling excess food as discounted to-go or pick-up items makes it easy for restaurants to maximize their inventory while expanding their customer services. By offering these items in takeout order packaging, restaurants make it easy for customers to purchase multiple discounted add-ons to their current transaction. Restaurants that sell day-old fresh or frozen menu items at a discounted rate encourage their customers to enjoy these items at home with a future meal, enjoy their favorite items at an ultra-affordable price, and actively help the restaurant reduce food waste.
In addition, restaurants effortlessly add excess ingredients as limited-time priced modifiers to existing menu options, providing customers with fun varieties on their favorite menu items.
Masa+ users selling discounted items easily create a new food category on their digital menu using their cloud back-office environment. As a native integrated solution, Masa+ automatically syncs with Aldelo Express, adjusting food and drinks from digital menus based on automated or manual changes made to the Aldelo Express menu.
Selling excess food as discounted to-go or pick-up items makes it easy for restaurants to maximize their inventory while expanding their customer services. By offering these items in takeout order packaging, restaurants make it easy for customers to purchase multiple discounted add-ons to their current transaction. Restaurants that sell day-old fresh or frozen menu items at a discounted rate encourage their customers to enjoy these items at home with a future meal, enjoy their favorite items at an ultra-affordable price, and actively help the restaurant reduce food waste.
In addition, restaurants effortlessly add excess ingredients as limited-time priced modifiers to existing menu options, providing customers with fun varieties on their favorite menu items.
Masa+ users selling discounted items easily create a new food category on their digital menu using their cloud back-office environment. As a native integrated solution, Masa+ automatically syncs with Aldelo Express, adjusting food and drinks from digital menus based on automated or manual changes made to the Aldelo Express menu.
Through these initiatives, operators generate incremental revenue, boost the sale of other items, and reach new customers
Edible Calling Cards
Restaurant owners also use excess food items as an “edible calling card” by visiting and introducing themselves to local businesses. Depending on what items they have available, owners will drop off baked goods, sandwiches, or “snacks” to nearby business owners, helping them establish their restaurant as an obvious choice for employees to grab a bite or to provide future catering services. This approach is a valuable marketing tool that helps restaurants foster business relationships and solidify their standing in the community.
Combined with business/menu cards that include contact details and QR code-enabled digital menus, restaurants extend their brand into their local community and provide a way to easily view menus, order, and pay for food and drinks online.
Giving Back
Food banks, homeless shelters, churches, and non-profit distributors are just some of many organizations that generally accept excess food and drink items from restaurants. By giving to these organizations, restaurants actively give back to their community and organically promote their menu items and customer-centric services. Restaurants are even packing up excess menu items to donate to local functions or meetings before they reach their expiration date.
As an added benefit, many times restaurants that donate items to these types of organizations are eligible to receive tax deductions for their service (*contact your accountant for specific information).
All-in-One Cloud POS
With digital paperless menus and online ordering solutions from Masa+, restaurants make menu changes and updates while eliminating printing costs. QR code-based menus, ordering, and payments enhance in-house dining services and extend the restaurant’s services to any environment. Aldelo Express Cloud POS users utilize QR code stickers and window decals to promote online orders, extend brand reach within their community, and maximize order intake with fewer staff at the links below.
Learn more by contacting an Aldelo representative today at [email protected] or 925-621-2410
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Restaurants that use ultra-competitive Aldelo Pay or Aldelo Partner Merchant Services obtain access to a Centralized Multi-Store Restaurant Technology Platform that includes Masa+ Online Ordering, Unlimited Software Releases, Unlimited Software Upgrades, and 24/7 Technical Support! *** Please contact an Aldelo representative today for more details, including a free Aldelo Express POS demo trial [email protected] | 877-639-8767 | [email protected] |
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