With Covid-19 concerns forcing many restaurants to close their dining rooms and others facing plummeting business, food-related businesses kicked into high gear with models and incentives to get customers ordering takeout and delivery so that they can survive the pandemic.
Thanks to the new Tock to Go service developed by prepaid dining platform Tock founder and Alinea Group co-owner Nick Kokonas, fine dining establishments are pre-selling takeout and delivery orders without requiring a third-party delivery service which would take a 30-percent cut.
The Michelin 3-star Alinea restaurant in Chicago, where a meal typically costs $200-$400 per person, is offering a three-course prix fixe menu of Beef Wellington, mashed potatoes, and creme brulee for $34.95 via the platform this week. Meanwhile, its sister restaurant, Next, 2012 James Beard Award winner for best new restaurant, is selling a meal of rigatoni, Caesar salad, and cheesecake for $29.95 per person.
Kokonas tweeted Wednesday that Alinea had already sold about $5,600 worth of margarita kits off the bat through Tock.
Others are turning to the fourth-quarter go-to gift card incentive.
Gene & Georgetti steakhouse in Rosemont, Ill., is giving customers a $25 gift card with any $100 purchase. Unlike those offered during the holiday season, the bonus gift card has no expiration date.
“It's good for whenever. We don't feel it's fair to limit it,” said owner Michelle Durpetti, who had to lay off 55 employees from her 60-person staff.
Gene & Georgetti had been preparing to reopen its 79-year-old downtown Chicago steakhouse March 26 after a kitchen fire forced it to close six months ago. Plans are to still open the location later.
“This was a particularly devastating time for us,” Durpetti said between updating employees about assistance, rescheduling wedding and events, and checking in with her family in Italy.
The company also expanded its delivery footprint from 7 to 12 miles to reach hundreds of thousands more potential customers through DoorDash and was adding GrubHub.
Tipsy Scoop, the New York-based alcohol-infused ice cream seller, is looking to $49 virtual ice cream cocktail making classes to offset some losses. Customers order ingredient packs for pickup or delivery and get links to see an instructor guiding them through the steps.
Latin American fusion spot Asada Restaurant in Greenville, S.C., meanwhile, is treating customers to dessert by providing freebies with every take-out order. It started Tuesday with cookies and quickly ran out, so it switched to hand-dipped chocolate-covered strawberries.
“It's just to say thank you for continuing to support us. We have a great community,” said co-owner Gina Petti.“We’re going to come up with a plan for each week.”
Asada will begin selling its popular sangrias to go next week. “It might be helpful for everybody with their kids at home,” Petti said.
Related: Union Square Hospitality Group Lays off 2,000 Employees; Companies Introduce No-Contact Delivery Features.
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