The way you connect with clients in the restaurant is not the same as how they interact with you at home.

We are all humans, and after a long day of exhausting work, we will seek for something to satisfy our hunger and please our taste buds. If our favorite cuisine is delivered to our door, we consider ourselves fortunate. It’s so relaxing! Many restaurants, fortunately, provide online delivery. But what if the meal is delivered in a bad state? Your entire disposition has vanished! This is where the importance of packaging in raising your brand’s awareness comes into play. Even traditional restaurants have begun to sell and deliver meals online, and it is possible to lose market share to the competition. The only way to stay in the market is to come up with original and innovative packaging concepts that will create a lasting impression on buyers’ thoughts.

Customers will notice how you pack the meals, and this is the finest marketing opportunity to communicate your brand story and raise brand awareness. This can increase consumer loyalty by bringing in more customers. The way you connect with clients in the restaurant is not the same as how they interact with you at home. This is due to the fact that buyers enjoy novelty and innovation.

Food packaging isn’t just for convenience; it’s also for safety, especially in this COVID situation. Since the outbreak, several restaurants have closed their public dining rooms and switched to safe takeout and online delivery. In the midst of the epidemic, most restaurant customers are placing online orders, according to a Toast survey of over 700 customers. The correct takeout food packaging has become crucial in attracting and retaining consumers, according to eateries, particularly those that have recently incorporated an online ordering system.

Because exterior factors such as the dining environment cannot be controlled, focusing on the food packaging is one of the finest methods to improve the take-out customer experience. Restaurants can benefit from excellent food packing ideas to improve customer service. Without further ado, let’s have a look at some of the packaging options available to us.

1. Sustainable packaging:

Using eco-friendly food packaging, the usage of mixed materials, including labels, can be avoided. Packaging constructed of standard and mixed materials, which are typically non-biodegradable, can harm, ruin, and contaminate the environment. People can be greatly impacted by composite, recycled, or recyclable packaging. It can raise customer awareness of the rubbish they generate and encourage them to clean up after themselves.

Biodegradable containers are a viable option if you’re seeking for a cost-effective packaging solution. It is necessary to guarantee that the concept does not include food delivery services. Eco-friendly packaging has no negative impact on the environment and aids in attracting the attention of those who wish to be more environmentally conscious. For online meal delivery, there are a variety of environment-conscious packing solutions available, including:

• Glass containers
• Bamboo
• Rice husk
• Gelatin films
• Banana leaves
• Paper or cardboard

Van Eigen Deeg, a Dutch bakery that uses 100% compostable packaging for its cookies, is an excellent example of environmentally friendly packaging. Customers who support ecologically sustainable firms may be won over by eco-friendly packaging. If clients are not taken into account, the possibilities of becoming lost in the market are higher.

2. Customizable box

Restaurants can use inventive takeout food packaging to distinguish out from the crowd. This is one of the most effective techniques to persuade more customers to purchase food online rather than to go to a restaurant. Personalized packaging is one of the most powerful strategies to provide exceptional service to clients. It’s not surprising that this tendency is gaining traction. Restaurants benefit from customization in a variety of ways. You can learn regulars’ names, allowing you to form stronger and more emotional bonds with them. The eateries benefit from free word-of-mouth promotion because of the packaging that customers share on social media. Personalization adds a pleasant touch, making clients feel valued each time they place an order with you. You can, for example, print customized phrases on things to make customers pleased. You can modify your food packaging so that customers can later transform it into a collectible object with designs.

With COVID-19 on the horizon, personalized packaging will be a game-changer in the market. As the number of people purchasing food online grows, brands will have more opportunities to interact with their customers. You can urge consumers to recycle their containers, sending the message to others that you care about the environment.

3. Reusable packaging

Reusable packaging is one of the most effective ways to promote your company. Recyclable packaging is often the most cost-effective way to cut costs. It is also a viable technique for breaking into the food industry. Reusable packaging helps the environment, and most restaurateurs are switching to reusable options to save money. In New York City, for example, food is provided in reusable clamshells rather than the usual plastic containers by third-party delivery services. The containers will then be picked up by the delivery men and taken to a partner restaurant, where they will be washed and reused for another delivery the next time the customer puts an order.

With the usage of reusable packaging solutions, restaurant businesses can increase their profits. These takeaway ideas, especially if they are reusable, might help you build your brand. It’s also one of the most effective strategies to make the sector more sustainable.

4. Minimalist packaging

Minimalism is a recent trend in the food packaging sector. It entails using basic and clear labeling to make the packing simple. Minimalistic design is used in every business. It’s visible in the website and logo design. As a result, this method can also help your restaurant. This will improve the appearance of your packaging and provide value to your brand. It has the potential to have a positive impact on the environment.

People prefer simple designs in everything they buy, thus a simplistic design can attract more buyers. All you have to do is get rid of any design elements that are unneeded, flamboyant, or repetitive. Simplicity is supreme. Although flashy packaging marketing is obnoxious, it will not produce the desired results. You must be straightforward, simple, and bold. This tendency is influenced by a number of factors:

• Minimalistic packaging adheres to a no-nonsense, no-frills philosophy.
• They are resourceful, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly.
• It enhances the brand’s perceived value by reinforcing a premium image.
• Increased customer awareness, as well as improved customer communication.

BURGER KING was the first company to use this strategy. They redesigned its takeaway packaging to make it more modern and minimalistic. McDonald’s and other companies later followed suit, moving away from crowded designs with various colors and typefaces. Remove all unnecessary information and visuals from the packing and deliver it with only the essentials.

5. Fun packaging

A basic design can lure customers in more ways than one. You may also make the package more interesting. This concept does not need to be restricted to youngsters. The vibrant colors and distinctive design can also be employed in adult-oriented products. Funny statements on the packets to vibrant designs are all examples of fun packaging. The content had to be handled with care. Your packaging can be one-of-a-kind and stand out from the crowd, and it’s a terrific way to brand yourself.

It’s great to have amusing food packing ideas if your restaurant caters to children. The bright and colorful designs will appeal to children, resulting in increased purchasing power. It is also effective on grownups. The most important thing is to make sure that the message behind the package is clearly expressed. To make packaging more entertaining and memorable, consider a subtle method such as adding the business emblem or name on top, a personalized sticker, or a random sticker. Customers will be more likely to recognize and remember your brand if you use amusing and original packaging. Nestle, a Japanese company, has switched to paper packaging that can be folded into origami. This packaging will be amusing for children while also being environmentally friendly.

6. Seed-infused packaging

This is one of the most creative and environmentally friendly packaging options available. Instead of throwing away the packaging, consumers can use it to cultivate plants. People will be more aware of seed-infused packaging and where they leave it if it contains seeds. Depending on your region, you can choose from little to large plants. If the majority of your customers live in apartments, for example, you can choose plants that don’t require much area to flourish. You can choose plants that require more space to grow if your consumers live in rural areas. This will not only safeguard but also help the ecosystem.

The packaging of the BLOOM CHOCOLATE BAR is one of the best examples. People can grow the substance that chocolate provides instead of throwing it away. Bloom is a chocolate concept that comprises a variety of flavors packaged on biodegradable seed-infused cards. When planted, the mint chocolate grows mint, the orange packets produce oranges, the rose-infused chocolate produces roses, and the chili chocolate produces chili plants.

7. Edible wrapper

This is one of the most innovative food packaging concepts. This method is intriguing because it provides value to the business you’re running. Food edible wrappers can be used in a variety of ways. You can use them to wrap things like sandwiches or burgers, for example. You can even get straws that are composed entirely of edible materials. If you want to go above and above, make the cutlery edible. The sole disadvantage of edible packaging is that it is substantially more expensive than standard packaging. However, if you have the cash and sustainability is a priority, edible packaging can be an excellent way to differentiate your food packaging.

When KFC produced a 200% edible wrapper to pack their double-down sandwich, edible wrappers became popular. This revolutionary wrapper is constructed of rice paper and painted with edible ink in KFC’s signature Zinger flavor to encapsulate their most popular chicken sandwich. This is the most effective way to reduce waste streams.

8. Food package designs with a twist

When looking for inspiration, you don’t have to shy away from basic, straightforward food packaging designs. You can add a single design twist or element to make it unique or innovative, which will help you stand out from the crowd. If you serve take-out drinks, for example, adding a straw holder to your take-out cup holders can be a simple but huge game-changer. It’s all about infusing your package with new ideas and improvements. Even minor features might set you apart from your competitors.

It all comes down to how good your packaging is if you want to provide the greatest delivery service. Even if your cuisine is excellent, if its packaging is subpar, you will most certainly lose clients in the long run. So, if you want to keep your consumers, you can use the methods mentioned above. Remember that your packing for online deliveries and takeaways should contain more than just your products: you should be able to send a powerful message to the public through interesting, creative, and superb packaging.