Modern Takeaway

[daud]

I really dont see why i dont have the convenience?? You just cant order over the phone? not a real biggy these days.

Believe me even for a small takeaway internet orders only amount to maybe at the most 10% of the business where as the rest is through people coming in and phoning up. So yes not being able to order over the phone is a biggy STILL these days - and some people still do not have internet at home!

So if you believe you can run a takeaway purely based on internet orders i think your being naive my friend.

It will be even more of a0"biggy" especially if you are offering something not within the norms of a traditional takeaway menu ie. pizzas, kebabs, chinese, indian etc because they pretty much know what they are getting - thats not to say people dont ask about these foods anymore. However people are more likely going to want you to explain your healthy high standard meals and want to speak to a human over the phone.

 

[mlatterly]

I think the problem is that people order a takeaway on the spur of the moment.

 

[matt seymour]

This whole idea/concept makes about as much sense as a pair of wooden trousers.

This system kind of already exists anyway. It's called dropping things from your menu that don't sell.

If I order a takeaway, it's usually spur of the moment. I simply pick up the phone and call the takeaway that provides the meal that has taken my fancy and that is the end of it. People also tend to go to the same takeaways time and again because there are certain things on the menu that they particularly like.

Even if I did go through all this voting nonsense - which I wouldn't because I have a life -then tried something from your menu and liked it, I'd be pretty hacked off if I wanted to order the same thing a few weeks later only to be told that it's been "voted off" the menu that week.

I've no idea why you want to make something so simple as ordering a takeaway so complicated and also risk p*ssing customers off.

 

[a1anm]

I'd be more interested in a service where the chefs turn up where I live, with all the ingredients. Then they cook the meal, clean up after themselves and leave.

For me that would be a viable alternative to high quality takeaway, as it completely removes the massive issue of some of the food just not transporting well.

This is obviously only an idea that would work in areas with a high concentration of wealth as I realise it wouldn't be cheap

This exists..at least in some countries. I have a few friends in Canada who have done this. Got a bunch of friends around and then had a good chef over who cooked them all a nice meal. I recall them saying it didn't work out to be too expensive when split between a group.

I think it's a great idea and is something I would happily pay for.

 

[Marco Casario]

...maybe if you offered a free meal or a discount to the ones that will participate after a few weeks...it might work...

From - The Customer Magnet :
"It's all very well looking at how to repackage an existing product or how to present a particular service in a way as to make it irresistable over the long term but it can often be more effective to develop a product that requires the long-term invovlvement of your customers in the first place."

 

[Genn]

Oh my god the conservatism on this thread is appalling!

I love the idea of a takeaway that changes its menu (maybe not every week, every month? or if it does maybe it rotates the menu somehow?) and does some more down to earth kind of things. I don't know why people think that a chef can't figure out how to cook different recipes every week. Isn't that what a chef does? I'm not a chef but I cook different recipes sometimes, it's not THAT difficult! And seriously, I get so tired of the same old offerings all the time, everywhere.

I think the problem with the takeaways who do everything is not that they are trying to do everything well, but that they are trying to do EVERYTHING, as cheap as they can get by, which just means crap quality. I think that actually, a good team of chefs could do an international restaurant with some pizzazz! But, I'm getting off track here.

I know that as a busy couple with a small child, we, who are almost foodies, just don't feel like cooking very often right now and are about to turn to ready meals because take away is getting too greasy and heavy (and expensive, but we'd still go for this idea every week or two).

Also, why is it too expensive to market this? A blog and a facebook page is a bit time heavy but beneficial to anyone in business anyway. A flyer to go around explaining what they do and some word of mouth should work I think. I say, Good Luck with it!

It truly saddens me that even the entrepreneurs of the world still just want what they've always had. That's ok, more pie for the innovators.

 

[simon field]

I think it's unique and it's got balls. (I am a foodie)

The best of luck to you sir!

 

[Sickosims]

Can I just say a big thank you to the last 2 posts, I had really began to doubt the idea at all. I can understand it needs refining but people didnt seem get the concept at all. Thanks for the renewed motivation to precede a little more with the research.

 

[effusive]

Came across your thread after researching my own take-away idea.
With regards to feedback I understand most of the posts being skeptical people don't like change and the norm for ordering take-away is tried and tested.

BUT

We are in the digital age. People more and more want choice, interactivity and want to contribute to their choices.

I think with the right marketing, this concept could be quite successful. I think if the idea is sold to people correctly it can surely take off. Creating a buzz about what's gonna be the top dish this week will I think be a key focus. People who regularly get a weekend takeaway will be eager to know what made the charts and if it wasn't what they wanted, try something new.

I'd say go for it.

 

[murdoch]

Know your target market. Sounds like suited to a certain type. Is this type actually living local to you?

 

[DavidAshdown]

Personally, I suggest you try Dragon's Den. It will be a bit like those first auditionees on X factor, should create some good entertainment.
Don't mean to be rude but it really is one of the worst ideas I've heard for a long time.
People already have so many choices and I really can't see the local chinese chef remembering if number 33 this week contains chow mein or chop suey !

 

[Gannet!]

I don't see why a takeaway with a bistro pub style menu couldn't work.
It seems a good idea to try.

However, the OPs original idea of voting and a weekly changing menu just wouldn't work. Marketing costs for a new takeaway are very high. 90%+ of business is based on drop-ins or phone in orders. Most people decide to have a takeaway on the same day, not a week beforehand.


I say why not try the idea. But I would keep to one menu, that didn't change and you didn't need to vote for.

 

[DavidAshdown]

Also, most people know what they like on a menu and the majority don't order everyday, therefore changing it each week would be a bit pointless and if their favourite wasn't on there, they may well go elsewhere.
Take away is normally for convenience not 'haute cuisine'.

 

[Moneyman]

bisto type take aways have been tried lots of times. You can have some sucess and i think there are still a few that work well in fulham or some rich areas. The big problem is that the food has to look good even when bounced about for 15 mins. To the average sofa blob who wants a pizza there is no problem but try to get a steak or fish or anything like a nice bisto meal transported and let cool and you have a nasty mush. therefor you need a very local customer base and very large. and an operation that can do loads of meals very fast as most people want a proper bistro meal all at 7 to 9pm.
ingredience are more expensive and dont keep as well as processed stuff.

 

[groovyjon]

I reckon I'm your absolute target customer. I order a takeaway most Saturday nights, always order online, and I like to try new things.

But I still wouldn't use your service.

On a Saturday afternoon, my thoughts might turn towards what I'm going to eat that night. I'll narrow it down to a type of cuisine (pizza, indian, chinese, etc). Then that evening I'll pick a restaurant (maybe one I haven't tried before as I'm adventurous). Then I'll go through their menu until something makes my taste buds tingle and then I'll click to buy. I'll usually put a second meal in as well to freeze for later in the week.

Your service would require me to think, well it's Saturday so I guess I'll have to have beef wellington tonight as that's this week's choice. Not for me.

(PS I like beef wellington).

 

[DavidAshdown]

I reckon I'm your absolute target customer. I order a takeaway most Saturday nights, always order online, and I like to try new things.

But I still wouldn't use your service.

On a Saturday afternoon, my thoughts might turn towards what I'm going to eat that night. I'll narrow it down to a type of cuisine (pizza, indian, chinese, etc). Then that evening I'll pick a restaurant (maybe one I haven't tried before as I'm adventurous). Then I'll go through their menu until something makes my taste buds tingle and then I'll click to buy. I'll usually put a second meal in as well to freeze for later in the week.

Your service would require me to think, well it's Saturday so I guess I'll have to have beef wellington tonight as that's this week's choice. Not for me.

(PS I like beef wellington).

I agree with this.

May be best if you just stick to cooking the books ! (no offence intended)

 

[Financial-Modeller]

As others have said, a takeaway is generally a spontaneous purchase, so I'm not so sure that ordering a takeaway a week in advance is a great idea.

But there is some precedence in this concept:
1. deliverance do higher-quality deliveries and seem to do it quite well
2. an alternative provider of bistro/gastro food a week after the decision to eat it is a restaurant!

Good luck though.