When it comes to food service, today’s consumers are looking for much more than food. By tapping into their customers’ true needs and wants, truckstop and travel plaza operators can attract more people and dig deeper into their wallets when they come in the door.
During The 黑料社区Show 2016, Ed Leddy, a retail, food service and truckstop expert, shared insights into industry trends that are shaping food service today. Those trends can help operators determine where they want to excel, but Leddy advised operators to pick their battles. “You can’t be all things to all people,” he said.
Speed of Service
Speed is often more important than the actual food consumers are purchasing. Leddy said it is important to have an offering that consumers can pick up and take with them. “Speed is of ultimate importance to the customer today,” Leddy said, adding that fast service appeals to travelers, truck drivers and locals. “If you were to summarize what I’m talking about today, it is grab-and-go foods.”
Leddy added that today’s truck drivers have two positions in life. “They are either sprinting or pausing,” he said. “They are either there to get in or out or because they have some time to be there.”
Leddy suggests operators look at how they’re using their space. “If you built a 215-seat restaurant 15 years ago, is that the best use of your space,” Leddy said. “Can you do something else with that?”
Healthy Options
Although fast is important, so are healthy, fresh ingredients. “People, whether they like it or not, are being forced in the direction of healthy,” Leddy said. “People are looking for better quality, healthier offerings and speed is an issue.”
Day Parts
It is important for operators to break their business down into day parts, such as breakfast, lunch and dinner, Leddy said. “In designing your offering for breakfast, speed at certain times of the day is important,” he said, adding that quality is an important component as well.
For example, a better coffee offering can draw customers. “Starbucks is trying to sell some food with breakfast drinks. You probably have the opportunity to capture those,” he said. “Part of the secret is to try and improve the beverage offering and improve the food offering. That will hold throughout the day for you. If you want to be good at coffee, freshness is important. That means having the labor and being rush ready.”
In the dinner business, operators have the opportunity to sell some add-ons. “Decide where you want to be and be the best in that arena,” Leddy said.
Space Constraints
Leddy said operators have to look at how their facility is designed. He said, “Is how you’re laid out today the best use of your space?”
Today, the food offering is driven heavily by time constraints, but that has a direct effect on space constraints. Leddy said. “How you lay out your facility is really important. If you don’t give it enough space, you’re not going to get the results,” he said.
Photo Credit: Chuck Fazio
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