Curbside pickup is where customers order in advance and pick up from a designated area outside the business without getting out of their car. This contactless way of serving allows businesses to serve fast and efficiently, with minimal face-to-face interaction. For hospitality businesses curbside pickup usually means food and beverage orders but can also be for other products or services as well.
Curbside pickup is getting more and more valuable in the hospitality industry. It’s a convenient option for customers who want to eat restaurant-quality food or products at home without the need for delivery. It helps businesses keep revenue streams open when dine-in options are limited. It also caters to customers who want minimal contact or have time constraints, enhancing overall customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Let’s say you run a busy city centre café. You notice a drop in foot traffic due to nearby office renovations. To combat this you introduce curbside pickup. You designate a parking spot near your café’s entrance and set up an online ordering system. Office workers can now order their lunch in the morning, select a pickup time and collect their meals without leaving their cars. You retain your regular customers and attract new ones who love the convenience. As a result you see a big increase in lunch sales, offsetting the loss of walk-in traffic.'