A single-store restaurant can choose packaging blind and deal with issues as they arise. That isn’t the case for a restaurant chain with 15 restaurants, however, and if the takeout box is different in each store, even though the food is the same, it makes the brand look inconsistent. Restaurant packaging is no longer just a branding issue; it’s an operations issue at multi-location scale. Empress Packaging custom packaging boxes for restaurants and takeout chains throughout the USA to ensure uniformity between 50 cases and 5,000.

Advantages of centralized packaging across locations.

Almost always, individual restaurant locations get different takeout boxes from their own suppliers, one location sources cheaper, another is forced to run out and get a generic box, and within a year, the brand is different from restaurant to restaurant. In the same way, food packaging that is ordered centrally and indicated in the specification is going to resolve the drift even before it begins. Boxes for takeout constructed to an approved spec, coating, size, and print will ensure that all locations will have the same look of the food, whether they use local food or not. That uniformity is one of the reasons that a multi-location chain of restaurants feels like one restaurant, rather than many separate eateries under the same roof.

Standardized restaurant packaging has a number of benefits.

For multi-location restaurants, standardized  takeout boxes benefit in five ways. Branding: printed boxes that appear the same in all places promote brand recognition rather than decrease it. Protection: Approved coating and structure is equal to consistent food quality on arrival, whatever kitchen packed the order. Central ordering in the chain volume lowers individual unit cost that can be achieved by a single location negotiating volume discounts. One sustainability standard throughout all the places is easier to maintain and easier to market than having to source from each location. Customer experience: If the customer places an order at two stores, they should receive the same experience at both places.

The standard takeout boxes can be used in any location.

For restaurant franchises, the packaging specs must be uniform throughout all of the franchisees, as this reduces the standards that franchise agreements are designed to uphold. For multi-location fast casuals, ordering needs to be centralized to eliminate packaging choices from store managers. For ghost kitchen operators, operating multiple virtual brands out of the same kitchen requires different packaging for each brand without the complexity of ordering increasing. When it comes to printed boxes in larger formats for catering divisions of restaurant groups, the answer is to have packaging that is consistent with the parent brand. These all require one special specimen, not a special assessment on a case-by-case basis.

A wide range of customization options are available for Restaurant Groups.

Empress Packaging sets the restaurant packaging size, print, coating, and specs once for a restaurant group, ensuring that each reorder is the same at all locations. Multi-brand operators require various designs to be printed from a single ordering relationship, which is supported by Printing. Sizes are created to match the menu and not a specific tier, and remain consistent from one site to another. Consistent batch-to-batch finished food, no difference in food performance from one store to another. The biggest issue is that individual sites will replace their packaging on a local basis as a temporary solution to an immediate need.

FAQs

Q: What is the minimum number of orders for multi-location restaurants? 

A: It is calculated based on overall volume by location, which is verified at quoting.

Q: How are specs being maintained at different locations? 

A: Specs are fixed to an approved sample and are used for all reorders.

Q: Is there a possibility to receive different packaging from various brands from the same operator? 

A: Yes, each brand can have its own spec under one account.

Q: Does the chain have volume of recycled stock? 

A: Yes, in most kinds of boxes.

Get Your Free Quote

The customer must not be able to see where the order was packed by looking at the box, positively or negatively. Empress Packaging is a custom printer of food packaging for restaurants and takeout food chains in the United States. Email emquery@empresspackaging.com , or call (888) 900-7629 for a free quote.