The opportunity for guests or even locals to grab a meal or snack and be on their way is an obvious benefit to those who partake, but let’s face it: a hotel’s aim is to make money. This goal is complicated by the fact that packaged food is out and fresh is in. So how do hotels make grab-and-go operations revenue generators?
At Crescent Hotels & Resorts’ properties, communication is key.
“First and foremost, and even before you start writing menus and before you start costing things out, make sure that your marketing plan is in place,” said Rich Garcia, VP of culinary for Crescent Hotels & Resorts, a third-party hotel operator. “How are you going to let the guests know that this is handmade out of your kitchen?”
When properties that are struggling to make grab-and-go work bring up the issue with him, Garcia said the first question he asks is about their marketing plan.
“Do you guests know that you make [the food] in house?” he said. “Do your guests know it’s not a gas station/convenience store product?”
Nine times out of 10, their answer is no, he said.
The key to financial success is to maximize traffic to offer what guests are looking for, according to Peter Schreurs, director of food and beverage at the Royal Sonesta Houston, whose hotel operates a grab-and-go outlet called Launch.
“We proactively work very closely with our meeting planners to explore opportunities to drive business into Launch when they aren’t planning a full lunch within the meeting,” he said. “We target local business buildings to promote Launch and on a more subtle level, the placement of products within Launch isn’t always coincidental. Moreover, Launch is set up efficiently for one barista to serve guests in quick succession, which helps limit the labor cost.
Another important element in making a grab-and-go operation a revenue generator is understanding what a guest is going to be doing with the food and portion appropriately, according to Garcia. One example is to offer a 6-inch Italian hoagie sandwich instead of a 12-inch version.
