Chances are you spend a considerable amount of time and effort creating dishes that not only taste great but look good, too. Presentation is an important piece of the overall dining experience, not just for on premise diners, but for your delivery customers as well.

Follow these three food delivery best practices to ensure all of the food you serve – takeout or dine-in – looks as good as it tastes. Proper food delivery packaging may also result in an improved rating for restaurants on Grubhub, and could even net you reduced delivery times.

How to properly package to-go food

How you package your meals for delivery is key. No customer wants to receive a to-go order with sauces spilt all over the bag, or take a bite of a soggy burger. Choosing the right containers and packing orders properly can help protect the quality of your food. 

Take a look at these tips to serving 5-star to-go meals:

Keep hot and cold food separate

When it comes to food, temperature is just as important as taste. No matter how delicious your juicy burger is, no one will take a bite if it’s as cold as ice. Transporting hot and cold foods together, in the same container, can compromise the safety and integrity of your meals. Train delivery staff to use insulated hot and cold bags to keep food at the appropriate temperature.

Place sauce on the side

Sauces add the perfect flavor to many dishes, but if the main event has too much time to soak en route to its destination, it can ruin it. Package all sauces on the side in containers with tight lids. This not only prevents sauces from spilling all over the place, but also enables diners to regulate the amount they put on their food. The best way to prevent serving a soggy salad is to package the dressing on the side.

Utilize drink carries to combat spills

A few speed bumps and potholes are all it takes to accidentally open delivery food packaging and cause a major mess – both for delivery staff and diners. Reduce the risk of handing customers’ leaky containers by placing all drinks in containers with tight lids in a drink carrier. For an extra sense of security, consider wrapping containers holding anything liquid – such as drinks and soups – with plastic wrap to prevent any messes before they happen. You can also get lid stickers to cover the opening on to-go cups.

Use proper delivery food packaging

One way to keep food intact and at the proper temperature throughout a delivery trip is to invest in proper delivery food packaging. Many restaurants still turn to Styrofoam clamshells as their go-to packaging option. While Styrofoam does a great job of keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold, it’s easy to break and can lead to messy leaks at the slightest bit of turbulence. Look for other packaging options that provide a strong seal to keep all ingredients intact. As customers become more eco-conscious, it’s a great idea to invest in sustainable packaging. Ensure your dish looks as appetizing as the moment it left your kitchen by providing proper delivery food packaging for each order. 

Pick the right packaging

When it comes to selecting the best packaging materials for your to-go orders, it’s important to balance functionality, price, and eco-friendliness. Recycled packaging often checks all three of these boxes. Look for containers made out of bioplastics, aluminum, paper, cardboard, or compostable materials. 

• Paper and cardboard are often cheap and recyclable, but can get soggy if you’re serving hot food. This packaging is best used for pizza, sandwiches, baked goods, and dry items.
• Bioplastics are biodegradable plastics that look and feel like plastic containers, but are better for the environment. This packaging is best used for salads, pasta, soups, and any other wet foods.
• Aluminum containers are great for keeping dishes warm and ventilated. This packaging is best used for meat, lasagna, or other hot cooked foods.

Every to-go order is a chance to market your restaurant and showcase your brand. Adding touches like putting your logo on stickers, bags, and bag inserts can leave a lasting impression on a customer. 

Protect the integrity of your to-go dishes with Grubhub

At Grubhub, we understand how delivering excellence is essential in protecting the integrity of your brand. When you pack your orders and hand them off to a Grubhub delivery driver, you can trust that we will get it to its destination safely. 

Whether you have your own delivery drivers, or need some support, get started with Grubhub for Restaurants to increase exposure for your restaurant to new diners.

Ready to reach new customers and grow your business with Grubhub? Sign up today!