A View From The Top

Conquering catering with Dickey's CEO

Since launching Big Yellow Box, a self-contained catering option for smaller groups of up to 12, the catering option has seen an average weekly increase in sales of 62.15%.

Provided

October 5, 2020

By Laura Rea Dickey, Dickey's Barbecue, CEO
In today's business climate, it's no surprise that group and catering sales have declined. Our guests are gathering less, and if they're gathering at all, it's usually in small groups to uphold local guidelines. However, many brands still look to catering as a cornerstone to their sales strategy. Catering has always been a strong revenue stream for us at Dickey's Barbecue Pit, accounting for 15% of sales pre-pandemic.

As life continues to change, businesses have to do the same, so we shifted our catering strategy to meet the needs of our guests. With the holiday season just around the corner, we know gatherings will look different this year. To be successful and to be fully ready for the holidays, we are adapting our catering services to offer options that are practical for life in a pandemic.

Here are three ways to successfully enhance your catering strategy:

1. Meet your customers where they are.
It's important for a brand to offer flexible options to ensure guests feel comfortable. We know guests' dining preferences vary heavily right now, so we look at catering the same way. At Dickey's, we are still offering full-service catering, and even though we are executing it safely, we know not all of our guests want to go that route. So, we recently launched the Big Yellow Box, a self-contained catering option for smaller groups of up to 12. The Big Yellow Box can be delivered or picked up and still has everything guests need to set up a festive spread for a backyard gathering or a socially-distant celebration or meeting.

Since launching our Big Yellow Box, the catering option has seen an average weekly increase in sales of 62.15%.

2 Offer a variety of everything, including pricing.
It's important to remember that this is challenging economic time for restaurants, as well as for our guests. So, by using a tiered service approach, you can appeal to a variety of price points. Dickey's offers catering options that work with any budget. We have simple selections like our Box Lunch for team meetings and corporate gatherings and our Party Platters and Packs for informal get-togethers like tailgating or watch parties. Or, for a higher budget, we have a Delivery Buffet, where slow-smoked meats and sides are delivered and set-up by Dickey's. Our full-service catering is our traditional service complete with a Pit Boss to slice and serve. By offering so many different services, our guests can easily find something that best suits them and their budget.

3. Have multiple channels for ordering.
Similar to how there are varying comfort levels with dining, guests have varying levels of comfort with technology. There are many factors that can make technology frustrating, like technical difficulties or language barriers, so do not rely on it as your only method of ordering. Provide multiple avenues for guests to order catering so they can overcome any hurdles. Dickey's has a barbecue hotline staffed with catering experts to assist guests with what and how much to order. Guests can also submit information for an online quote or speak directly to the local Owner Operator at the restaurant. With more ways to order, your guests are less likely to run into problems throughout the process.

The pandemic reminded us to expect the unexpected and always be thinking of the consumer who may not exist yet. For any type of business, maximizing one's portfolio of revenue channels is key to sustaining long term. And, for restaurants, while catering may not seem like something that needs to be at the top of the list right now, that doesn't mean it should be neglected.

In 2017, catering accounted for 11% of the foodservice industry's total revenue of $537.2 billion, and with more folks finding it easier to have restaurants come to them, off-premise is definitely a channel that's here to stay. There are still so many different occasions worth celebrating, and by having safe, affordable and frictionless catering options right now, your brand will be the one that friends and family remember to go back to in the future.