Coronavirus Response Kit for Restaurants
Grow Your Takeout Business
Templates and best practices to use now
Get FREE takeout creation and discounted printing thru May 1
See Takeout Resources
Free Social Media Marketing
Notify customers of deals, curbside pick-up, safety practices and more.
See Social Media Resources
Flyers & Signs
for key messages
Gift Certificates
to boost revenue
Marketing Channels
to reach more diners
Promo Ideas
for better ideas
Quick Tips & Links
Takeout and Delivery
Limit the menu items
Offer grab-n-go
Offer curbside pickup
Add delivery partners
Put promos in bag
Put safety notes in bag
Promote cashless pay
Try meal kits
Social Media
Be active on social
Post about takeout
Post about delivery
Post about hours
Post encouragement
Post cleaning policies
Same for website!
Bonus Ideas
Promote gift certificates
Use loyalty cards
Sell merchandise
Promote with flyers
Template Categories
Business Hours Posts
Promotion Posts
Safety Posts
Takeout Posts
Business Hours Flyers
Safety Flyers
Takeout Flyers
Temporary Closure Flyers
Trifold Takeout Menus
Lite Takeout Menus
Broadcast Key Messages with Flyers and Signs
Between your takeout & delivery options, new policies for sanitation and purchases, and any promotions or merchandise offerings, you’ve got a lot of information to convey to customers. Signs and flyers can be effective both in-store and beyond.
Post your open hours & takeout options in a prominent place, like the door or front window. Your phone number, website, and any delivery partners are key info for generating business.
Display a flyer with health & sanitation information. Customers will be reassured to read about the extra precautions you are taking to protect everyone’s safety.
TIP: Takeout bags aren’t just for food! Insert a flyer with current promos, your safety policies, or reheat instructions.
Post reminders by the register about safe distancing during pickup (i.e. 1 customer at the counter at a time, please or please keep 6 feet apart) and any purchase requests, such as cashless or touchless mobilepay.
Affix curbside pick-up signs and pickup instructions (i.e. Stay in your car & give us a call!) to be visible from your parking lot.
Insert health and safety information in takeout bags. A letter-size flyer or smaller insert size can be cost-effective to print and include with each order.
Share your signage on your social media and website as well. It’s a good rule of thumb to limit text on a social post to 100 words, but you can always include more details in a caption.
If your business is temporarily closed, post a large sign on the door that can be seen from the street. Temporarily closed and We look forward to serving you soon are positive messages to maintain community connection.
See More Signage Flyers
Gift Cards Sales to Bolster Cashflow
Restaurants are a vital part of the community. Customers want to help their favorite ones stay open and survive these tough times. Offering gift certificates provides them a way to support your business, even when they can’t dine with you or spend money in-store. Your restaurant receives the cash today, and the customer gets to look forward to visiting you down the road.
As an extra bonus, gift certificates allow your customers to spread the love by gifting your food to loved ones and close friends. This opportunity fosters communal support and a gift-giving spirit — steps we’ve all been looking to take as we rally together and face this unprecedented challenge.
Your suggestions, tips and materials for this crisis are amazing! Thanks for all your hard behind-the-scenes work!
— Julilyn of Surfside Rooster, Maryland
Creating a gift certificate
Unusual times call for different marketing and design strategies. Don’t be afraid to customize your gift certificates to speak to the current climate and your needs.
Include messages of loyalty of solidarity.
Thank your customers directly on the gift certificate.
Add promotions for your takeout and delivery so customers know how they can still access your food.
Couple free appetizers and other promos with your gift certificate sales for extra incentive.
See all gift certificate templates
TIP: Don’t be afraid to remind customers that buying a gift certificate means a lot to your business.
Promoting your gift certificates
For most restaurants, generating immediate cash during these down times is worth losing some on the backend when they reopen. You can offer $5 bonus for every $20 they spend today on gift certificates, or thrown in an extra $25 if they spend more than $100.
Other messaging ideas:
Pay Now, Eat Later
Support us today with a Gift Card for tomorrow.
Give yourself something to look forward to while giving us a chance.
Restaurant bond – increased value in a given time frame (buy for $25 today, redeem for $35 in July, $45 in August)
See More Community Posts
Leverage your Customer Outreach Channels
Without foot traffic, you may be wondering how to reach new customers. There are many channels to explore in the coming weeks to drum up your takeout business.
Target your email list. If you have a loyalty program and a log of customers’ emails, send an email showcasing your current offering and perhaps rewarding loyal patrons with a special promotion. Don’t overwhelm the list, but a weekly email will keep you fresh in diners’ minds.
Use social media, even if you never have before, so that anyone who lands on your page will immediately be able to see your offerings, hours, and delivery options. A facebook page is easy to set up, free to maintain, and will help consumers find you via Google searches.
Post signs at your location. Put a large flyer in your window or parking lot to let drive-by traffic see that you’re open for takeout. Window paint is another quick, cheap option.
Neighborhood promotion is old-fashioned but it works, especially with everyone stuck at home right now. Print a few hundred flyers or takeout menus and drop them on car windshields or under doormats in local neighborhoods.
TIP: Check if your city has a Facebook group for restaurants that are still open, to add your menu and promos.
8 Great Promo Ideas
Unique times call for unique offerings. Here are some ideas for limited-time promotions to grab diners’ attention on your social media feeds & keep cash flowing:
Offer meal-kits (i.e. make your own tacos, pizza dough + toppings).
Offer family-style dinners (i.e. fried chicken dinner for 4) with larger quantities than usual.
Throw in free or discounted upsell items — appetizers, desserts — with every order.
Discount after a certain purchase minimum (i.e. 10% off every dollar over $60)
Discount for multi-meal or multi-day orders. For example, 15% off pickups order for tomorrow.
Reward frequent diners with a simple loyalty program (i.e. your 10th pizza is free).
Appeal to families by offering free kids meals on a certain day, or kids eat free with any entrées promos.
Offer discounts on certain days (i.e. 10% for Takeout Tuesday) or certain demographics (i.e. 15% discount for healthcare workers, seniors, teachers)
Creative Showcase
MustHaveMenus’ restaurants are creative and dynamic, adapting swiftly to the special circumstances. See what your fellow restaurateurs are posting on their social media to maintain sales and build customer engagement.
You guys saved us.
— Mike of Ama’s Mexican Restaurant, Texas
