Mark Schlossman, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Accurate Box Company, was interviewed for a special edition of QSR Magazine about the current trends in take-out and delivery packaging. See below for an excerpt from the article called “The Power of Packaging” in the November 2021 edition of QSR Magazine.
During the pandemic, safety and hygiene took a more prominent position in consumers’ minds, so single-use packaging saw an increase in customer acceptance compared with previous trends toward reusable items. Now, focus is shifting yet again, and sustainability is returning to the forefront of restaurants’ packaging conversations…
As COVID drove delivery and to-go markets during the past year and a half, packaging changed in response to consumer behavior. Initially, this trend was driven by government restrictions to dine-in services, but even after restrictions loosened, many quick-serve restaurants have continued to operate with skeleton crews due to staffing shortages. Some brands are opting for ghost or virtual kitchens, betting that consumer preferences toward off-premises will continue well into the future.
“Packaging has a huge effect on delivery,” says Mark Schlossman, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Accurate Box Company. “It’s critical that store operators can quickly and easily assemble the packaging so the delivery can make it to the consumer as soon as possible. Downstream, the packaging must be strong enough to survive the delivery and take-out process…”
During the takeout and delivery process, packaging serves as a traveling billboard [too], and restaurants should be taking full advantage of this opportunity. Colorful, high-quality, full-graphic packaging enhances the experience of existing customers and grabs the attention of potential customers.
“In this day and age, consumers are almost as interested in their experience as they are in the overall taste of the food,” Schlossman says. “We have seen great successes with consumers promoting their favorite food or brand simply by sharing photos or videos online. It’s in these situations where printing and branding on the packaging will go a long way in putting a brand on the map…”
While the pandemic forced innovation in terms of labor management and technological adoption both in the front and back of house, it also created more food packaging waste, since more people are opting for takeout and delivery. As calls for corporate responsibility get louder, demand for sustainable goods is at an all-time high, and many consumers choose the brands they support based on environmental values. In addition, some states are starting to ban single-use plastics, styrofoam, and other non-sustainable packaging.
“This is a continuing trend that restaurants need to proactively implement, especially since it will help a restaurant’s image in the eye of the consumer. Consumers can feel obligated to take their business to a competitor if that competitor is viewed as more environmentally friendly.”
Consumers want restaurants to be more environmentally conscious, and it makes a lasting impression when they receive takeout orders in paper packaging instead of plastic, styrofoam, or aluminum packaging that will do more harm to the environment—or their own health.
Read the full QSR Magazine article, “The Power of Packaging.”
About Accurate Box Company
Accurate Box Company is one of the largest, family-owned manufacturers of high-graphic corrugated packaging in the United States. We specialize in offset lithography and have the ability to print 7 colors plus UV coating in a single pass on both small and large runs. Accurate Box also has the ability to print on two sides of the box with the purchase of our new digital printer. All of Accurate Box’s boxes are 100% recyclable and printed with environmentally friendly inks. In business since 1944 and women-owned since 1998, we are experts in creating packaging for the club store, e-commerce, and quick-service restaurant industries. Learn more at www.accuratebox.com.
