Restaurants are Restricted While 7-Eleven Expands

 

One restaurateur recently called our Grocerant Guru® and told him “life is not always fare” and working with an uneven playing field were the rules are changed monthly, weekly, even daily is terrifying, tragic, and a tail-spinning experience.

The team at Foodservice Solutions® at first did console, our long-time client.  Then reminded the restaurateur, that when they opened up their restaurant, they had a list of ‘points of differentiation’.  Those points of differentiation were in fact product and packaging similarities to other successful chain restaurants but with a unique difference aka a twist.  So, we ask what is your ‘new twist’?

When the playing field changes, restaurants must adapt, modify, or retool their product offerings, first for customer relevance, second for a competitive advantage.  When the playing field changes, and the rules changes you must first look and see who you are playing against.  Just who is your competition today?

Then ask your team too find out just what are the new rules?  Ask, what do they sell, at what price, and how can your brand best edify your brands legacy consumers with a new playing field and new rules?  

Battle for Share of Stomach 

By the way that is also exactly what 7-Eleven recently did when they saw the rules change into their favor and away from restaurants.  Yes, 7-Eleven did exactly what competitors do they take advantage of change. 

In the ongoing battle for share of stomach 7-Eleven added three of the largest U.S. ordering platforms to its delivery offers: Uber Eats, Grubhub and Instacart, bring 7-Eleven's total number of delivery options to seven, being rounded out by Postmates, DoorDash, Google Food Ordering and Favor (available in Texas only). 7-Eleven understood consumers are dynamic not static, they are still going to eat, and they stepped-up too fill a void in the marketplace. 

Don’t blame 7-Eleven for being competitive. 7-Eleven Chief Operating Officer Chris Tanco stated "When 7-Eleven began offering delivery in 2017, we certainly didn't foresee a pandemic accelerating on-demand ordering platforms from convenient to essential," … "This year we've doubled our delivery footprint and quadrupled our daily delivery orders because customers know they can count on us for their necessities in about 30 minutes. We look forward to continuing to respond as our customers' shopping behaviors rapidly change." Our grocerant guru® noted that 7-Eleven has more registered trademarked fresh food product that most chain restaurants. 7-Eleven understands the playing field.  

So, consider this now regular users of all 7 delivery platforms have access to thousands of products, including food and beverage items like pizza, 7-Select snacks, coffee and Slurpee drinks, as well as everyday essentials like phone chargers, toilet paper and beauty products. Beer and wine can be delivered in select markets. Now, they are filling a void fast.  How can you fill the void?  Restaurants sell meals one at a time.  Think about it. 

7-Eleven Vice President of Digital and Head of Delivery Raghu Mahadevan stated "Our customers crave convenience now more than ever,"… "Today, that may mean ordering in more frequently because they're staying home and avoiding crowds. But it could also mean delivering Slurpee drinks to the beach or ice to a socially-distanced backyard barbecue. These extraordinary times have accelerated our efforts to get the products to our customers as safely as possible."

Restaurant customers want meals, menus, and magic.  That magic is the twist found in your meal?  Need help extending that from one playing field to another?  Are you looking a customer ahead?

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your continued success.