In addition to branding, strategizing, designing, and creating, the Truss team knows their way around a restaurant’s takeout menu. That’s right, we’re foodies.
B.C. (Before Coronavirus), our lunchtime usually consisted of a group order from one of the local restaurants around town. But with the forced business closures over the past two months, restaurants have taken a hit by the decline of patrons and foot traffic. While this pandemic has put a strain on one of our favorite industries, it has also illustrated the resilience of restaurants to find new ways to adapt and grow. See how these Orange County restaurants are responding to the quarantine crisis.
Social Engagement
True to its vision of creating delight featuring real ingredients, classic technique, and a sense of fun, Black Market Bakery is finding ways to stay connected to the community through its social media channels. In addition to using their Instagram platform to keep customers informed about updated hours, ordering and pick-up options, they have also been posting recipes and tutorials for their most popular menu items. From Challah bread and Focaccia to their chocolate toffee cookies, Blackmarket’s instructional social media videos give viewers a way to recreate their recipes, but more importantly, it amplifies their brand to help reach new audiences.
Creative Meal Kits
If there’s a silver lining of quarantine, the DIY Pizza Kit from 2145 is one of them. While most larger restaurants continue to run their normal online ordering and food delivery services, other brick-and-mortar businesses require a more personal approach. This garage-turned-pizzeria is a cult favorite for Neapolitan style pizzas, and during quarantine, they have ramped up their menu offerings with a new addition—the DIY Pizza Kit. The kit that comes with their specialty pizza dough, sauce, and toppings has quickly become a hit with customers. This new menu add has proven to be a successful spin on take-out options and memorable experience that patrons want to share and promote with social media.
Unconventional Takeout
When restaurants were forced to close, Lido Bottle Works in Newport Beach spiced up their offerings for take-out orders. Chef Amy Lebrun has transformed some of her signature dishes into family-style meals. They have also been turning out Build-Your-Own Pasta Kits as well as organic produce boxes that come filled with a variety of local fruits, vegetables, and, yes, a roll of toilet paper. Not only has this encouraged repeat orders and positive reviews, but it has also been a cost-effective and topical way to move ingredients before they spoil.
Donating to the Community
There’s a lot to feel good about when it comes to The Recess Room. It’s five childhood best friends that made their dream of opening a restaurant together into a reality. The modern American-style eatery that uses homegrown ingredients from its onsite garden hasn’t let their fresh ingredients go to waste. They recently launched Free Food Fridays in which they offer free grab’n’go meals for students under 18 years old, and seniors 65 and older to help alleviate the impact that quarantine has had on the community. The restaurant has also partnered with local hospitals and will match the price of a customer’s food purchase with a hospital donation. It’s a great option for people that want to help the community and their favorite restaurants, while also promoting The Recess Room and its values.
