Since Mexico entered Phase 3 due to the coronavirus pandemic, all companies and businesses were instructed to suspend operations unless they were considered essential activities by Covid-19, such as supermarkets, grocery stores, and food preparation for sale. However, due to the fact that most people are in quarantine, sales in restaurants and food services have visibly decreased, so here are some tips on how to increase your profits if you make affordable meals for sale.

It is important to understand that the restaurant industry represents 2.14 million jobs, which is equivalent to 8% of the employed people in Mexico, and that is why we must know how to adapt to the new demands of quarantine. It doesn't matter if you have a food stall, a restaurant, or sell gelatins and other desserts; these tips will undoubtedly help you reactivate your business during quarantine.

Online sales and pick&go

One of the strategies that many restaurateurs have chosen is to learn how to sell online for free and prepare homemade food for takeout. That is, they present their menu and hire a home delivery service to bring it to customers or, conversely, they deliver the food at their location, and it is the customers who pick it up to take it away.

Leverage social media

The confinement due to coronavirus has led to a rise in demand for online stores, so social media will become your best ally to promote your products and menus. Use Facebook and Instagram to showcase the most delicious things you prepare, but don't forget to provide personalized attention through other platforms like WhatsApp and register with classic services like Uber Eats, Rappi, and Didi Food. Check messages regularly and make sure to follow up on orders with great kindness.



Update your menu or product catalogs

Remember to frequently inform your customers about the products or dishes that make up your weekly menus and keep them always updated. Do it in a dynamic way where you always include an attractive photograph, brief and concise information about what you offer and the prices, as well as a contact phone number to clarify any doubts. It is important that you adapt your menu to offer the most popular items, which have fewer ingredients due to shortages, and that require less preparation time.

Inform your customers about delivery times

To avoid conflicts, it is necessary to explain to your customers the sales dynamics from the start. Of course, due to the contingency, hygiene and transportation measures must be stricter, and this may cause food preparation and delivery times to take longer than usual, so don’t forget to inform them and ask for a little patience regarding takeout meals.

Look for delivery alternatives

If there are no home delivery platforms in your area like the ones mentioned above, then focus on WhatsApp chats or Facebook groups in your city to promote yourself. Use your car or motorcycle for deliveries, and if you don’t have one, consider alternatives like radio taxis, bike messengers, or affordable express parcel services.

Win over customers with promotions

It is true that the coronavirus has brought a severe economic crisis, but we must look for ways to turn it around by creating promotion packages or discount codes; this will help you attract new customers and retain those you already have. You don't have to drastically lower your prices, but you can offer rewards with discounts or products for a certain number of orders. Analyze your possibilities well and surprise your customers.

If you have already implemented these strategies to survive the crisis and maintain your economy while making food for sale, tell us how they worked for you and if you have any other tips worth applying.