Generating Additional Revenue with Grab-and-Go

Now more than ever, busy consumers have a lot of catching up to do. With things to do, places to be, and people to see, they want and need the convenience of grab-and-go menu options.

No matter what type of foodservice operation you run—convenience store, grocery, restaurant, K-12 school, university, healthcare facility, employee feeding, military installation, correctional facility, and beyond—grab-and-go menus present valuable business benefits that optimize staff and maximize revenue:

• Food is pre-prepped, pre-portioned, and pre-packaged during off-peak hours
• No plating, serving, or bussing
• Staff and tables are freed up for on-premise dining
• Expedites service with minimal interaction
• Provides convenient options for customers when the kitchen is closed
• Increases total sales 

What should you look for when setting up your grab-and-go operation? Here are some key things to consider followed by a few of our favorite cold, hot, and mobile merchandising recommendations for grab-and-go:

• Appealing display that will attract customer attention
• Keeps items orderly and presentable
• Easy to re-stock
• Supports proper food temperatures
• Mobile if needed

Cold Food Grab-and-go Merchandising

Open-front display cases provide quick and easy access to fresh, refrigerated food without the hassle of doors. Structural Concepts’ energy efficient, American-made model lineup includes air screen units with a built-in look, free-standing models, islands, end caps, and under-counter units. 

Easy to stock, these units keep a large volume of cold grab-and-go options visible, organized, and safely chilled below 40°F.

Hot Food Grab-and-go Merchandising

Heated holding shelves instantly adapt traditional foodservice settings into a modern grab-and-go market. Shelves are open, providing quick and easy access to pre-packaged pastas, bowls, and other hot meals or sides. 

Delivering precise and consistent heat from the radiant elements, FWE Heated Holding Shelves preheat to a factory pre-set of 175° F in under 15 minutes to provide uniform warmth for all food and containers. With brackets on the wall-facing side of the shelves, shelves remain safe and securely fastened to the wall.

Have an existing buffet? For a quick transformation, turn existing heated wells into grab-and-go shelves by adding Hatco heated well covers (here’s how!). 

Hatco's Modular/Ganged Heated Well Cover converts heated wells into heated shelves creating a heated space to hold pre-packaged, pre-heated foods at safe serving temperatures for self-serve grab-and-go.

The Hatco Flav-R 2-Go Locker System can help you safely handle third-party delivery and to-go orders by simultaneously holding multiple hot or ambient to-go food orders with quick and secure, contactless access. 

Each locker features a timer to safely hold hot, packaged foods for up to 45 minutes at 150ºF. Heat can also be turned off in individual lockers for ambient holding. Customers can arrive, access their specific locker, grab their meal, and go.

Mobile Vending

Designed for mobility and high capacity with spacious compartments for insulated carriers and supplies, the Cambro Vending Cart CVC75 has everything you need to transport and serve grab-and-go items indoors or out. 

Each cart comes standard with your choice of an eye-catching vinyl wrap or personalized with your own artwork for a nominal, one-time design fee. Large open serving well fits 5 full-sized, 6" deep hotel pans of hot or cold menu items.

Whether grab-and-go service is at the heart of your business model, a supplemental revenue stream, or started as an emergency measure, it’s here to stay, and we’re here to help you make it a profitable revenue stream. 

Contact us.