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A group of UK chefs and restaurateurs has launched a new nationwide delivery service for increasingly popular restaurant ‘makeaways'.
Restaurant Kits will deliver “Signature dish and drink kits from the UK’s most loved independent restaurants,” to hungry consumers up and down the country as of this week. Restaurant Kits are promising “Best in class cuisine,” delivered to anywhere in the UK in one to three days.
Restaurants to sign up so far include former Ledbury chef James Cochrane’s 12:51, Indian-inspired Kricket, Pizza Pilgrims and burger peddlers Nanny Bills.
The aim is to help restaurants steer their way through unprecedented times by providing a new revenue stream and the infrastructure to support it, while satisfying consumer demand for more ‘Eat-ertainment’ at home. Restaurant teams will have the flexibility to manage the service themselves, or hand over responsibility to Restaurant Kits.
Photo @lateef-photography
“For some, the logistics of posting and fulfilling may not be an issue and that’s cool – they can still benefit from the centralised voice and leverage of the platform,” says Restaurant Kits co-founder Calum Mackinnon of London-based Scottish restaurant and butcher Mac & Wild. “But for many, we’re finding they need the end-to-end solution to make this a sustainable option for them. They can get back to focusing their efforts on getting things running in their physical restaurants and ensuring the safety and welfare of their staff.”
Restaurant Kits’ boxes are made from eco-friendly packaging and wool-lined to keep the food at optimum temperature. Diners will also be pleased to know Restaurant Kits is launching in partnership with TiPJAR – “a peer to peer cashless tip ecosystem” which will ensure tips go directly to restaurant staff.
Photo @lateef-photography
Despite the popularity of makeaways, few restaurants up to now have been able to take their dishes nationwide. One exception is Made in Oldstead, the food box business from chef Tommy Banks of Michelin-starred The Black Swan in Yorkshire. His team are now pushing out close to 1000 food boxes a week. Another is London Taiwanese favourite Bao, which has just launched nationwide delivery of its DIY Bao kits. Meanwhile, as the trend gathers pace, GreatFood2U is another nationwide delivery company that distributes restaurant recipe kits nationwide.
Time will tell whether more restaurants get on board with Restaurant Kits and if makeaways remain popular as the public health situation evolves. However, as financial protection against the potentially devastating effects of a second Covid-19 wave, the ability to reach a much larger consumer pool could prove invaluable.
