We believe that tearooms are more than just restaurants; they are places people patronize for special celebrations and to create memories. The food must be delicious, decadent and pretty to look at, the ambience peaceful, cozy and charming, and the service warm and sweet without being too intrusive. How can you replicate the tearoom experience "to go"?
It begins with the pick-up experience...a well-thought out plan with signage for where to park and what to do next, a decorated area for pick up, like a table with tablecloth, seasonal touches like a wreath or bouquet and a friendly, cheerful person delivering their order. After that, it's all about the packaging!
A beautiful box creates an instant party atmosphere, as the guests get the pleasure of opening a "gift". We have found that offering a more expensive, presentation-ready packaging is a service many our customers appreciate and are willing to pay a premium price for. We also offer seasonal teas that include extras to set the scene at home...our Valentine Tea includes a heart shaped box of rose petals to scatter on the table, our Autumn Tea includes a mini fondue pot with cheese fondue as a delightful first course, and our Christmas Tea included a tea-theme filled Christmas Cracker. All of these little touches are what set us apart from other restaurants in our area, and we have developed a regional customer base as people share the Instagram worthy experience we provide for them to enjoy in the comfort of their own homes.
If you aren't sure your customers will pay for extras like pretty packaging, start looking at the cars in your parking lot. We had never paid attention to that until the Covid shut down. We were surprised to learn that almost all, like 95%, of our clients were driving luxury SUV's and high-end cars. We were feeling the pinch of the slow-down, so were worried about the cost of our meals, but soon realized that our regular customers are affluent, and were delighted to discover that we were offering an upscale experience they could safely enjoy at home. We were able to add more expensive items to our menu and our average ticket went up. It also becomes word-of-mouth free advertising for you, as people are highly likely to share the fun and festive meal they enjoyed.