By Shefali Kapadia
Packaging used to be an afterthought for quick-service restaurants.
“They’d throw in your little package of salt, pepper, a terrible napkin, a spork,” said Jim Owen, senior analyst of packaging and logistics at RaboResearch food and agribusiness.
But dining trends are changing. Convenience has become a top priority for consumers. More than 60% of Gen Z and Millennial consumers say takeout is an essential part of their lifestyles, and 47% of overall consumers order takeout at least once per week, according to National Restaurant Association data released this year.
QSRs can’t ignore their packaging. The customer experience in these restaurants is no longer bound to the tables and chairs or the art on the walls. QSRs now cater to a more mobile consumer: those eating in a car, munching on the go or even dining at home in sweatpants, according to Owen.
“Packaging becomes the dining experience,” Owen said.
SHEFALI KAPADIA 