Summer is here and that means tons of outdoor festivals, street fairs, concerts, and community events. At nearly all of these events you’ll find food trucks lining the blocks, ready to serve hungry customers. If you’re one of these on-trend trucks, with a line of eager customers at your window, what type of food truck packaging are you using to serve up your signature food? And furthermore, what is that saying about your company?
Every day is Earth Day at MrTakeOutBags. We stock a full supply of eco-friendly products from recyclable bags to compostable food containers. We even have biodegradable and compostable cutlery!
We believe in offering a multitude of sustainable items year-round, not just on Earth Day.
It’s not just about what we do carry, though, it’s also about what we don’t provide. We do not offer Styrofoam products that can be harmful to the environment.
Are you thinking of making the switch to greener foodservice items for your company? Now’s the time to show your customers you care about sustainable takeout containers and eco friendly carryout bags by stocking recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable options. Start shrinking your company’s carbon footprint today!
Here’s an infographic that explains our Eco Friendly Packaging icons.
Many people are unaware of National French Bread Day on March 21st, but the majority of the population won’t hesitate a moment to say Oui! for a chance to savor the crusty-on-the-outside, airy-on-the-inside French staple.
The History Behind French Bread
Also known as a baguette, French bread is a long thin loaf that is made from basic lean dough. It is famous for its length and crispy crust. The French have been making long sticks of bread since the 18th century, but the baguette didn’t become a French culinary icon until the 20th century. A new law that passed in 1920 banned bakers from starting their day before 4 am. Out of necessity, bakers had to adjust their work to revolve around bread loaves that could bake quickly and evenly. Baguettes were found to be easy to slice and store, making them the perfect method for baking fresh loaves before the bakery doors opened for the day.
French Bread Fun Facts
The French are notorious for their high standards where the culinary arts are concerned. They have strict requirements for what can be considered French bread and what cannot. French bread can only contain combinations of flour, yeast, salt and water to be considered as such. Most baguettes are about 2-3 feet in length and 3-5 inches in thickness. The famous decorative incision you see on French baguettes is called the grigne. French bread should be a deep golden brown on the outside, the sides should be firm to the touch, and when tapped on the bottom, you should hear a hollow sound. Outside of France, baguettes are made with many other types of flour. In Vietnamese cooking, bread or “banh mi” is made with rice flour, while North Americans make whole wheat, multigrain, and sourdough baguettes in addition to traditional French loaves.
How Can I Celebrate National French Bread Day?
First of all, mark your calendars for March 21st and celebrate that day by purchasing a baguette from your local shop, or by making some homemade loaves of your own. Gather some salted butter, homemade jam, and champagne, put on some French music and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to Paris. Bon appetit!
If you own a bakery or specialty food store, be sure to decorate with the French joie de vivre in mind, and offer a special on French baguettes. And don’t forget to include special packaging. Check out the bakery bread bags from MrTakeOutBags.com. We offer styles with artisan motifs, as well as bags with windows to display your delicious baked good.
Although French bread was first made out of necessity rather than choice, this style of loaf is now enjoyed and loved by millions around the world. Don’t forget to break bread with your loved ones this March 21st!
You don’t have to look very far to see that cupcakes are a serious trend in America. From the opening of the L.A. based cupcakes-only shop, Sprinkles, to reality TV shows like Cupcake Wars to Carrie Bradshaw snacking on a cupcake in HBO’s “Sex and the City”, it seems everyone can’t get enough of the miniature dessert. But why all of a sudden? Beyond the red-carpet glamour and infinite sampling and flavor options, cupcakes may have some psychology behind them that brings sense to their nationwide craze.
Cupcakes Are an Affordable Luxury
The cupcake trend exploded in 2008-2009, the same time America faced the biggest economic crash since 1929. Treating ourselves wasn’t really an option anymore for most. Even those getting married during this time had to find ways to cut costs and scale down. Cupcakes offered an affordable alternative. Engaged couples turned to cupcakes instead of elaborate, expensive cakes because they can still “wow” guests with unique flavors, adordable decorations, and accessories like designer baking cups. Now that the economy has improved, many couples still choose cupcakes for their big day. But they aren’t only for special occasions. Cupcakes allow access to the same emotion tied to life’s special experiences only in a scaled-down, far less expensive version we can enjoy on any given day.
Cupcakes Are a Feel Good Treat
Cupcakes are basically little hugs in a cup. They make you feel good, even if you’re having a bad day. Once you start peeling back the pretty, designer baking cup and tasting the frosting, it is near impossible to focus on any stresses and bad experiences you were caught up in earlier. Cupcakes offer a break from the world, and are a gateway to just enjoy the delicious flavors. As customers stand in line for a treat from a specialty cupcake shop, it surfaces the same giddinss as hearing the ice cream truck’s melody coming ‘round the corner. Cupcakes offer an escape from any troubling thing happening in our lives, even for just a moment.
Cupcakes Embody the American Dream
Ever wonder why reality shows like Cupcake Wars and DC Cupcakes, a show starring two sisters in Washington DC, became so popular? They offer us a glimpse of the American dream. The cupcake movement represents the ultimate way to take a bite out of the entrepreneurial slice. When people watch these reality shows, they think, “I can do that too!” Most people already have the supplies and basic skills it takes to bake cupcakes, and the extra accessories like baking cups aren’t expensive. Cupcakes offer the very real opportunity to start a business you love, even when it may not have seemed possible before.
Can cupcakes make dreams come true? Why not let your customers find out for themselves! The cupcake trend is still going strong and you can set yourself apart from the other specialty cupcake shops in your area by decorating your product with the designer baking cups from MrTakeOutBags.com.
The Millennial generation has a serious passion for food. They are interested in not only good-tasting cuisine but also knowing where the food is coming from and its quality. According to best-selling author Eve Turow in her book A Taste of Generation Yum, Millennials are the most passionate about food than any other generation in history.
Here are some examples of the biggest differences you see between Millennials and older generations regarding food choices and habits:
53% of 20-somethings go out to eat weekly, compared to 43% of the rest of the population. As a result of busy schedules and fast-paced social lives, delivery services like GrubHub and Postmates are quickly gaining popularity by providing higher quality food than McDonald’s in plastic food containers. But at the same time, a general passion for food drives 87% of Millennials to splurge on a nice meal even when money is tight. So why are Millennials “so obsessed” with food? Eve Turow’s theory is the strong influence of social media. “We have formed into a society that’s so accustomed to sitting in front of a screen and typing, for the vast majority of the day that we’re craving community. And food is also allowing us to access the globe, so we can find out what harissa is made with and how to prepare something with it, in two seconds on our phones.”
While past generations counted calories and bought low-fat foods, Millennials are changing their priorities. According to Restaurant Marketing Labs, the criteria most Millennials gave to describe their eating preferences involved, “Convenient, yet healthy. Fun and exciting, yet natural and unprocessed. High-quality, yet affordable.” For younger consumers, “healthy” means locally-prepared food free from preservatives and processing. Millennials are much more willing than older generations to seek out high-quality, fresh foods and will go to great lengths to get it. They are much more aligned with the growing food movement that demands organic produce, local food, and artisanal products like cheeses and jams. And the food industry is starting to catch on.
Fast Casual is Becoming the Preferred Dining Experience for Millennials
The industry’s progress can be seen in the increasing popularity of fast casual restaurants, which have experienced a 550% increase since 1999–ten times the growth of the fast-food industry. Instead of spending time grocery shopping and cooking at home, consumers have access to affordable and healthy foods when they’re on the go. They can curate their own dish, or simply pick up a grab-n-go meal inside plastic food containers. By combining high-quality ingredients with fast-food speeds, these restaurants are giving Millennials what they want.
Millennials are the future customer base for all types of food establishments. If you own a restaurant, be sure to place local food at the forefront, and offer grab-n-go style meals made with high-quality ingredients. For reliable plastic food containers, check out the products from MrTakeOutBags.com.
It seems second nature to dash to the stores every February to purchase that chocolate filled, heart-shaped box, but how did it become a staple of Valentine’s Day? Below we break down the history behind the Day of Love, and how chocolate became a part of it.
The Story behind Valentine’s Day
The day we now call Valentine’s Day is named after a Christian martyr, but it also has origins in the Roman fertility festival, Lupercalia. The Christian Church recognizes three St. Valentines. One of them was imprisoned for marrying couples in secret during a marriage ban in Roman times. As a way to Christianize the Lupercalia festival and honor the soft-hearted Saint, Pope Gelasius named February 14th St. Valentine’s Day. In fourteenth century Europe, February 14th was believed to be the beginning of birds’ mating season and added to the idea that the middle of February should be a day for romance. In eighteenth century England, exchanging love notes became a tradition on Valentine’s Day and eventually made its way to America.
Chocolate–A Long History as a Love Food
The passion for chocolate has roots in Mesoamerican history. Among the Mayan and Aztecs, cacao beans were considered gold, and their sacred drinking chocolate was known as “the food of the gods.” Chocolate houses began to open in Europe in the 1600s where chocolate was advertised as a cure-all for many diseases. The Victorian era is when Valentine’s Day really began to take off. Victorians adored courtship and showered their loved ones with flowers, gifts, and love notes. In the late 1800s, Richard Cadbury, a British chocolate manufacturer, created the first “eating chocolates” and packaged them in lovely heart-shaped candy boxes adorned with roses and cupids.
Why We Give Chocolate on Valentine’s Day
The commercialization of Valentine’s Day chocolate gained popularity in America in the early 1900s. Milton Hershey, a caramel maker, began covering his caramels with chocolate and launched his bite-sized “kisses” in 1907. Russell Stover started selling his chocolates in heart-shaped boxes in the 1920s to department stores. But commercialism isn’t the only reason we see chocolate on Valentine’s Day. Chocolate has a famous reputation for being an aphrodisiac. Studies have concluded that chocolate contains a substance that mimics the endorphin Phenylethylamine, a chemical found in the brain that is produced when we are in love. Not only does chocolate taste amazing, but it actually has many health benefits as well. Raw cacao is a superfood and contains 20 times more antioxidants than blueberries and acai berries. The smell of chocolate increases theta brain waves, which trigger relaxation. Giving a box of chocolates may seem like a cliché, but if you want something truly romantic this February 14th, look no further than the mood-boosting bliss of chocolate. And don’t forget the wine!
To keep the romantic tradition going, offer an assortment candy boxes with inserts from MrTakeOutBags.com in your restaurant or store this Valentine’s Day.
Did you know?
Paper bags are especially great for packaging food as there is a grease-resistant option. No more oily stains on those pastry bags!
Biodegradable plastic bags are very durable, and they offer great leak resistance. The wave bags are especially popular for take-out because they have an easy loading wide top opening, much better than t-shirt bags.
Paper cups offer superior insulation for coffee and soup, but did you know it does the same for ice cream? Keep hot things hot and cold things cold with the power of paper.
Plastic cups are a go-to for cold drinks, and are available in an earth friendly biodegradable plant based material. Disposable clear plastic wine and martini cups provide convenience for formal events.
Most food service paper products include recycled content and are recyclable, and most are also biodegradable. If they are lined with PLA plant-based films they are then fully compostable.
Plastic to go or takeout packaging products are sometimes made by post-consumer materials, shrinking your carbon footprint, and some are made from compostable plastic that is made from renewable plant starches called PLA.
You already know that paper plates come in various colors and sizes, but did you know that there are eco-friendly options that are made with recycled paper or sugar cane fibrs content? They’re also incredibly sturdy if you choose our heavyweight or EcoSource paper plates!
Disposable plastic dinnerware doesn’t have to look cheap. There are several high-end looking options that look chic, but are still wallet-friendly, and you can choose square or round, with or without plastic lids.
Disposable tableware doesn’t end at plates. There are elegant, linen-like heavy weight paper napkins – and even napkins printed to look like burlap. Did you know that when it comes to plastic cutlery, there are several compostable options? Several of our plastic cutlery options are made from renewable and compostable plant starches produced into eco-friendly plastic like material. Amazing!
Both paper and plastic takeout and catering products offer great eco-friendly options and will save you time and money. While one is not necessarily better than the other, each has their own application in which they truly shine. Your choice of material depends mainly on what your specific needs require and we can help you figure that out, just give us a call at 888-321-2248.
For everything you need to complete a corporate meeting lunch, a restaurant or café setting, or a catered event, look to MrTakeOutBags.com
The wedding cake is a creative way to make a major statement on that special day and these bakers from around the world were up to the challenge. Here’s to a sweet celebration of wedded bliss!
A Cake of Life-Size Proportions
One bride in Texas made headlines when she had a wedding cake made of a six-layered life-size replica of herself in her wedding dress. In celebration of renewed vows with her husband of ten years, the unique cake put the happy couple in the international spotlight. Even sweeter, she had her husband’s full support when she thought of the unusual design. Now that’s true love.
Art Imitates Cake
Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s most famous painting “Starry Night,” this four-tiered wedding cake is a French Post-Impressionism masterpiece of the dessert variety. Baking virtuoso Jan Kish of La Petite Fleur hand-painted the icing and installed inlaid Christmas lights to light up the iconic night sky. Made with fondant and crystallized sugar detailing, it is one sweet piece of art.
Biggest Wedding Cake in the World
When it comes to love, some couples have to go big, and the bakers at Mohegan Sun Casino answered their call. In 2004, they revealed a 15,032 pound, six-tiered wedding cake at a bridal showcase in Connecticut. It also made the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest wedding cake in the world.
Cakes of the Rich and Famous
For the super elite, a wedding is the perfect opportunity to not only express love and commitment but also to flaunt some serious status. When Donald Trump married supermodel Melania Knauss in 2005, he impressed his guests with a seven-tiered, five-foot high, 200-pound wedding cake made with 3,000 white icing roses made of Grand Marnier buttercream.
Revenge of the Nerds: The Cake Edition
If you’re a fan of Lord of the Rings, you’ll appreciate the artistry and attention to detail in this one-of-a-kind hobbit-inspired wedding cake. Created by the bakers at Tiffany’s Baking Company in North Carolina, they used fondant and buttercream icing to create a confection full of gnomes, fairies, and other embellishments from the beloved Middle Earth woodland in the Shire.
Cake C’est Magnifique
For Francophiles getting hitched, this glorious confection takes the cake with its Eiffel Tower sculpture made with black fondant and hand painted details of famous streets in Paris, the romance capital in the world. The hand-painted depictions of the Arc de Triomphe, River Seine, and Notre Dame Cathedral are almost too beautiful to eat.
Since 1988, MrTakeOutBags.com has been helping bakers present a professional, polished display of wedding cakes with high quality cake boards. With grease protectant coating and various sizes, colors, and styles, pastry chefs can proudly show off their sugary masterpiece for everyone’s delight.
From technology to fashion to interior decorating, cultural trends are continuously emerging and developing throughout all industries. For 2016, trends in the restaurant industry are seeming to lean towards improving customer and employee experiences and preparing more restaurants for taking advantage of the technologically-inclined world.
Here are the top restaurant trends you can expect to see in 2016 according to foodservice entrepreneurs:
Josh Owen, the owner of the New Orleans coffee shop Revelator Coffee, says that more and more customers are turning away from the frilly, fifty-ingredient products, and are asking for simple and pure. In 2013, Owen knew he wanted to start a coffee shop despite the intense competition in the industry. Instead of trying to think of the most creative and bizarre concoctions possible, he created menu with the simple and classic coffee drinks we all know. Turns out Owen’s back-to-basics approach was a hit. Customers began standing in line for his simple, high-quality beverages made without fancy names and garnishes.
More restaurants and other businesses are giving way to this trend by giving employees more time off to be with family. According to chef and owner of the Here To Serve Restaurant group in Atlanta, Tom Catherall believes this is a shift in the workplace we can expect to see more. As a chef for over fifty years, Catherall remembers what it was like to work 15 hour days, seven days a week, with very little time to spend with his family. For 2016, Catherall has capped his employees’ workdays at 10 hours, and allows them to take three nights off to spend more time at home.
A trend we’ll see more restaurants pay closer attention to this year is the instant response to customer feedback, and being able to control negative reviews. Rick Stewart, the director of café operations at Barnie’s CoffeeKitchen, is planning to use the BlurtBox app to track and collect customer feedback, and privately respond to negative reviews. Restaurant owners can see customer complaints in a private dashboard and can respond to them in real time. This allows business owners and managers to stop worrying about bad reviews, and put more effort into listening and responding to what customers are saying.
A study conducted by restaurant researcher Justin Guinn reveals that 72% of restaurant owners wish they had a mobile Point-of-Sale (POS) software in place to modernize day-to-day operations and improve customer experience. Mobile POS systems–touch-screen iPads, wireless barcode scanners for smartphones, and card readers–make customer payments and sales tracking much easier. They are also less expensive than desktop systems and are quickly gaining popularity in the restaurant industry.
One of the most time-consuming challenges for restaurant owners is having to order their supplies. It often takes more than one shot to get an order right and involves multiple calls, emails, faxes, and texts to multiple suppliers. A free app called BlueCart is revolutionizing this frustrating part of restaurant ownership and allows restaurants to order from all of their suppliers at once, in one place. The app saves tons of time from making separate orders and helps both the restaurant owner and supplier make the process much easier with less error.
Tech-savvy generations are continuing to increase the demand for high-tech features and instant gratification in businesses. Customers want to be able to view a restaurant’s menu on smartphone apps, in the restaurant on a tablet, and on the restaurant’s website. Mobile access gives customers the ability to scan quickly a restaurant’s menu to order takeout, make reservations, and peruse the dining options. Restaurants can give in to these techy demands by adding mobile-friendly menu viewing and ordering options. Rafi Cohen, the co-founder of an online ordering system, Orders2me, is helping restaurants adopt an online ordering portal using their existing payment system that charges a flat monthly fee.
When it comes to social media and technology, the food photo is one of the most popular uses of Instagram and other photo-sharing sites. When customers share pics with friends on social networking outlets, it becomes a great way to boost brand awareness. For restaurants, food trucks, bakeries, and delis, custom tissue paper is more important than ever. Imagine photos of your most popular menu items wrapped in paper printed with your logo and then making its way across the Internet. Sometimes the most effective marketing comes from a happy customer sending a photo to a friend. At MrTakeOutBags, we help restaurants boost marketing with custom sandwich wrap paper and basket liners that feature your distinct logo. Even better, the tissue is grease resistant, durable, and lightweight, all the things that make your best dishes ready for their close-up.
If you are a restaurant owner, start this new year by considering these industry trends and form a plan for how you can implement them into your business to boost growth and success.
According to historian and deli scholar Ted Merwin, the first American deli can be traced back to Katz’s, which opened in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1888. Since then, delis all over the country have been an integral part of Jewish American culture. If you’re in the mood to nosh on matzo ball soup, pastrami on rye, or brisket, then head to these 5 historic delis:
Established in 1923, this Philly tradition has been in the family since the beginning. It had its moment in the spotlight when the classic deli was featured in the films “Philadelphia” and “In Her Shoes,” but the sandwiches are the real stars of the show since they feature a pound of meat each.
Since it opened in 1942, Manny’s has been a go-to for Jewish deli fare, thanks to generations of expertise handed down by Charlie and Jack Ruskin, Russian-born brothers who learned everything from their mother’s kitchen. After WWII, Jack took it over and renamed it Manny’s. In 2008, it made headlines when then President-elect Barack Obama ordered a few corned beef sandwiches and cherry pies, a classic Chicago deli lunch order.
This kosher deli boasts the best pastrami sandwich in Manhattan, and considering that they’ve been making them since 1954, you could say they are the experts in deli food. Uncle Abe, the famous proprietor, started the deli from the money he made as a counter boy in Coney Island. Although the original deli closed down in 2006 over a dispute with the landlord, it reopened at 162 East 33rd Street and also at 1442 First Avenue under the management of his nephews Jeremy and Josh. Uncle Abe would be so proud. Now, pass the latkes.
San Francisco may have changed dramatically over the years, but the Original Tommy’s Joynt has stayed exactly the same since it opened in 1947, thanks to owners who stubbornly honor tradition. Like many of the original Jewish delis on the East Coast, you can expect a cozy, no frills spot with a predictable menu that would rival any grandmother’s kitchen. Situated on the corner of Van Ness and Geary, get ready for traditional deli food in the heart of Fog City.
Since it opened in 1888, Katz’s Deli has been a Lower East Side institution and model for all others to follow, especially since it’s considered the first Jewish deli in America. This famous deli has a lengthy menu of all the classics, so come hungry and don’t be turned off by the line. It goes fast and the wait is worth it.
In the spirit of bubbes (grandparents) and their legendary comfort food, here’s to a glorious American institution.
Enhance your customer’s experience at your deli by serving your food on top of basket liners or package food in to-go containers like our DELItainers. Mr.Takeoutbags.com is the top choice for high quality takeout food service packaging.
