The Increasing Popularity Of Curbside Pickup

Americans are busy people. They’re constantly running around
between work, family, and social activities. It can be exhausting, and at the
end of a long, hard day the last thing many of them want to do is spend an hour
cooking dinner or running to the grocery store. Twenty years ago, fast food
might have been an alternative option, but the demand for those restaurants is
declining. Nowadays the 99 cent hamburger and a large cup of sugary
soda is become an infrequent treat as opposed to a stable of someone’s
diet. 

People are looking for
healthier and tastier options and in return they are being provided with new
chains opening left and right focused on fresh. They want food from their
favorite restaurants without being forced to dress up and go out again after
their days. Grocery shopping isn’t something everyone wants to do either. Ask a
roomful of parents how they feel about dragging their kids to the store. You
are sure to hear some groaning.

Curbside pickup is the perfect solution
to those struggles. In 2020, Americans are learning it’s a lot safer as well.

Americans Love Convenience 

For years, consumers have been moving toward online shopping.
Americans love the convenience of ordering their items and just picking it up
at the store or having it delivered to their home. It saves time and headaches.
According to an NPR report, grocers across the
country are cashing in on this and adding curbside pickup to the services they
offer. 

Customers order their
groceries online through the store’s website or on an app, then they choose a
time they want to pick it up. Stores usually have specific parking spaces
assigned for curbside pickup and when the customer arrives at the store, an
associate loads their groceries into their car. Easy peasy. 

Investment firm Cowen released a
report titled “Curbside is a manifestation of Bricks-Meet-Clicks”
in 2019 predicting the curbside pickup industry would grow to $35 billion by
2020. Financial analysts with the firm believe 25% of consumers will start
using the service. 

The restaurant industry
figured this all out years ago. Big chains like Outback and Applebees have
offered the service for at least a decade. However, 2020 has seen an explosion
for obvious reasons.

When Convenience Meets Safety

Curbside pickup grew exponentially in 2020 as the result of the
coronavirus pandemic. Consumers still want to eat out and have to buy
groceries, and curbside services are there to bridge the safety gap. Even
liquor stores are getting in on the action which has also caused some
controversy and legal gray area. Now, restaurants are sending mixed cocktails
out the door with to-go orders in plastic cups and soup containers, something
previously considered illegal. This is causing some disruption in the liquor
store market who need to sell sealed drinks only. Over the next serval months
this should be getting more legal clarification between states, cities, and
counties. 

According to Adobe
Analytics, pick-up services at stores saw an 87% increase during the virus
outbreak. The services don’t just help keep consumers safe and healthy, but
also the customers.

There’s no doubt that much of the expansion of curbside pickup
during the first half of 2020 is due to the virus. Americans worked with stores
and restaurants to slow the spread of the virus. But it was going to happen
either way. What’s different is the speed at which many businesses have had to
implement it.  

A Lasting Service

Convenience and safety. There’s not much more busy people want.
The investment firm Cowen was right about the expansion of curbside pickup, it
definitely happened. Being able to order groceries or dinner is a lifesaver for
people who are limited on time. And it’s not just good for consumers.

Grocers, retailers, and restaurants would do themselves a great
disservice by not offering curbside pickup to their customers. Aside from the
fact that it was already predicted to be a $35 billion business, the
coronavirus will change the way Americans shop for goods and go out to eat.
Offering them an easy and safe way to get what they need is the perfect way to
expand a customer base and stay profitable.