Stop Wasting Money on Germy Portion Packets

Safety & Technology
2020.11.19

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic many restaurants swapped their traditional self-serve condiment stations for condiment packets with the hope that they wouldn’t need to use them for long. They seemed like the easiest solution for both dine-in and takeout orders, but this temporary fix is eating away at profits after months of use. In fact, traditional packets and dip-and-squeeze varieties can cost two to three times more per ounce than bulk cans, jugs or pouches. When keeping a restaurant open and profitable is so challenging, can you afford to leave that money behind?

Let’s look at the math for ketchup to see how much money is lost by using condiment packets. Based on prices from a leading distributor, dip-and-squeeze packets cost $0.15 per ounce and traditional packets cost $0.17 per ounce. However, gallon pouches offer a price of $0.08 and both bulk jugs and #10 cans offer a mere $0.05 per ounce. When we’re talking in cents, it doesn’t seem that significant. But imagine that in one day, a restaurant serves two hundred 0.3 oz condiment packets, which results in a cost of $10.40. Serving the same number of 0.3 oz portions from a bulk jug or #10 can costs only $3.00. Reducing costs by $7.00 daily from a single condiment will save you $2,000 in less than a year, and that’s only for one condiment. Making the switch from packets to bulk for the rest of your condiments will multiply these savings.

But you’re probably wondering how to keep customers safe when you’re serving them from a bulk condiment dispenser. And that’s where the Touchless Express comes in.  This touch-free condiment pump detects the user’s hand when held above the sensor eye to dispense their desired portion. Touchless Express models can be outfitted either with gallon condiment pouches or 1.3-gallon fountain jars to achieve the most economical price per ounce on many condiments. And unlike a bin of condiment packets that multiple staff must reach into with their hands, the Touchless Express is not a physical touchpoint between users that can transfer contaminants. With its stainless steel construction, Touchless Express condiment dispensers can also be quickly and easily sanitized, which is just not possible to do with condiment packets.

To see how easy it is to set up, use and clean the Touchless Express condiment dispenser, check out this video playlist. Or to connect with a member of the Server team to discuss how this new technology can benefit your bottom line, reach out to us here.