“Whether customers dine in or take out, we want to bring folks together to slow down and enjoy a meal with family and friends,” said Klingler. Outlanders’ early focus on family-style takeout meals may have prepared the restaurant for the current state of curbside and delivery; however, Klingler knew they’d have to try some additional ways to serve customers as the pandemic set in. Walk-up, Drive-Thru Services When indoor dining was not possible, Klingler and her team staged an outdoor area to give customers the opportunity to walk up or drive through to order some of the restaurant’s specialties, along with new menu items such as burgers, hot dogs and barbecue pork. Customers could pick food up and bring it home, never leaving their cars, or they could dine in an outdoor area with picnic tables and umbrellas.
Klingler says that as the seasons change, the weather will dictate when and if they can use the outdoor space. And, even with some indoor dining resuming, Klingler anticipates that curbside pick-up is likely here to stay. In addition, she has been busy with an entirely new concept to bring the food local customers are craving right to their doorstep. Late-Night Snack Delivery In August, Klingler and her business partner and daughter, Nichole, launched a late-night snack delivery service called Nikki’s Snack Dispatch that uses the kitchen space at Outlanders but operates as an independent business. “We had heard of the concept of a ghost kitchen and thought it may work for us,” said Klingler, adding that when Nichole would drive home each night, she noticed that nearby fast food restaurants were very busy—an indicator that there was a market for late-night food. The two women sensed an opportunity in the making, to offer fun snacks and more indulgent foods like tacos, nachos, mac and cheese, cookies, brownies and popcorn—the types of comfort food that consumers are often craving later in the evening hours, with convenient doorstep delivery. They also saw an opportunity to bring in a new revenue stream. “With all of our offsite catering and summer festivals cancelled, we are facing a big loss in revenue so wanted to try something new,” said Klingler. “Plus, who hasn’t wished someone would deliver caramel corn or nachos to their door at midnight?” Open for business after 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nikki’s caters to some of the same customers that dine with Outlanders, but is also reaching new customers—a younger demographic that includes students from the nearby college. All signs indicate that the new venture is poised for success with the women extending their business hours on Saturday evenings to 1:30 a.m. and adding new menu items like cheese curds and chicken tenders—which have proven to be wildly popular. They are also exploring adding items such as homemade potato chips and muffin tops. “Nikki’s Snack Dispatch gives the opportunity to do the opposite of what we are doing at Outlanders,” said Klingler, adding that the pandemic has brought out the creativity in her team and the gusto to try something new. “It has been fun to have the opportunity to do something entirely different and see where it goes.” To learn more about Klingler and Outlanders and Nikki’s Snack Dispatch, visit: https://www.outlanderstogo.com/homepage36240342b https://www.nikkissnacks.com/sales-page1600872443167