Restaurants and foodservice businesses have turned to takeout, delivery and grab-and-go orders to stay operational – posing a unique challenge for the industry nationwide. Restaurants must adapt to stay alive during closures. National Checking Company (NCCO), a leading provider of foodservice products and solutions, can help uniquely position foodservice operations for success during times of uncertainty and beyond.
According to a study conducted last year by a national foodservice supplier, 85% of customers indicated they would like restaurants to use tamper-evident labels on takeout and delivery orders. Tamper-evident labels are not new to the marketplace but have spiked exponentially in popularity considering recent events. NCCO introduced SecureIt™ tamper-evident labels several years ago. Safeguarding customers is no new initiative for the 110+ year-old company, but an abundance of additional caution in the industry has skyrocketed the need for SecureIt™ labels.
NCCO operates with a goal of providing essential resources to the foodservice industry. “As a company, we are constantly innovating and especially within our SecureIt™ label line,” says Ben Olk III, President of NCCO. “Our customers come to us with specific ideas and needs, and we do our best to solve them.” With a wide range in sizing of food bags, boxes, clamshells, and plastic containers being used across the country (and world), having a tamper-evident label family with multiple styles and sizes, like the SecureIt™ line, is a large benefit to operations both big and small.
Each SecureIt™ label is crafted with a strong, permanent adhesive and security cuts that tear to expose tampering. A distinct red color sets SecureIt™ labels apart in the marketplace and provides a visual indication to customers that their order is protected by an extra layer of security. These labels also provide a subtle reminder to delivery drivers who may be tempted to open the container and glimpse, or even take a bite. Customers have heightened anxiety about possible routes of contamination… food takeout and delivery included. The idea of adding an additional third-party in between a restaurant and the dinner table may cause further concern – but can be put to rest by using tamper-evident labels.
“Adding SecureIt™ labels to an existing workflow adds enhanced credibility and tangibly shows an operation’s dedication to customer safety,” says Olk. Six tamper-evident label styles are available from small to large and for both food and beverage containers and lids. Label dispensers make application fast and easy in the kitchen or order-staging area.
Additionally, two dedicated SecureIt™ label styles are made to be used with NCCO’s innovative automated labeling system – the Date Code Genie®. This cloud-based, centrally managed system makes labeling for prep, grab-and-go, takeout, delivery, branding and more, easy and safe. Menu items can be added in the Date Code Genie portal prior to use, so when a label is needed in the kitchen for a prep item, or for a takeout or delivery meal on its way out the door, a label with appropriate ingredient and nutritional information will print at the touch of a button. Along with SecureIt™, permanent, dissolving and DuraPeel™ labels from Date Code Genie are also available to use with the system.
A hallmark of the Date Code Genie®, and a one-of-a-kind feature that differentiates this system in the industry, is the Label Designer. Start with a blank label canvas and drag-and-drop features – such as ingredients, allergens, nutritional information, logos, QR codes, customer names, expiration dates and any additional components wanted – to the label. There are no limitations to the design. Labels can also be kept simple with pre-designed layouts that are ready to use.
Date Code Genie® takes the guesswork out of handwritten labels and adds an extra touch of professionalism when printing labels for takeout and delivery. This labeling machine provides long-lasting benefits to foodservice operations beyond the current times.
As restaurants and foodservice operations evolve, both SecureIt™ tamper-evident labels and the Date Code Genie® system are symbols of innovation – and NCCO is at the forefront of forward-looking solutions each step of the way.
For more than 100 years, National Checking Company (NCCO) has developed and produced quality, American-made products that drive success in the foodservice industry. Our products are designed to help a foodservice operation function more efficiently. These products include POS essentials such as the GuestCheck™, register rolls and ribbons, tamper-evident labels, disposable food safety products, first aid kits, and smart labeling solutions. NCCO also operates internationally with headquarters in Burton-on-Trent, England. For more information on NCCO, visit their website.
