Food retailers heighten takeout packaging with greater on-the-go portability
Implications - Focusing more on function than aesthetic appeal, fast food retailers are enhancing their packaging with features to make on-the-go consumption easier. Customizing takeout containers with drink holders and easy-to-hold frames, brands are seeking to make takeout not only mobile but conducive to individual use. This suggests a turn toward more convenient methods of consumption.
Trend Themes
1. On-the-go Packaging - Fast food retailers are enhancing their packaging with features to make on-the-go consumption easier by customizing takeout containers with drink holders and easy-to-hold frames.
2. Compact Packaging - Designers are developing fast food packaging that eliminates the need for paper bags, such as McDonald's Big Mac box that combines fries and burgers in a single box, or KFC's bento box that contains multiple items in a single container.
3. Branded Packaging - Fast food companies are incorporating branding into their packaging to differentiate themselves, such as Chicken Kitchen's custom-shaped carton with bold illustrations, or White Castle's typographic food boxes that spell out 'Crave.'
Industry Implications
1. Fast Food Industry - Fast food retailers can use innovative packaging designs to differentiate their products and create a more convenient experience for customers.
2. Packaging Industry - The packaging industry can develop more on-the-go and compact packaging solutions to meet the growing demand for convenience in the fast food industry.
3. Advertising Industry - Advertising agencies can create brand packaging designs that resonate with customers and tell a story, such as Chicken Kitchen's packaging, which features bold illustrations of their rooster mascot.
