tiffin genius

There's so much to love about this story in The Guardian.

The One Stop Thali Cafe in Bristol has been selling these Mumbai tiffin carriers to their regulars - so they can get takeaways from the restaurant using them. They're £20 each (inc your first meal) and they've sold about 1,500 in the last 18 months.

This is genius. In one fell swoop they've:

1. created genuine differentation for the business
2. done something environmentally responsible
3. made a little bit of extra money
4. tied their customers a little closer to their business
5. won themselves some interesting PR
6. actually improved their service (tiffin carriers keep the food hotter for longer)

And they've done it in a way that's:

1. entirely authentic to their business and its heritage
2. incredibly simple and charming (not some fiddly promotional thing with forms and vouchers)
3. generous and open - you can use your tiffin carrier at any restaurant

Brilliant.

Comments

[tom]

It's a top place!

[tom]

It's a top place!

[dabitch]

Love the look of that thing too. Now I must go to the One Stop Thali Cafe in Bristol and order takeout.

[Sarah Ennals]

Cool - a friend of mine bought a tiffin carrier in one of Toronto's Chinatowns, & swears by it (she also enjoys the funny looks she gets from (a) non-asians who don't know what it is, & (b) asians who are surprised to see a black woman with one) .

[SANDEEP MAKAM]

Makes me proud to be an Indian and having eaten from one of these for years in school and college, i can clearly relate to the experience. Good luck guys!

[kedar]

man, why read such a lot of strat into it?
we call them DABBAS this side of the globe. it's an everyday thing.
mom packs lunch in the morning so you don't have to spend money on outside food.
that's just the point.
but sadly, half the time, the dabba-getters in the office think it more cool to eat at JavaCity or KFC.

[charlesfrith]

Lovely!