HARRY
KHINDA
Harry Khinda has run The Crafty Indian in Shipley, Bradford for the last 13 years and in 2019, he made the decision to introduce a new initiative to reduce the amount of plastic delivery containers his restaurant uses.
By introducing a tiffin tin system, Harry estimates that The Crafty Indian saves 20,000 plastic containers from landfills every year and he really wants to encourage other restaurants to adopt the same system.
Harry has shared the practical details with us and also some of the interesting benefits - check it out below:
The Crafty Indian’s Tiffin Tin System
1. Purchase tiffin tins.
As a start, Harry purchased 100 tins from his contact and supplier in India for £15 each - these are very good quality tins that last forever.
2. Offer the tins to customers at almost the cost price.
They offered their customers the option to buy their own tiffin tin for £17.99. This could then be used for any future food purchases.
3. Discount for tiffin tin-using customers.
Any customers who use their tiffin tin for an order, receive a 10% discount on their meal, meaning a chance to get their money back and also an incentive to keep coming back to the restaurant.
4. Customers drop off or collect.
Customers either drop off the tin that morning/day before so that it can be delivered to them or they bring their tin in whilst collecting their food.
Note: The supplier of these tiffin tins is a contact of Harry’s in India and they are ready to send over more. Email us at info@nmeplastic.com and we can put you in touch. You can also check out the other options available closer to home but these haven’t got Harry’s seal of approval.
How did the system affect the restaurant?
The Crafty Indian understands the importance of balancing the needs of the business with the environment and so they still offer standard takeaway containers for those customers not yet willing to switch to tiffin tins. The result is they haven’t lost any customers due to the initiative, just gained new ones!
The customer response was amazing.
The Crafty Indian marketed their tiffin story across all social media platforms and it was widely reshared with extremely positive customer response. This initiative has meant an increase in returning customers, who share the same values as the team and who also want to make the most of their tin purchase. It has also allowed the restaurant to gain many new customers attracted by the chance to have a plastic-free takeaway.
The system has provided another great way for Harry to engage with customers, separate from talking about the delicious food and they have sold more than 500 tiffin tins so far.
MORE INFO
The system pays for itself.
The customers pay for their own tiffin tins and the money made on these purchases helps support the 10% discount offered to customers. This, alongside the new customers, means the initial cost is made back quickly!
The tiffin tins last forever.
Harry’s father came over to the Uk In the 1960s and began working in the factories of post-war northern England. He used to bring his Indian lunch to work in his tiffin tin and it wasn't long before his colleagues were asking him to bring in food for them! Harry still has his dad's tiffin tin today, showing just how sturdy they are.
Who is going next?
Harry is really hoping other restaurants will see the positive impact this change has had on The Crafty Indian and follow suit. What would happen if all takeaways offered a tiffin tin option? Maybe a customer could use the same tiffin tin in all of their favourite restaurants. There would definitely be a lot less plastic containers in everyone's cupboards!
Thanks Harry!