Why does the type of plan matter so much?
The plan decides when you get paid, how sure you can be of tomorrow's count, and how much time you spend on messages. A kitchen full of monthly customers knows its numbers. A kitchen full of day-by-day customers spends every evening asking who wants food.
There is no single right answer. Office workers, students, families and hostel residents eat in different ways. The aim is a small set of plans that fit your customers and that you can explain in one line each.
Who is a monthly plan good for?
A monthly plan suits people who eat with you most days: office workers, students living away from home, older people living alone, and busy families. They pay once a month, and you cook for them every working day unless they take leave.
Rules to write down for a monthly plan
- Which days are included: for example Monday to Saturday, with Sunday off.
- Which meals: lunch, dinner or both.
- When to pay: in advance at the start of the month, or within the first few days.
- What happens with leave: how much notice, and whether missed days are carried forward, adjusted or not adjusted.
- What happens if someone joins mid-month: the full month, or only the days left.
When does a weekly plan make sense?
A weekly plan suits people on a short stay, people trying a new job or a new area, and customers who are not sure yet. It is easier to say yes to one week than to one month.
Weekly plans mean more payments to collect and more renewals to ask for. Many kitchens price a week slightly higher per box than a month, so that the monthly plan stays the better deal. Ask for weekly payment at the start of the week, not the end.
How should pay-per-box work?
Pay-per-box, or per meal, suits people who eat with you on some days only: a few days a week at the office, or whenever they work late. They order when they want, and you charge for each box delivered.
- Ask for orders before your cut-off time, like everyone else.
- Price each box a little higher than the monthly price per day, because you cannot plan for it.
- Keep a running tab and settle it weekly, so small amounts do not pile up for a month.
Should you offer a trial or a meal pack?
A trial of a few days lets a new customer taste your food before paying for a month. Keep it short, ask for payment before it starts, and send the monthly plan details on the last trial day.
A meal pack is a fixed number of boxes, for example 10 or 20, used within a set time. It suits customers who travel often. Write down the expiry clearly, so an old pack does not come back months later.
Treat a trial as the start of a conversation, not a discount. On the last day, ask how the food was, what they would change, and whether they want lunch, dinner or both. Many people decide on the spot when the next step is simple and clearly written.
How do the plans compare side by side?
| Plan | Good for | When they pay | Your count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | Daily eaters: offices, students, families | Start of the month | Steady, minus leaves |
| Weekly | Short stays, people trying you out | Start of the week | Steady for the week |
| Pay per box | Some days only | Weekly tab, or on delivery | Changes every day |
| Trial | New customers | Before it starts | Short and fixed |
| Meal pack | Customers who travel | Before the pack starts | Unpredictable, use a cut-off |
An example of how prices can relate (example numbers, use your own costs): if a monthly lunch works out to 100 a box, a weekly plan might be 110 a box and a single box 120. The gap rewards the people who make your count steady.
HomeTiffin keeps monthly and pay-per-box customers side by side, adds the monthly fees to your dues, and keeps a running tab for per-box customers. See daily tiffin subscriptions and the guide on how to price your tiffin.