One of the biggest complaints we hear from both restaurant owners and their customers is about receiving soggy food. French fries that began so hot and crispy get delivered in a Styrofoam container – basically a death trap for crispiness – and by the time they make it to the hunger customer, the fries are limp, soggy, and sad. We’ve heard so many business owners talk about soggy fried foods as if there was no way around it, no solution to keep them crispy. Thankfully, we know of several ways to keep fried chicken, onion rings, and any other battered and deep fried delicacy both hot and crispy, the way they’re meant to be.
Ditch the Styrofoam
Styrofoam packaging was the norm for takeout food containers for years. There are good reasons for this. Styrofoam packaging doesn’t leak, and it makes a great insulator against heat. Unfortunately, it doesn’t breathe, which means hot food effectively gets steamed to death. Not to mention the effects that it can have on the planet! That’s why we always recommend paperboard packaging instead. It’s eco-friendly, for starters, and it’s also much kinder to fried foods. Cardboard and paperboard allow more steam to escape, compared to Styrofoam.
Use Vented Takeout Containers
For those who do use Styrofoam, you may be guilty of poking holes in the container to help keep food crispy. While it’s inventive, it’s still Styrofoam! And we all no that no good comes from that. Vented containers will keep moisture from building up near your hot and fried food. These vents don’t need to be very large, either. In fact, they’re more effective if they are kept smaller. The vents will still be large enough to allow steam and moisture to escape, but they won’t be so large that your food will get cold on the way to your customers’ door.
Keep Food Loosely Wrapped
If you have to wrap food before putting it in a container, be careful not to wrap it too tightly. You may think that a tight wrap will keep the food fresh, but all it does is seal in moisture and ensure that it will be soggy if it isn’t eaten quickly. Wrap burgers and other fried foods loosely so that they have room to “breathe.”
Still need a solution for a limp fry? Call our Packaging Advisors! They will be happy to walk through several ideas with you until they can find packaging that works for you and your business.
888-321-2248