Marketing

QSR DIY kits: Cure for COVID-19-induced 'cabin fever?

Taco shops want you to toss taco parties, while ice cream parlors hope their do-it-yourself sundaes will melt your heart. DIY kits are proving to be a new mainstay in the pandemic's new normal.

Taco Bell's DIY taco party kit promises to feed four, though you'll have to buy your own tequila. (Photo provided)

May 1, 2020

QSR leaders everywhere are getting into the meal kit game with a vengeance, hoping to capture all those homebound hungry customers seeking some bright spots to their closed-in COVID-19-era worlds. 

Coming off its encouraging Q1 financials, Taco Bell has thrown its sombrero in the meal kit "ring," by pinning its so-called Home Taco Bar kits to next Tuesday's Cinco de Mayo virtual parties or family dinners, with everything needed to feed six revelers on the day 

With Cinco de Mayo Tuesday, Mexican brands and a few outside that realm are boosting their offerings, related to the annual celebration of both Mexican-American culture in the U.S. and the 1862 victory of the smaller Mexican Army over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla. 

Image: Taco Bell

The LTO can be delivered or retrieved via drive-thrus nationally starting today for $25 for a packed and sealed combination of deconstructed party ingredients like flour tortillas, taco shells, nacho chips, seasoned beef, shredded lettuce, nacho cheese sauce, hot sauce and more.

Then, this coming Sunday, the brand will roll out a set of recipe cards from its test kitchen on its blog. The cards contain instructions on how to create everything from past classics and new recipes, to Taco Bell-inspired cocktails and mocktails, like its Wild Strawberry Tequila Sunrise. 

"Our food has always been a catalyst of bringing people together, and we're finding new ways to do this from a safe distance until we can all be together again," said Melissa Friebe, senior vice president of brand marketing and consumer insights at Taco Bell, in the release. "No matter the meal they create, we're excited to give fans a new at home Taco Bell experience."

And while we're on the subject of tacos, this year its appears that even some distinctly out-of-the-Mexican-food-realm brands, like California Pizza Kitchen, want to claim some of the hot action, too. That's why CPK is also launching a taco kit LTO running now through Cinco de Mayo Tuesday. 

In the pizza brand's case, the taco kit includes cilantro, limes, Roma tomatoes, Serrano peppers, yellow onion, vegetarian black beans, shredded cheese, tortillas and a choice of flap steak, Mahi/ono or chicken for $15 - $24 for four people, depending on the meat selected. 

Additionally, revelers can order a $35 for a Margarita pitcher alone with no food, or for $32 for Margarita pitcher when bought with taco kit. Kits are available nationally, except in Hawaii with raw meat and seafood for takeout, pick-up and delivery only through the brand's website. 

Meanwhile, back in the chicken coop, Chick-fil-A said on its Chicken Wire blog Thursday it is offering DIY Chicken Parmesan meal kits nationally, starting Monday. The $14.99 kits serve two adults and include two seasoned, breaded and pressure-cooked "original" chicken filets, Marina, cheese and pasta, though customers can sub in grilled or spicy filets for the original versions. 

Customers can order those kits via app, at the drive-thru or via DoorDash, Uber Eats or Grubhub. Chick-fil-A first tested meal kits in Atlanta two years ago. 

Image: Baskin-Robbins

Speaking of cold treats, Baskin-Robbins — also coming off a pretty good Q1 this week — is promoting its newly introduced DIY Sundae Kits for $24.99, with enough sweet stuff to take a small crowd or one or two less generous souls, who want to make dessert a meal. 

Each kit contains a couple of quarts of the brand's ice cream in the flavors of the customer's coice, one so-called "wet" topping, like peanut butter or fudge sauce, two dry toppings, like sprinkles and cookie dough pieces, a can of whipped cream, cherries and cups, spoons and lots of napkins. 

Orders should be made ahead of pickup at either the brand's website or mobile app for pickup via the drive through, carryout, or curbside. 

Of course, these kits join numerous others already mentioned on this website in recent weeks, like the recent roll-out of DIY fondue kits at Edible Brands, as well as pizza variations at places like Blaze and Mici's.