As many Rocky View County restaurants adapt to the shift back to takeout and delivery service in light of new COVID-19 restrictions, the Bragg Creek Café & Baking Company is getting creative with ways to get the community involved.
According to Kevin Clarkson, an employee and father of the café’s owner, Taylor, the restaurant has launched a contest that asks patrons to set up their takeout orders in the most creative way possible, using their household’s dishware, and then post photos of their display online.
“[The idea] somewhere crosses the line between being bored out of our minds looking at the same old items all of the time, and trying to get people in the door,” he said. “We just want to inspire people to try our stuff.”
Clarkson and the team at the café are asking customers to order any of Bragg Creek Café’s regular dinner options or weekly features, and then choose the “packaged for home plating” option when ordering through the website, braggcreekcafe.com. Then, customers are encouraged to “let your plate be your culinary Disneyland.”
“Get fun and fancy, free-plating the meal. Take a photo, post it on Facebook or Instagram, tag us and you’re entered to win $100 cash,” a Facebook post from the café stated.
The contest started May 10 and a winner will be chosen June 1. As of May 13, Clarkson said the restaurant was still waiting for patrons to take part.
“People are buying meals from us, but I haven’t seen a single post yet,” Clarkson said. “I feel comfortable saying this because I am a local – Bragg Creek is a quirky community. It does take time for these things to get going.”
With everyone being asked to stay at home as much as possible, Clarkson said he hopes the contest will give Bragg Creekers something fun to partake in.
“This is something that lets people get creative and be a little different,” he said. “Hopefully it also brings in more business for the local community here. Not just to us, but also other restaurants here.”
As the last year has thrown so many curveballs at local businesses, Clarkson said for the café, the experience has been a little different than what other businesses have gone through, as it was already set up primarily for a takeout model.
As the Province has constantly shifted back and forth between allowing dine-in service, patio access and takeout only options, Clarkson added it has not been easy trying to constantly adapt.
“[COVID] has affected us obviously, but probably not as bad as some others,” he said. “It is very challenging for a lot of businesses.”
As there is still time to get involved, interested participants can visit the café’s website, braggcreekcafe.com, and post their competition entries to the café’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Jordan Stricker, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @Jay_Strickz
