In just two years, Let?s Dish has removed the stress of “what?s for dinner” for tens of thousands of people.
The nationwide meal assembly franchise based out of Minnesota offers a strategic solution for busy parents and professionals to get dinner on the table.
Local store co-owners Alexa Corcoran and Lisa Hardiman, and their husbands Rick Corcoran and Eric Ginsberg, are not franchisees, however. They had the foresight to license the concept from the founders to own the developing rights for the mid-Atlantic region.
The concept has proven to be hugely successful in this region. Since its January 2005 opening, Let?s Dish opened eight more stores and grew to 250 employees serving 50,000 customers. “We call it ?dishing,? and people come to our stores and make meals outside of the home, and then take them home uncooked to freeze for later,” Alexa Corcoran said.
“An hour and a half with Let?s Dish could potentially save parents about seven hours over the month,” Lisa Hardiman said.
Hardiman plans the monthly menu, which offers 14 to 16 meal options for customers.
“I would equate it to putting a puzzle together every month,” she said. Hardiman reads all of the customer feedback to offer better meal options. The menu favorite is shrimp scampi with linguine, according to customer feedback.
Johns Hopkins? Meredeth Loveless, OB-GYN, has remained a loyal monthly customer since Let?s Dish first opened in Timonium.
“I had twins, and I went back to work right around the same time Let?s Dish came to Baltimore,” she said. “I have gone every month since they opened, and I have been able to get healthy meals easily on the table.”
Loveless, who recently had her third child, attends the 7:45 p.m. session with a girlfriend and makes “dishing” a social event.
“It is a better way to do something you already thought was important,” Corcoran said.
Let?s Dish plans to grow into other consumer markets, such as single professionals and childless couples, by offering variations in its menus, portion sizes and session amenities.
