Promotions bring people in and give them a reason to come back. This guide covers the ones that work for small restaurants, and what each one needs to run from your own website.
Themed nights
Pick a theme and run it on a fixed night: a cuisine, a holiday, a film or a sports fixture. A theme gives people a reason to book a specific date instead of “sometime”. Put the date and the menu on your site so customers can book a table or order the themed dishes online. The FoodMaster (formerly WooFood) restaurant ordering plugin handles both from the same site.
Happy hour specials
Discount drinks and appetisers during a quiet window. The point is to fill hours that would otherwise be empty, so choose the window from your own sales rather than copying the bar down the road. Advertise the times and the offer on your site and in the restaurant, and keep the offer simple enough that staff can apply it without checking with a manager.
Loyalty programs
Reward repeat visits with a discount, a free item or a deal after a set number of orders. Keep the rules short enough to print on a card. FoodMaster can manage the program and track where each customer has got to.
Collaboration with local businesses
- Partner with a local brewery or winery for a tasting night.
- Work with a local farm or supplier on a farm-to-table menu.
- Host local artists or musicians for an evening.
These give customers something they cannot get at home and tie you to the neighbourhood. FoodMaster can take bookings for the event and publish the special menu.
Online competitions and giveaways
Give away a meal, a discount or a treat, and ask people to enter on your site or your social accounts. State the closing date and how you will contact the winner. FoodMaster can help you manage the entries and reward the winners.
What to check before you launch
Decide the offer, the dates and who applies it. Tell staff before you tell customers. Then measure: count the orders or bookings that came from the promotion, and drop the ones that do not pay for themselves.