Bars and restaurants tend to make a significant portion of their money during the weekends. But a fun mid-week promotion can help you fill up those seats even on a Tuesday or Wednesday, drastically increasing your profit opportunities.
Slow Night Promotion Ideas
Bar trivia platform Buzztime recently shared some unique ideas for mid-week promotions in an infographic. You can view the entire graphic below, along with some highlights here.
Craft Beer Tap Takeovers
Appeal to the craft beer fans in your area by partnering with a local brewery for a tap takeover. Instead of your normal selection of drafts, the brewery will bring in a selection of its own beers for your customers to sample. This should appeal to your customers who enjoy trying new varieties, but it can also potentially help you get some new customers if the brewery shares the event on its social media accounts or other marketing channels.
Decade Theme Nights
Everyone loves a little nostalgia. Host a theme night where customers can dress in clothing from a particular decade and enjoy throwback music and maybe even a specialty drink or two. Think Zima for a 90’s themed night or wine coolers for an 80’s night. You might even turn your bar into a speakeasy and host a prohibition-themed event.
Open Mic Competitions
Open mic nights are fairly popular at bars and coffee shops. But you can put a unique spin on yours by making it into an interactive contest. Have customers vote on their favorite acts at the end of the night and then reward the top vote recipient with a free dinner or gift card.
Business Networking Events
Instead of the standard happy hour specials, you can attract the after-work crowd with a more official professional networking event. Think speed dating, but instead of targeting singles, invite professionals looking to expand their network.
Trivia Leagues
And of course, you can use trivia as a way to bring more people into your bar or restaurant. Host special leagues so teams can compete against each other on a weekly basis. You might even integrate a unique prize for the winner of the tournament (free french fries for a year, perhaps?) to get people really invested.
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