Specials: How special are they?
We’ve all seen a local restaurant do it. The specials on the menu have been “special” since 2006.
Specials are supposed to be fresh, new, and rotating. The whole point is to keep something interesting but also not a permanent staple of your restaurant.
First of all, what is special?
Restaurants serve specials to keep things interesting. It might be a weekly special, an early bird special, limited-time offers, pre-fix, etc.
It’s important not to let a special linger too long. Don’t be that guy. No one likes that guy. It cheapens the feel of your specials if you always have something on the menu, yet also want it to draw people in claiming it’s new and fresh. This creates demand for particular seasonal items. People will come back for that item but also try other items while they’re at it.
“Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion.”
— Tony Hsieh
Drink specials are a great way to bring people in the door and use less common ingredients that would normally go to waste.
Specialty alcohols, fruits, or simply unique flavors go over very well with the public.
According to Restaurant.org, 46 percent of people said they were drawn by good prices on drinks and 26 percent pointed out that happy hour is a lower-priced alternative to a dinner out at a restaurant. Although almost as many 24 percent said they appreciated the chance to stay for dinner.
Believe it or not, there is a lot of research on this topic. One paper titled, “The Effects of Happy Hour Drink Specials in the Alcohol Purchase Task”, is entirely dedicated to the psychological reasons someone may drink more at a happy hour than a regular bar, outside of simply the price difference.
Specials don’t have one singular run time. Depending on the type, they could run anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks. Most importantly, keep them actually special. This video linked below will help you price and decide how long specials should run.
We can help create special menus for you at an affordable rate so you can continue to change them out the appropriate number of times a year. Or we can also help set up online-only specials and avoid the print costs altogether!