Many restaurants have hang-ups about giving away free food, and reasonably so, but one turned the idea into a “marketing concept” that has set him apart from local competitors. In fact, when I heard about this, I mentioned to the restauranteur that his was the first business of that particular cuisine that I’ve personally known of to do this.

Consider the ice cream shop.

When you go out to get ice cream, it’s common to try at least one flavor before purchasing an entire cup. Why not take the same idea, mold it to our own businesses… and advertise that we’re doing it? That’s what the Doctor of BBQ did:

Ok so I went thru a slow period in September and most of my Friends in the restaurant business all said they were feeling the annual back to school pinch as well. But I’m the new guy in town and felt I needed to grow more not go through a slow time. So I gave it a lot of thought, and worry, looked at electronic signs ($5000.00) and I will have one by mid summer, I think they are great, but still felt there had to be another way to attract more customers, without spending 5 K.

Finally a week ago I was at Sam’s Club an getting more and more frustrated with the holiday crowds sucking down free samples, and blocking the isles. I need to buzz into Sam’s and pick up what ever I need and get back to work. So I struggle with the crowds, slow checkers, and in general I hate going to that place.

After that visit I drove away thinking oh well after Christmas the crowds will vanish and it’ll be so much better. Then I flashed back to my biggest Pet Peeve and that is people of all ages that will literally run over other customers just to get a bite of whatever free samples being given away.

So I thought why not join them. I went to Kinko’s ($26.00) and had a sign made that reads as follows:
Free Samples Today.

Boom instant increase of cars in the drive up lane. So far 99% taste my food and buy lunch or something to take home for their family. I mean an instant increase in business.

And I keep hearing the same thing over and over again it varies on how it’s said but it amounts to the following: I heard you had really good food and I drive by here every day and kept thinking well I’ll stop tomorrow and then I saw your sign for free samples so here I am.

Now I kill them with free samples, I give them a four-ounce cup with a little pulled pork
(maybe a half ounce) and some sauce in it, but before they finish that I’m already handing them the same size cup with my beef in it. And by the time they get started with the beef, I hand them another cup with some of the flap meat I trim off of the back of my ribs. If they were smart they could have a free lunch. LMAO but again 9 out of 10 say heh I’ll have a …..and order something. Now I tell my employees to load them up don’t worry about what we are giving away go crazy giving them the freebies. Still were not giving away much but the return is incredible. There are a couple of things that I think are important if you chose to copy what I’m doing.

1st many people don’t feel comfortable asking for a freebie, if they really have to ask. I spent an hour watching at my local Sam’s Club and many customers would swoop in and pick up a cup but fairly quickly move away from the server as if they were embarrassed.

So we don’t force our customers to ask we insist that they take a sample. And another and another, and if we can get them to taste everything we serve we do it. It becomes fun for them and for us. After they taste they usually buy something and the few that don’t say that’s great I’ll be back, then take a menu with them and now after a week we are seeing those people come in or call in an order.

I promise it’s paying off big time. Best thing I’ve done promotionally since I opened the door. If you come to Springfield Illinois come by and have a free sample.

It keeps cars in front of the window and the other people driving by don’t know if that driver is getting free samples or ordering 3 slabs of ribs. The drivers going by are thinking gee that place is always busy.

PS Now after two weeks I never took the sign down. My location is a triangle so I just move it from corner to corner. And it still seems to be working. Now that said I bet I could take it down and people would still come in having remembered it being there. I’m not sure what to do now leave it up or take it down, for awhile to see if it would make a greater impact when put back up.If I take it down and business slows down I’d be pissed at myself for taking it down and losing money.If I took it down and we had 3 or 4 days of nice weather which we are supposed to have this week I’m not sure if I could decide if it made a difference. If I leave it up for very long people may not notice it being gone? There are so many variables what with the winter weather, lots of snow and ice right now. And (and this is a big and) there is no sense of urgency if it’s up all the time

But that said I’ve also thought about changing my big sign to read:

“Doctor of BBQ
Free Samples Everyday”

So what do you think I should do?

My own recommendation was to continue doing what’s working. Some businesses will get going with a marketing program that’s actually pulling results… and then they’ll suddenly stop it for no obvious reason, other than questioning if they should try “something else”.

When profits are affected negatively, or if the restaurant advertising doesn’t pull as well as it used to… THEN start looking at alternatives. Until that point comes, it’s always best to test along the same theme as what’s working.

Dr BBQ also wanted to point out a response by Brandon O’Dell

You’ve found out what it truly means when people say, “It takes money to make money.”

If what you are doing is working, don’t change it. I really wouldn’t start putting restrictions on it. If you are giving free samples of anything they please now, don’t start limiting it to certain things. The more rules you start putting on a promotion, the less special it is to your customers.

I think the best idea in the bunch is your idea to add “Free samples everyday” to your new electric sign. While some may think it goes overboard, I think it’s a way to capitalize on something you’ve found to work for your business. If you run into people coming in wanting to get full on free samples, you can always cut them off. It’s your restaurant and you don’t need to explain yourself to anyone who wishes to abuse the situation.

As with anything, you have to consider the cost in the pricing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to raise the price. All those additional bodies in the door are drastically dropping the gross profit you need to collect from each of them to pay your fixed costs and expenses other than food cost. I would guess that the extra volume is much more than paying for what you are giving away without raising your prices. Save the price raising until your new marketing strategy starts getting you more customers than you can handle. Then you can raise prices to help control the flow of people into your restaurant.

As Restaurant Revolution mentioned, I think you’ve found your unique selling point. You are now selling “confidence” to your customers. By offering them samples, they KNOW before they buy that your product is good. They can be “confident” they are making a good buying decision.

Congrats!

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