Restaurants have long benefited from happy hours. They attract customers and increase sales and traffic. Happy Hours are also beneficial to word-of-mouth marketing. In 2014, Virginia’s Geoff Tracy challenged an old alcohol control board rule that banned the promotion of happy hours. However, the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington helped to relax the rules in 2014.
Promotion
One of the most effective ways to attract and keep customers is to introduce a happy hour program: https://www.rivertailftl.com/happyhour/. It is now widely used by restaurants to boost overall revenue and customer loyalty. First, you can partner with local organizations and societies to promote your offer. It will allow you to reach a wider audience and attract new customers. For example, a restaurant that offers happy hour can partner with the local dinner club.
Check the size is one of the key metrics to measure the success of a happy hour menu. If a happy hour promotion does not draw enough customers, it will likely fail. However, if you’ve chosen to focus on alcoholic beverages, it will directly impact your bottom line. The National Restaurant Association estimates that 40% of consumers are interested in reducing alcohol consumption for health reasons. In addition, the number of consumers who drink low-to-zero alcoholic beverages will grow by 32% between 2018 and 2022. Many health-conscious consumers still enjoy a social life and don’t want to give up alcohol.
Increase in sales
Happy hours are an intelligent way to attract customers, and restaurants can use them to their advantage. According to a Nielsen study, happy hours account for 60.5% of all weekly sales in restaurants and bars. Moreover, they’re also suitable for building brand evangelists. The benefits of happy hours are clear – they increase sales, generate buzz, and turn current customers into brand evangelists.
Changing the happy hour schedule can also increase sales. Happy hours that last all day can increase traffic and make larger spaces seem more packed.
Increase in traffic
There is no doubt that happy hours positively affect restaurant traffic. Happy hour is usually scheduled before dinner, or after it closes, so the restaurants will want people to come by during these times. Happy hours are an excellent way to draw people into a restaurant and encourage them to stay to sample their full menu. However, you must remember that you may have to schedule special events at certain times of the day or week to generate enough traffic.
Whether your restaurant offers late-night drink specials or post-work social hours, happy hours are an easy way to boost traffic and sales. When executed well, happy hours will attract a new group of customers who will continue to patronize your restaurant long after happy hour ends. And this group will stick around even if you raise the price of pitchers to the total cost.
Increase in word-of-mouth
The word-of-mouth that follows an increase in happy hour promotions can make a restaurant more successful in attracting customers. People love a good deal, and happy hour is no exception. Research suggests that more than 80 percent of those who visit a restaurant during happy hour will return for more. As a result, word-of-mouth recommendations will be higher than they are otherwise. Listed below are the advantages of offering happy hours to customers.
Providing excellent customer service is essential for boosting word-of-mouth. Social media and reviews are powerful ways to gain attention. A study showed that 88% of people trust reviews from online sources. Word-of-mouth is also a significant factor on social media. For example, 58% of social media users share their positive experiences with brands with their friends. By combining good customer service with attractive perks, restaurants can experience a 25 percent boost in word-of-mouth.