Restaurant Trade Area Research

Makes one wonder if the fast food Jimmy John workers can smell victory next time - http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/jimmy-johns-failed-union-vote-for-fast-food-workers/19686891/

Meanwhile, the fast food marketing ramps up in the new normal - with FREE Food once again the hook for A&W - http://news.mydaily.com/2010/10/26/free-meal-at-aw-coupon/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-w%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk1%7C180026 all for nothing more than a `like’ on their Facebook Page.

hhttp://restaurantnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Hardees-Caramel-Crumb-Biscuit.jpg 

Meanwhile, in new products - the above delicious looking offering comes from Hardee’s - reinforcing their breakfast daypart and snack/dessert positioning upscaling (Milkshakes) too - http://www.restaurantnews.com/hardees-introduces-new-caramel-crumb-biscuit/ one for 99 cents and 2 for 1.69 (prices can vary)

At the link - my 2010 favorite fast food commercial - http://www.restaurantnews.com/carls-jr-introduces-freshly-prepared-hand-breaded-chicken-tenders/ - check it out.

Now, while the Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr ad may be my favorite - Pizza Hut and Domino’s run away with ‘quick service restaurant’ commercials of the year  - http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2010/10/16/2010-10-16_pizzas_big_slice_of_best_ads_pie.html#ixzz13ZBFMwBt Starbucks had the number one ad and Taco Bell was also represented as was Chili’s and Dairy Queen.

Thanks for visiting today.

Hello, welcome to Restaurant Trade Area Research (RTAR) - today’s topic is the `light’ user. NO, I’m not talking about the infrequent user this time - I’m talking about the customer who purchases `just’ one item. This typically will be the `sandwich and water’ purchaser, the `drink only’ purchaser or the `dessert only’ purchaser. And, in this economic environment - many are forced to `price down’ to even go to FF restaurants.

So, what are you to do as a FF operator to `bump up’ these folks? Actually, this is a real easy group to directly market. After all, you already know their order - so, let’s say that you have your typical inside customer who is a `sandwich and water’ person: to that person goes a bounceback 49 cent drink offer with sandwich purchase. And, for the drink only purchaser - yep - 1.50 off their next combo or similar offer (1.00 off order over 4.00). The dessert purchaser - a buy one dessert get one at half off. You get the idea.

So, simple marketing 101 - directly work with your actual customer base - and - directly target segments to produce higher ticket totals. Also, having that coupon burning in their pocket may even make that next visit sooner.

Other links:

Customers given too many choices are 10x less likely to buy

http://sivers.org/jam Very insightful research into purchase patterns.

http://www.idsgn.org/posts/pizza-the-hut/ Pizza Hut — The Hut - does a re-design of image.