A Gesture Is More Powerful Than a Freebie
There’s a line that’s very often crossed from managers and owners that really eats into their profits. Put simply, they get carried away when they comp stuff to guests. They want to be seen as generous and appreciative and that’s fine; be generous; be appreciative - ultimately it’s their prerogative but it’s not good business sense. Once the gesture is made and the guest is recognised, repeating it two, three, or four times just becomes gushy and makes it unnecessarily expensive.
People don’t go out expecting a tonne of free stuff to be given to them. Most often what they want aren’t even things with have a monetary value. They want to be noticed and recognised; they don’t want to wait; they want their likes and dislikes remembered (ordering, palate style, previous choices, sitting preferences etc); they want dependability and consistency, and they want a sense of value. If you can tick box these, lavishing them with free this and free that becomes much less important.
A good example of hospitality done well is at Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder Colorado, where Bobby Stuckey, a genuine master of the game, gives people a splash of wine as they sit down as a homage to a tradition he loves from Friuli, also the place that inspires the cuisine at Frasca. It’s a beautiful gesture to set the tone without it being a huge expense. On brand; generous; cost-controlled; welcoming; clever. No need to be eating into profits with free champagne, free bread, free side orders, free coffee, free extra courses etc.
Thoughtful Gestures Over Excessive Giveaways
If you decide to make a gesture and send a guest something, it’s much more meaningful if you think about it a little bit first; don’t just automatically throw champagne at them because they’re VIP’s. Instead, remember how the last time they were there she asked you about that beautiful hand wash you use in the bathrooms? Well, give her a sample bottle and mention that you kept one aside specifically for her. Or perhaps send them the kingfish dish because last time they ordered it, it had sold out and you remember they were disappointed. Or maybe send them a scotch they won’t have tried because you know they like scotch. Or send them a bit of that seasoning you know they love when their dish arrives, or even better give them a little container to take home. These things speak volumes about your service and your establishment - because they are personal. That’s when it goes from a nice gesture to being really special and that’s what people will remember.
Another thing I’ve tried with great success is to create a house giveaway with a unique twist that represents the brand. Something that’s only available at the venue has some notable advantages:
If it’s the go-to giveaway, you have more control over the comped costs rather than people reaching for different (and expensive) things all the time.
It is a better re-affirmation of your brand than products off the shelf (i.e. other brands)
It’s a point of difference.
It’s a conversation starter for staff.
Another Tactic
If you make the gesture something people get at the end of their meal rather than the usual pre-dinner drinks, it can also elongate the brand experience. Something they take with them and use at another time will get them thinking about your brand again in their own home and that’s good marketing. An example of this might be to create a nicely-packaged version of your seasoning salt; a bircher muesli; a chocolate; a house-blend tea; a fragrance sample or a tote bag; there are a million options. It doesn’t have to be food or drinks and it doesn’t have to be at the start of the experience.
I also strongly recommend not doing the same thing each time, or starting to comp something every time for guests you like. You can trap yourself there because then it becomes an expectation and they’ll be disappointed if they don’t get it. What if they turn up as a 4 pax next time instead of just a 2 pax? Are you still going to comp the table, so then double the giveaway? Hard not to, but you see how this can quickly dilute any profit you were going to make from the table - when VIP’s bringing friends to your establishment should be one of your most profitable tables. And as we spoke about, there are many things you can do to recognise them that are more personalised, and less expensive.
Times are tight so don’t give it away.
See you in the next one!
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A chance to pour a glass and unwind with some rants about stuff you’re probably thinking about too.