Promotions for busy and slow days at your pizzeria
Running a pizzeria is like riding a rollercoaster — some days you're slammed, and others you're twiddling your thumbs.
But, with the right promotions, you can make the most of both extremes. Let's dive into some tasty ideas to boost your sales and keep customers coming back for more.
Maximizing busy Fridays at pizzerias
Friday Night Feast Bundle: Create a special deal that includes a large pizza, breadsticks, salad, and dessert. Market it as the perfect way to kick off the weekend. Promote it on social media and in your email newsletter to build excitement.
Happy Hour Specials: Between 5 PM and 7 PM, offer discounts on pizzas, wings, and drinks. Label it as "Friday Happy Hour" to attract the after-work crowd. Use eye-catching graphics on your website and social media to spread the word.
Loyalty Program Push: Double the points for loyalty members on all Friday orders. This encourages regulars to order more often on your busiest day. Send personalized reminders to members about this sweet deal.
Boosting those slow Mondays
Monday Discounts: Offer a flat discount on all menu items or a "Buy One, Get One Free" deal on select pizzas. You can market it as "Monday Madness" (or something else that’s catchy) to make the start of the week something to look forward to.
Family Night: Offer special family-sized meals at a discounted rate. Position it as a "Family Night" deal, perfect for bringing everyone together. Partner with local schools and community centers to spread the word.
Social Media Contests: Run a contest where customers share their Monday pizza photos for a chance to win a free meal. Create a fun hashtag and showcase entries on your social media pages. Encourage engagement by offering bonus entries for tagging friends and sharing the post.
Tips for any day
Advanced Orders: Encourage customers to place orders in advance for busy days like Friday. This helps manage kitchen workload and ensures timely delivery. Offer a small discount or free side item for orders placed a day ahead.
Encourage Online Ordering: Online ordering is a game-changer for both slow and busy days. On slower days, it makes ordering more convenient, which can lead to more sales. During rush times, it helps streamline operations and reduces phone traffic. Plus, online orders tend to be larger, boosting your average ticket size. Promote your online ordering option prominently on your website and social media. Consider offering an online-only discount to encourage more digital orders.
Personalized Offers: Use your customer data to send tailored offers via email or text. Highlight favorite items or previous orders to make the deal more appealing.
Feedback and Improvement: Collect customer feedback to understand what promotions work best. Offer a small discount or freebie in exchange for completing a short survey.
Don't forget the big days
While Fridays are typically the busiest for pizzerias, don't overlook other key dates. Super Bowl Sunday is the single biggest day for pizza orders all year. And, believe it or not, Thanksgiving Eve is another massive ordering day — because everyone's tired of cooking before the big feast!
By tailoring your promotions to suit both busy and slow days, you can maximize your pizzeria's potential. Use these strategies — and these expert marketing tips for pizzeria owners — to keep customers engaged and your sales strong every day of the week.