Your customer likes to feel special and appreciated. What better way to do that with some freebies. It also works well to create re-occurring business.
What possibilities do you have:
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Special customer-card with a certain discount
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Free menu item for reservations made in slower business hours
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A free cocktail on birthdays
All freebies which are handed out, should be well thought of. Calculate margins to see exactly what budget you have for these incentives.
A customer card is extremely valuable and includes all you need, when done correctly. Let customers apply for this card so you catch their credentials as well. You can use these for marketing purposes. This card can give discounts to your customer, ranging from a standard percentage to a free item when they arrive in your slower business hours.
It is quite rare for anyone to celebrate their birthday alone. So give away a small item for them to come in with a group is well worth the effort.
Personal note:
The customer card is definitely an item you should have. It brings so much possibilities. Targeted marketing made easy. It also gives the customer the feeling to be part of something much bigger. They belong to a special group all bonded by the same thing: your cafe, bar or restaurant.
With all the techniques we have these days, implementing such a system is fast, easy and cheap.
Sincerely,
Den The Man