During winter in Florida, residents want to revel in the sunshine that eludes much of the country. So managers of the Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Tijuana Flats last year started a promotion to help a sub-segment of their customers dine on the outdoor patio. Building on the irreverent attitude the Tex-Mex chain is known for, the franchisee introduced Yappy Hour, a few hours each Saturday when dog owners could hang out with their leashed pets on the restaurant’s patio.
Both same-store sales and frequency of regular customers increased as a result. Sales rose approximately 5 percent thanks to the promotion. Soon units in Tampa and Orlando, Fla., launched similar promotions.
Now the Maitland, Fla.-based chain is looking at ways to build loyalty with dog lovers chainwide. Management is analyzing local regulations to see if dogs can be allowed on patios in other cities and looking at creating promotional items to appeal to the demographic. Currently kids meals come with a Frisbee; creating a related Frisbee for the dog promotion is a possibility, says Carley James, marketing manager for Tijuana Flats. Branded bandanas for the dogs also may be in the works.
“We are known for being funny, unique and on the edge, and people know us for doing random things, so this fits really well with our brand,†James says. Full article.
