Operator's Journal
Promotions That Bring Guests Back: Promo Codes, BOGO and Spend Rewards
Not every discount brings guests back. Here are the promotions that work for small restaurants, and how to use them.
Published byDashDine Editorial Team
- Published
- Updated
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- 3 min read
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A discount is not a plan
Many restaurants give a big discount and hope guests come back. Often they come once, then disappear. A good promotion has a clear goal.
Four promotions, four goals
Promo codes: to reach new guests. A promo code is a word guests type at checkout, like RAMADAN10. Share it on Instagram or with a partner. You can see how many people used it.
Automatic discounts: to move a dish or a time. An automatic discount applies by itself to the whole menu, a category or one dish. Use it for a quiet hour, like a happy hour in the afternoon.
Buy one, get one: to try something new. BOGO helps guests try a new dish. Use it for a short time, then stop.
Spend rewards: to grow the bill. A spend reward gives something when the order reaches an amount. For example, a free dessert above 100 QAR. Guests add one more dish to reach it.
Simple rules that protect your margin
- Give every promotion an end date.
- Limit how many times one guest can use it.
- Never discount your most popular dish. It already sells.
- Check the promo discounts in your Z-report every week.
How it works in DashDine
In DashDine HQ, open Promotions. Choose a promo code or an automatic discount, and set the branch, dates and limits. Buy-one-get-one and spend rewards live there too.
Start with one promotion. Measure it for two weeks. Keep what works.
Three examples for small restaurants in Qatar
A new café wants more first visits. It shares a promo code on Instagram for 15% off the first order, limited to one use per guest. It ends after one month.
A burger restaurant has a quiet afternoon. It runs an automatic discount on combos, only between 3 and 5 pm, using the happy hour option.
A family restaurant wants bigger orders. It offers a free dessert when the order is above 150 QAR. Families add one more dish to reach it.
Questions owners ask
Can guests use two promotions at once? DashDine prices every order with the same rules on every channel. Test your promotions together before you launch them.
Where do I see the cost? Promo discounts appear in your Z-report every day.
How to measure a promotion
Before you start, write down one number you want to change. For example, the number of new guests each week, or the average order value.
After two weeks, compare that number with the two weeks before. Check the promo discounts in your Z-report to see what the promotion cost. If the number went up and the cost was fair, keep it. If not, stop it and try something else.