In May this year we launched a competition-led survey to win ‘Lashings of FREE Custard PR’. The survey aim was to gauge the use of vouchers and discounting in restaurants across the UK, how many were doing it, what channels were being used and what lies ahead when it comes to discounting.
We received over 120 responses, with the following interesting conclusions:
- 62.5% of restaurants said they currently use vouchers as part of their marketing strategy.
- 66.7% of respondents said they used voucher codes as their predominant channel for distributing promotions.
- Looking at the future of vouchers and their use, 66.7% of respondents said they intend to maintain the same level of usage, with 33.3% reducing their frequency in 2013.
- Special offer menus were a clear winner as an incentive for promotional offers with 100% of respondents saying they used this tactic when sending out promotions. 33.3% offered 2 for 1 deals, while 34% offered a free drink with any food purchase.
- Disappointingly, 65% of restaurants said they did not operate a loyalty scheme.
- Thankfully, all restaurants confirmed they captured data either through social media, their website or through comment and feedback cards within their restaurants.
- 67% of restaurants said they felt vouchers would increase in popularity and demand over the next year and worryingly 100% of respondents said they felt this would lead to restaurants having to cut costs.
- Finally, restaurants felt that vouchers and discounting did not reduce customer loyalty, but 50% did agree that discounting drove down prices and devalued a brand but still provided a low cost alternative to advertising.
