FREE SAMPLES

Ok so I went thru a slow period in September and most of my Friends in the restaurant business all said they were feeling the anual back to school pinch as well. But I’m the new guy in town and felt I needed to grow more not go through a slow time. So I gave it a lot of thought, and worry, looked at electronic signs ($5000.00) and I will have one by mid summer, I think they are great, but still felt there had to be another way to attract more customers, without spending 5 K.

Finally a week ago I was at Sam’s Club an getting more and more frustrated with the holiday crowds sucking down free samples, and blocking the isles. I need to buzz into Sam’s and pick up what ever I need and get back to work. So I struggle with the crowds, slow checkers, and in general I hate going to that place.

After that visit I drove away thinking oh well after Christmas the crowds will vanish and it’ll be so much better. Then I flashed back to my biggest Pet Peeve and that is people of all ages that will literally run over other customers just to get a bite of whatever free samples being given away.

So I thought why not join them. I went to Kinko’s ($26.00) and had a sign made that reads as follows:
Free Samples Today.

Boom instant increase of cars in the drive up lane. So far 99% taste my food and buy lunch or something to take home for their family. I mean an instant increase in business.

And I keep hearing the same thing over and over again it varies on how it’s said but it amounts to the following: I heard you had really good food and I drive by here every day and kept thinking well I’ll stop tomorrow and then I saw your sign for free samples so here I am.

Now I kill them with free samples, I give them a four-ounce cup with a little pulled pork
(maybe a half ounce) and some sauce in it, but before they finish that I’m already handing them the same size cup with my beef in it. And by the time they get started with the beef, I hand them another cup with some of the flap meat I trim off of the back of my ribs. If they were smart they could have a free lunch. LMAO but again 9 out of 10 say heh I’ll have a …..and order something. Now I tell my employees to load them up don’t worry about what we are giving away go crazy giving them the freebies. Still were not giving away much but the return is incredible. There are a couple of things that I think are important if you chose to copy what I’m doing.

1st many people don’t feel comfortable asking for a freebie, if they really have to ask. I spent an hour watching at my local Sam’s Club and many customers would swoop in and pick up a cup but fairly quickly move away from the server as if they were embarrassed.

So we don’t force our customers to ask we insist that they take a sample. And another and another, and if we can get them to taste everything we serve we do it. It becomes fun for them and for us. After they taste they usually buy something and the few that don’t say that’s great I’ll be back, then take a menu with them and now after a week we are seeing those people come in or call in an order.


I promise it’s paying off big time. Best thing I’ve done promotionally since I opened the door. If you come to Springfield Illinois come by and have a free sample.

It keeps cars in front of the window and the other people driving by don’t know if that driver is getting free samples or ordering 3 slabs of ribs. The drivers going by are thinking gee that place is always busy.

Too Cool TRY IT.

Jack@DrofBBQ.com

I thought there was no free lunch...
Thanks for sharing!!

A great idea.

Something a Pizza place I once worked for did when we went to a local celebration (I think it was something along the line of a local "taste of" with music and games) and we sold a small slice of pizza for a buck. We sold simple one toppings, and constantly phoned the store for more as they were bought at an amazing speed. We got great PR, and a lot of return customers.

I totally agree with your concept. I own an inline Vienna hotdog joint in Charlotte. There are about 13 food stands and restaurants clustered within about 500 feet. Some of the old-timers told us pretty much the same thing. One told us he tried all the standard advertising gimmicks and none really paid off until he started giving free samples.

Thinking about it, a decent ad in a local freebie paper could cost $500 a month. That means that ad has to pull about 500 new hot dog customers in during that month to pay for the ad, figuring a even a buck profit after all expenses. Ain't never gonna happen. I've seen some of the restaurants here go nuts with full and half-page ads for about 6 months...probably the length of the contracts they signed. Then, nothing. If the ads worked so good, they'd keep paying for them.

We have gotten a little lazy about passing samples outside our door. It's just my wife and I running the joint, so it's a little hard to do during the lunch rush, but we'll figure something out, because we know it pays off way better than the ad salesperson tells you his rag will work.

Samples are the best marketing you can do..I went to school for a marketing degree and what you are doing doesnt take a genius to know.Good move!!

Jack,

Thanks for sharing in detail as usual. A great idea as long as you have great food.

Thanks for sharing Jack.. Always wonder if them freebies really work, but you came up with the answers in numbers! Do you think you'll start doing this on a regular basis? (once a week, once a month, etc..)??

We make fresh kettle corn and I would say that 90% of people we give a sample to end up buying. It is funny watching them. Pour them a handful and they keep walking but they turn around before their hand is empty and buy a bag. At least with kettle corn samples are a no brainer.

quote:

Originally posted by UncleVic
Thanks for sharing Jack.. Always wonder if them freebies really work, but you came up with the answers in numbers! Do you think you'll start doing this on a regular basis? (once a week, once a month, etc..)??

I never took the sign down. My location is a triangle so I just move it from corner to corner. And it still seems to be working. Now that said I bet I could take it down and people would still come in having remembered it being there. I'm not sure what to do now leave it up or take it down, for awhile to see if it would make a greater impact when put back up.If I take it down and business slows down I'd be pissed at myself for taking it down and losing money.If I took it down and we had 3 or 4 days of nice weather which we are supposed to have this week I'm not sure if I could decide if it made a difference. If I leave it up for very long people may not notice it being gone? There are so many variables what with the winter weather, lots of snow and ice right now. And (and this is a big and) there is no sense of urgency if it's up all the time

But that said I've also thought about changing my big sign to read:



Dr. of BBQ

Free Samples Everyday

So give me your best guess feedback folks what do you think? What should I do?
Jack

quote:

Originally posted by Dr of BBQ

quote:

Originally posted by UncleVic
Thanks for sharing Jack.. Always wonder if them freebies really work, but you came up with the answers in numbers! Do you think you'll start doing this on a regular basis? (once a week, once a month, etc..)??

I never took the sign down. My location is a triangle so I just move it from corner to corner. And it still seems to be working. Now that said I bet I could take it down and people would still come in having remembered it being there. I'm not sure what to do now leave it up or take it down, for awhile to see if it would make a greater impact when put back up.If I take it down and business slows down I'd be pissed at myself for taking it down and losing money.If I took it down and we had 3 or 4 days of nice weather which we are supposed to have this week I'm not sure if I could decide if it made a difference. If I leave it up for very long people may not notice it being gone? There are so many variables what with the winter weather, lots of snow and ice right now. And (and this is a big and) there is no sense of urgency if it's up all the time

But that said I've also thought about changing my big sign to read:



Dr. of BBQ

Free Samples Everyday

So give me your best guess feedback folks what do you think? What should I do?
Jack

Jack,

I think the free sample sign is a fantastic idea and I'm glad it's working for you. For years I've wanted to open a small restaurant but never had the stones to go through with it. Maybe if I had some education in business and restaurant operations I might have done it. But it seems you've thought outside the box and it's paying off big time. It's that kind of thinking that puts one business over the rest. Congrats! And continue to share your stories of success.

Bill

Edit: P.S. "Everyday" should be two words.

Does Baskin-Robbins, after all these years, still give free samples?

quote:

Originally posted by matilda
Does Baskin-Robbins, after all these years, still give free samples?

They do here in Springfield so I'd assume yes.
Jack

quote:

Originally posted by Dr of BBQ

quote:

Originally posted by matilda
Does Baskin-Robbins, after all these years, still give free samples?

They do here in Springfield so I'd assume yes.
Jack

Well, then, they never took their sign down...

Most people, once they've helped themselves to sample, and if they like it, will feel compelled to buy something so as not to appear a deadbeat.

Nice concept.

Good move Jack. When I was the outside sales rep for the hotel I now manage I had a bunch of 4x6 stickers made up with our name, logo, and 800 number. I had my territory (Florida and South Georgia) broken into five segments, each week I would buy a bunch of Wal Mart chocolate chip cookies, stick a sticker on them, and make sales calls to travel agents, AAA offices, and tour groups. These people would see me every five weeks with a bag of cookies and a standing offer of a three day, two night comp stay at the property. My office use to joke about how they could track me by the calls coming in for comp stays. We started doing this hoping for a 10% increase in business the first year and ended up with a 200% increase instead.

Thanks Doc,

That is a phenominal idea. I have always been a proponent of the sample, but you are correct that a lot of folks are just too uncomfortable to ask. I might just give that a try as the spring rolls around and i am looking to increase flow.

I love places that have free samples. Especially the ones that just have a nice display set out and kept fresh without the pressure(?) of someone standing there offering them. I can take one or not without the feeling of being solicited like in some grocery stores.

There's a lot of thought that needs to go into some signage. It's proven that unless signs are replaced once in awhile with one that looks drastically different, they'll be ignored after the first couple readings by passers-by. If they say the same thing, you need to change fonts, colors, sizes and even only posting the sign(s) on particular days.

A "Free Samples" sign could be different. You might wind up with a bunch of mooches that stop by way too often and pig out on your free samples if they can help themselves. I know I've revisited the same cart at Costco's several times when it was something particularly tasty. I think I'd try the "Free Samples" sign first on slower days. But, if it works every day, leave it up all the time.

quote:

Originally posted by kensandyeggo

It's proven that unless signs are replaced once in awhile with one that looks drastically different, they'll be ignored after the first couple readings by passers-by.

A "Free Samples" sign could be different. You might wind up with a bunch of mooches that stop by way too often and pig out on your free samples if they can help themselves.I think I'd try the "Free Samples" sign first on slower days. But, if it works every day, leave it up all the time.

Well it's still up and it's time to share some experiences with all of you before you run out and try it.

First I'm at the stand 90% of the time and it's hard to get employees to do it the way I'd like them too. They forget or feel awkward about asking.. But we are working on that.

2nd I have had a couple of cars come through with 17 or 18 year olds asking for samples and as soon as they got them they quickly drove off laughing. The second car like that came thru in less than 5 minutes and it was obvious they had been called (cell phone or in person) by the group in the first care.

3rd I had a group of crack heads (yes I know they were CHs) that drove up at 9:30 AM (we open at 11:00 AM) and ask for an order of free ribs. I told them nothing was hot which it wasn't and they left.

But look at those numbers I think we have had less than 6 cars drive up and not end up being customers. So I lost between 6 and 12 ounces of pulled pork, or rib tips or smoked beef, and we serve an 8 ounce sandwich. On the other hand I hear several times a day the following: "I’ve been meaning to stop and I finally did". That tells me and I could be wrong that this was the encouragement that it took to get a new customer to pull into my parking lot. They don't get to serve themselves and it's a lot easier to keep track of cars than a man or women in a Sam's or Costco Store. Not that I would refuse to serve you if you came back a second time for a free sample. And I'm not an easy guy I watch and study each person that comes to my drive up window and this has been the best crapshoot I've ever rolled the dice on.

For some reason I really enjoy giving them a taste or two of my products. I know they are darned good and I really enjoy seeing the freebie turn a skeptic into a customer. Every time that happens I feel like I won something. And I guess I did. So for the time being the sign stays up. In fact Saturday was the best Saturday I've had since August. And Christmas Eve was very good also.

If I had a hotdog cart I'd do two things to promote my dogs. First I'd offer free samples for one entire day, and I'd cut the dog and bun down to a one bite size. Let the customer dress it and then ask isn't that a great dog? I know its time consuming and costly but you'd have them begging to buy a dog. The other thing I'd do is having my own chili even if I had to pay someone to make it. Sell only what you can take great pride in.

Forget the can stuff and make a great chilli or buy a great chilli. I think the reason most restaurants fail is they buy items from a distributor and heat or deep-fry it with no regard to how it really taste. Just some thoughts.
Merry Christmas.
Jack

quote:

Originally posted by Dr of BBQ

2nd I have had a couple of cars come through with 17 or 18 year olds asking for samples and as soon as they got them they quickly drove off laughing. The second car like that came thru in less than 5 minutes and it was obvious they had been called (cell phone or in person) by the group in the first care.

3rd I had a group of crack heads (yes I know they were CHs) that drove up at 9:30 AM (we open at 11:00 AM) and ask for an order of free ribs. I told them nothing was hot which it wasn't and they left.

Should have rolled the samples up in "Baggies" vs. the Solo cups. Maybe get them fools hooked on something more wicked.

I imagine for a nominal cost you can have a small "one per day/week/month/ added to the bottom of the sign, or "free samples unavaiable at owners decision". (Something like that). I have no prob handing a sample to a street guy here in Charlotte as long as I can refuse them when neccesary.

Jack:; excellent idea, thank Sam's(smile) I was going to ask U how to do it with Dogs, U answered my question! thanks buddy keep up the great work~!

thanks for sharing, jack.. i am only a few hours away, now. gonna stop sometime. promise.
well, we are settling in here, in pa. had a visit with cowboybob in pa, he has a real nice place!
still searching for my next venture, but most likely not food. but i am addicted, so i will still be a lurker, and occasional poster. who knows, i may even have to call upon some of you, if i end up selling life insurance, or something..lol
peace!

Happy New Year, all.

My first post!

I'm so glad I found this site. It's nice to know that there are others with the same issues regarding advertising, local health and building codes, etc.

I cook and bake at family-operated, from-scratch, breakfast/lunch cafe in Sumner, WA. My daughter-in-law is the owner/line/prep cook/baker. One of my sons handles the ordering and is a line/prep cook; her mother runs the front of the house; we all wash dishes except on weekends when her dad comes in.

On Saturdays and Sundays, we give free breakfast appetizers as a way of showcasing what we can do with butter and flour and sugar. Sometimes it's a small square of cinnamon or fruit coffeecake, sometimes it's a raised bread (last weekend it was cranberry swirl), sometimes it's a filled bar cookie. We've done cheese straws, breadsticks and mini cream puffs, too. Besides using it to show off our skills, it helps take the edge off our customers' hunger.

We try to spend no more than $8-$12 on ingredients per 48 servings, so we're limited to basics--certainly nothing involving heavy cream or fresh raspberries. But the returns from word-of-mouth are greater than any other advertisng we've done.

Thanks, all, for sharing and asking.

quote:

Originally posted by betteirene
Happy New Year, all.My first post! I'm so glad I found this site. It's nice to know that there are others with the same issues regarding advertising, local health and building codes, etc.On Saturdays and Sundays, we give free breakfast appetizers We try to spend no more than $8-$12 on ingredients per 48 servings,

Welcome aboard, there are some very good people here and they have a ton of wisdom to share. But that said any one that is new should always be directed to the search engine to find the answers first and then ask what ever they would like. That said it sounds like you have everything under control. Now between the two of us we need to figure out how to get more people in the door to sample our food. My sign still seems to work but of course as with the food business the weather slows things down from time to time. Again welcome aboard.
Jack

quote:

Originally posted by betteirene We try to spend no more than $8-$12 on ingredients per 48 servings, so we're limited to basics--certainly nothing involving heavy cream or fresh raspberries.

I don't know much about running a restaurant, but raspberries are a doggone weed here. If you can pot some up, they'll grow with the barest of minimal care. Blueberries will, too. We pick 'em every spring.

quote:

Originally posted by TheWienerHutter

Most people, once they've helped themselves to sample, and if they like it, will feel compelled to buy something so as not to appear a deadbeat.

Many people like to try a sample, and if the enjoy it, the will follow up by ordering a meal.

However, I have seen (not only here in NJ, many places around the country) people attempt to make such samples, a meal. They do laps around the food court, and Costco. The sad truth is, many people do not care if the appear to be dead beats. Sad but true.

With both my wife and I in wheelchairs in Northern IL, we can't roll that far. Please mail our fee sample, Thank you, RJF

I've kidded, though, our family has to live on food stamps for life and have to stretch every recipe 4xs over. There are those that may not care they look like deadbeats, cause they are just short of starving. Our country doesn't always have programs or take care of disabled, elderly, those with unseen disabilities like mental. We applied for a program first on the list to help pay for summer electric. We were denied two weeks later for states lack of money. RJF