Stop-the-clock steak night
Where: Village Hall, Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, www.morethanjustapub.co.uk
The idea: A steak night with a difference; the earlier a customer orders their steak, the cheaper it will be. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night diners can enjoy a choice of rump, rib eye, sirloin or fillet steak served with a choice of sauce or butter and side order. The earlier they order, the cheaper their rump steak will be, with a starting price of £7 at 6pm plus a £1, £2 or £4 surcharge for rib eye, sirloin and fillet steak respectively. The price of the steak increases by £1 every hour thereafter.
What we needed: Assistant manager Tom Dudley says: "The pub has been well known for its steaks for years, so we limited marketing to our website and in house posters and blackboards. We are lucky enough to have a graphic designer and an experienced board writer on the team, so our advertising looks very professional. Word of mouth now plays a big part and the steak nights have become a weekly tradition for many of our customers."
Business benefits: "We introduced a steak night on our quieter nights to use our signature dish to boost trade. From 6pm to 8pm was particularly quiet so we added a stop-the-clock twist to encourage customers to come in earlier. Our 70-cover restaurant is now pretty full by 6.30pm with about 80% of diners, excluding children, ordering steaks. The idea has increased overall spend by extending a customer's evening and has attracted a lot of families who want to eat earlier on school nights.
Top tip: Don't compromise on quality — offer customers exactly what they would have when ordering a full-price dish.
Why do it: Uses a signature dish to boost trade on quieter nights
Dub 'n' Grub food cooked by DJs
Where: the 78 Café-bar, Finnieston, Glasgow
Tenure: Leasehold run by Glasgow Gramophone.
The idea: Assistant manager Jan Forte says: "The concept for our Dub 'n' Grub night at the 78 on Thursdays from 5pm is a winner — where else can the DJs rock it in the kitchen as well as on the dance floor? Every week we have a new, freshly prepared vegan menu. After transforming into the 78 three years ago, we asked Mungo's HiFi DJs to continue cooking and playing as Dub 'n' Grub had always been a popular night previously. They play reggae, rocksteady, dancehall, dubstep and dub to aid digestion."
What we needed: "Mungo's HiFi DJs have a fantastic reputation — they cook quality food, which always sells out, and play quality music,
in a well-managed, quality venue. Word-of-mouth and website publicity attract a very diverse crowd."
Business benefits: "Three courses, with mains such as curry or Jamaican stew, are prepared for 120 customers. Mains sell at £4, and the DJs keep the kitchen profits and get a small percentage of the bar turnover. The kitchen is open till 11pm and customers love trying our organic beers and ciders — we stock about 40, including beers from Black Isle organic brewery and Pitfield. Our draught includes beers from Williams Bros, Samuel Smith and Freedom. Our food and drinks have a wide appeal while remaining free of animal products."
Top tip: "Use your creativity and put your heart into running your business."
Why do it: We care about what happens in our pub — Dub 'n' Grub has been going for 10 years.
Six under £6
Where: Muse, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, www.markettowntaverns.co.uk
The idea: Six main dishes at less than £6. Layla Anderson, marketing manager for parent company Market Town Taverns says: "The offer is from Monday to Thursday lunchtimes. Dishes vary regularly and include pub favourites such as fish & chips, grilled salmon, and chicken & bacon salad. All dishes cost less than £6."
What we needed: "The offer is marketed via leaflets and posters in house as well as on our website. There was no initial or other ongoing investment required."
Business benefits: "Six under £6 was first used at our pub, the Narrow Boat, in Skipton, as a way to drum up lunchtime trade, for our kitchen to use up perishable food stocks and to minimise wastage. It is now a firm favourite at Muse, with about 75% of lunchtime customers choosing to eat from this menu. The pub is known for its high-quality range of brasserie and tavern-style food — this initiative has helped to boost our lunchtime trade, which is traditionally slower."
Top tip: Be creative with perishable ingredients to create high-quality, low-cost dishes. Vary the menu regularly to maintain customer interest.
Why do it: Low cost specials that boost mid-week lunchtime trade.