Attention Getters

Lunchtime “Top of Mind”

Many of Raja Kuppuswamy’s customers enjoy Facebook and Twitter. To get them thinking about his place, Raja created a daily “guess the name” contest. A random letter is announced via Facebook and Twitter (“GUESS THE NAME … for October 7th starts with ‘O.’ If you guess the correct first name FIRST, you eat free.) Even non players still check daily results because they also win a free meal if their name matches the mystery name.

Using Twitter and Facebook to keep his place top of mind has increased Raja’s lunch business. Plus, the “free” meals pay for themselves, as winners bring along their paying friends!

Raja Kuppuswamy, Owner Mangiamo Pizza Oakville, ON

Honoring Service Members

Military families often share a special bond with each other. With several veterans of their own, the Ackley family decided to honor local service members by dedicating an entire wall of their pizzeria to displaying their photos. To encourage guests to add their military photos, the Ackleys hung a colorful banner of military branch emblems and their own vet photos. Guests wearing military insignia on their clothing are also thanked for their service and invited to share pictures. Not only does honoring local vets make the Ackleys feel good, other military families feel especially at home and connected at their pizzeria!

Shelly Ackley, Owner Rosallini’s Pizza Aitkin, MN

Greeting Commuter Trains

Eddie Ritchie’s takeout pizzeria is located near the local commuter train station. While hundreds of potential customers exit the trains around dinner time, many are unaware of his location.

To introduce new customers to his superior food (and location), Eddie meets a different train every few weeks to distribute menus and “Free Small Pizza” certificates to commuters whom he doesn’t recognize. Making the offer absolutely “free” communicates Eddie’s confidence and that his gesture is not a veiled “sales gimmick.” After tasting his premium pizza, many become regulars, calling from the train to pick up their dinner orders upon arrival!

Eddie Ritchie, Owner Rita Pia’s Pizzeria Mundelein, IL

Share a Little “Sunshine”

With 40 years of restaurant experience, Tony Vicari says that one cannot underestimate the power of making personal connections with every customer. That is why Tony coaches his team to always look for small opportunities to lend a hand and make each customer’s day easier.So, even though Tony’s place traditionally offers only counter service, he automatically brings a clean high chair to the table when mothers arrive with their infants. And when elderly guests are visiting, his employees know to take their meals directly to their table (rather than calling them to the counter to get it themselves). To the employee, each gesture may take only a moment. But to the guest, the good feelings generated by unexpected kindness can brighten their entire day!

Tony Vicari, Owner Lia’s Pizzeria Oceanside, NY

Full Price Specials

Restaurateur Giovanni Impelluso prices each of his weekly “specials” exactly the same as if he were permanently adding them to the menu! (He dislikes “discounts” because they suggest that customers must be overpaying for full priced items.)Instead, Giovanni creates his unique weekly specials to pamper his more adventurous, variety seeking regulars with favorite traditional recipes from back home in Italy. It must be working because many of Giovanni’s weekly regulars never order off the menu, preferring to instead enjoy whatever savory special he has chosen to prepare for them and they are happy to pay full price in the process!

Giovanni Impelluso, Owner Giovanni’s Place Butler, NJ