Unusual Intros

Network Socially

Richard Kurisko uses Facebook to make his youthful customers feel more personally connected to his restaurant, Tarantella. Instead of just posting specials, Richard updates Tarantella’s page daily with a sentence promoting community events, food trivia, Italian news, etc. He promptly responds to all customer comments (good and bad) and thanks newly announced “friends” with a private message welcome!

In short, Tarantella is earning customer friendships just like interesting people do, by paying attention to others, sharing common interests, and not making everything about me, me, me!

Richard Kurisko, Owner Tarantella’s Montgomery, NY

 

Getting Plowed

Whenever snow batters Chicagoland, Bob Zajac pulls out his trusty old 4 x 4 pickup, which is fitted with a snowplow. He then leaves for work early so he can help neighbors dig out along the way. Never accepting payment for these “random acts of kindness,” Bob just gives astonished locals a smile and a wave.

As he drives off, the sign on the back of his truck reads: “You’ve just been plowed by Pudgy’s Pizza!” Helping his snowbound neighbors has made him feel good, attracted new customers, and pulled regulars even closer!

Bob Zajac, Owner Pudgy’s Pizza Hegewisch, IL

 

Extreme Generosity

Owner Vincent Migliore has a unique, high impact way to attract quality oriented repeat customers to his restaurant. He figures each new regular who spends at least $25 a week is worth $1,250 in sales per year. So whenever he meets someone who reminds him of his best regulars, he personally invites them to try his restaurant by giving them a $50 gift certificate!

Being highly selective about who Vincent targets, making the offer extremely generous, and the fact that his food is truly memorable helps transform many invitees into regulars.

Vincent Migliore, Owner Vinny’s Restaurant and Deli Somerville, MA

 

Privacy Screen

Restaurant windows do not always offer diners the most attractive view. To hide a busy parking lot from his guests, Vinny Desiderio built a low “privacy screen” by stacking attractively labeled ingredient cans three layers high within his front windowsills. (While they may look full, the cans were emptied from the bottom for safety.)

This creative, free solution gives his guests greater privacy, blocks bright headlights at night, and emphasizes Vinny’s dedication to authentically superior ingredients to guests and passersby!

Vinny Desiderio, Owner Linguine’s Italian Restaurant Bowmansville, NY

 

Flexible Breaks

At Fred Filleti’s Merritt Sub Shop, customers count on prompt, cheerful attention. But for small shops like Fred’s, a lean staffing reality is that employee breaks can leave the rest of the team shorthanded if many customers suddenly arrive together.

To prevent break schedules from reducing customer satisfaction, Fred encourages employees to be flexible with the timing of breaks by paying them for an extra half hour per shift. That way, if demand surges, anyone on break happily jumps back into the fray to keep customers satisfied!

Fred Filleti, Owner Merritt Sub Shop Dundalk, MD