LTO Promo PlannerTM 2018
September 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Launch of Football Season 2 3 Labor 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Oktoberfest (through Oct. 7) 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 National Coffee 30 Other events this month 1: Pumpkin Mania 12: National Chocolate Milkshake 16: National Guacamole 18: National Cheeseburger BACK TO MAIN CALENDAR
September LTO September 1 Launch of Football Season Many promotions around football involve extended happy hours or LTOs featuring new beverages and finger food to snack on while watching the games It s also an ideal time for operators looking to boost off-premise business by promoting meal kits for watch parties and catering for tailgating CDRs with alcohol delivery can offer promos on game days to expose consumers to drink delivery programs P.F. Chang s: 15% off all takeout and catering orders on a game day Islands Restaurants: Happy hour all day Sunday and all night Monday and Thursday during regular pro football season September 3 Labor As the unofficial end of summer, Labor is prime time for marketing value deals and the simple conveniences by touting the option to let someone else do the cooking Many people have the day off, so offering options for group dining or family meals is popular during the holiday This is a great opportunity to drive delivery and catering sales with value bundles Restaurants can promote deals for the entire weekend, but many choose to offer the best pricing for dine-in occasions on Monday only Applebee s: 20% off purchases on Labor weekend September 22 October 7 Oktoberfest Offer beer and snack pairings, including snacks such as pretzels and sliders Retailers and coffee shops can promote take-home growlers, while CDRs can serve their beer in keepsake steins Have some fun by offering themed parties, as well as promotions for guests who dress up or say their order in German Karl Strauss Brewing Company: A $12 half liter and $20 full liter of beer and guests keep the stein September 29 National Coffee Encourage guests to celebrate the event with a cup of their favorite brand s coffee QSRs can provide coffee samples to patrons waiting in line to promote new coffees or underperforming coffees Provide discounted or free cups of coffee to guests, especially with a food purchase Timothy s Cafes: 99-cent regular, 12-ounce coffee Einstein Bros. Bagels: Free medium drip coffee 3
October 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 National Boss Sweetest 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Other events this month 1: Eat Better, Eat Together Month 4: National Taco 5: National Do Something Nice 7: National Frappe BACK TO MAIN CALENDAR
October LTO October 20 National Boss Provide BOGOs for employees taking their boss out for breakfast or lunch Operators selling doughnuts, pastries and coffees are well-positioned to market these popular morning items as easy gifts to grab on the way to the office Engage customers on social media by asking them to share why they love their boss and offer an incentive for participation Donatos Pizza: $5 off a minimum order of $15 for employees to treat their boss or themselves because they re so boss October 20 Sweetest Meal-for-two deals could include a shareable appetizer and dessert with the purchase of two entrees Promote signature items and happy hours for couples looking to celebrate Roll out menu specials that spotlight love, including romantic menu callouts and heart-shaped menu items An anti-sweetest party or special for singles at bars would be popular with guests not in relationships Emilio s Tapas: Food specials, drinks and live music There s opportunity for forward-looking brands to generate greater buzz and larger overall impact by leveraging more contemporary types of promotions, such as limited themed foods and beverages The Coffee Beanery: Spooky good deals in the days leading up to Penn Station East Coast Subs: Brought back its Hangman rewards game and gave a free kids meal with the purchase of any sub when children showed up in costume October 31 Restaurant promos for largely center on kids eat free, costume contests and delivery deals on items such as pizza 5