Lately on the Internet, I’ve noticed a lot of restaurateurs worrying about a slowdown in traffic to their eateries.  Theories about the reasons for this downturn are varied: higher gas prices, consumers saving cash for holiday gifts, going to holiday parties instead of out to eat, etc.  And those are all things that no single person has control over, but one restaurateur recently hit upon a marketing idea that has turned a great profit for his restaurant.

On the web, he’s known as the sage “Dr. of BBQ”; in real life, he runs a BBQ restaurant in Springfield, Illinois.  His “aha moment” came while trying to get through the crowds of people tasting free samples at Sam’s Club.

Well, the Dr. of BBQ promptly placed a “Free Samples” sign in his window and saw a huge boost in traffic.  And the vast majority of people who tried a sample of his BBQ ended up buying a lunch.  He keeps the sample size small, but offers several different flavors to each customer.  By calculating his losses on the samples and his profits on increased traffic, the doc’s conclusion is that this has been a very profitable experiment.  You can read his entire story in the Food Service Forums.

Lowering costs (through energy efficient equipment) is one step to success in the restaurant business, but getting customers in the door is another.  Maybe offering free samples will boost traffic and help spread the word about your restaurant’s delectable menu.  Offering great food and pleasant customer service will then turn those new customers into regulars.