Going out to the movies use to be a full date night. You would start the evening at your favorite local restaurant and retreat to a cozy movie theatre to watch the latest film. Contrary to what consumers use to do, many of our customers aren’t eating out as much and are definitely not planning date night around dinner and a movie any more. We may ask ourselves why? Why are consumers uninterested in going out of traditional date nights and why do they prefer to stay at home than enjoying the company of others.
The answer, services such as Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV and Uber Eats. Services that bring date night to consumers, allowing our consumers to stay at home on the couch and relax. Recent studies have found that consumers in the past 5-10 years have rather stayed at home, where they are comfortable and relaxed versus having to go out, dress up, budget both time and money for dinner and a movie.
Our consumers want convenience and they look for cheaper options when available. It is our jobs as operators to fulfill what they are looking for and go above and beyond their expectations. We must be innovative to capture our audiences attention and build a strong argument why they should still enjoy date night, even if it is the comfort of their own home.
We have found a few ways to truly captivate your intended demographic and we think they can easily be applied to any market.
1 - Participate in UberEats- UberEats is an easy way for your consumers to order your food and enjoy at home. Marketing UberEats towards date night at home so that your consumers get the idea to order from you. This can be done through various outlets online and through email blasts. It is never a bad idea for these promotions to go out on Thursday so that consumers who typically have date night on Friday get the idea for the next day.
2 - Offer pre-fixed menus- If you still believe your consumers might come in for date night offer a pre-fixed dining menu that helps them get in and out of your establishment. This will allow them to enjoy their meal while knowing they will be on time for their show/movie.
3 - Partner with local movie theaters- Many time are able to parter with movie theaters and offer a discount for those with tickets for that day. It helps the local community see an influx in business and satisfies most consumers wallets.
No matter what it is hard to know specifically what every markets demographic wants and it is your job to listen to your customers. Do not be afraid to ask them what would make a more preferable date night and even what would make them more likely to dine with you than the restaurant down the street. After all you here to help your guests enjoy a night out!
