Money Makers: Ideas for driving food and drink sales at your pub

Clocking Off — free snacks​

Where​: The Clock House, East Dulwich, south-east London.

Website​: www.clockhousepub.com​

Twitter​: @TheClockHouse

The idea​: Every Friday night, Clocking Off helps customers to celebrate the start of the weekend by offering free tasty snacks to encourage dwell-time and menu-sampling at this
Young’s managed pub.

How it works​: Complimentary canapés and nibbles are handed out in the bar every Friday from 5pm to 7pm. 

Marketing​: The Clock House team uses its website, social media, in-house, word of mouth and monthly e-mailers to database customers.

Be prepared​: Once it’s up and running, this type of event gives people a good reason to visit but, until it catches on, the cost can outweigh the benefit.

Pay-off​: Building positive relations with customers through goodwill, getting people in early on a Friday night rather than visiting one or more competitors’ pubs, and showcasing the great
food on offer.

Key benefits​: Ideal opportunity to promote valuable customer interaction, which makes people hungry to sample more of the pub’s food.

Advice​: Employ a team of friendly, engaging staff who can upsell other areas of your business effectively, and ensure that you choose a range of exciting canapés showcasing your menu offer.

Best outcome​: Private party bookings have grown by 10% and Friday food sales by 25% this year.

Artisan farmers’ market​

Where​: The Bladebone, Bucklebury, Berkshire.

Website​: www.thebladeboneinn.com​

Twitter​: @bladeboneinn; @buckleburyAFM

The idea​: Chef-owner Kiren Puri, a keen forager, is offering local artisan businesses a free monthly Saturday market stall outside his freehold pub to promote the benefits of producing, selling and buying fresh products, such as wild garlic picked that day or leeks from a local allotment, and encourage pub footfall. 

How it works​: All producers must be artisans, offering locally produced goods.

Marketing​: Social media and word of mouth are powerful exponents. 

Be prepared​: The first Saturday market opened from 10am to 3pm, with 12 stalls, but sold out at 11.30am, so the second was scheduled for 10am to 1pm, with 20 stalls. 

Pay-off​: The market is attended by more than 200 people, many of whom stay for lunch. For the second market, brunch has been added.

Key benefits​: Wider interest in the ethics and practice of growing and selling food, and stronger pub profile. 

Advice​: Ensure that market products don’t conflict with lunch trade — for example, pulled pork rolls could deter customers from dining at the pub. Build in breakfast or brunch to your menu on market day.

Best outcome​: High demand for freshly picked, delicious ingredients, plenty of local interest in using and expanding the artisan market, and great local boost for pub’s reputation.