Notes from Table 12......

Question for the day…
Does your restaurant have a plan for enticing people to leave their warm house during the winter months? The temperature is down to zero. The wind is howling outside and snow is sweeping across the lawn. Today Table 12 is our kitchen counter with a cup of coffee. We usually eat out at least once every day, either lunch or dinner. But really….is there anything that would entice us to go out to eat in this weather?
We were at our kitchen counter having our morning coffee and discussing our plans for the day. The day before we were at one of our favorite restaurants where we were presented a menu with an insert. I think they called it a slugger. The owner told us he is using the insert in his menu to let people know about his specials every week. Wish I could remember what the special was for today. The selection of canned soup wasn’t great at home, but going out in this weather calls for something more than just memories.
As we had coffee, I checked my computer for e-mails. I couldn’t believe it. I had an e-mail from 3 different restaurants in town where we often go to for lunch. Each restaurant had a coupon attached for printing out. I showed them to my husband. We made our lunch plans for the next 3 days.
Day 3 was a trip to Goog’s, the best hamburger place in town. The coupon said, one “hamburger of the day” at regular price, a second hamburger, ½ off.
Day 2 we picked OBI, just down the road. They sent an e-mail copy of their winter lunch menu advertising “old fashioned lunch prices” for everything on the lunch menu. Hope the weather is better tomorrow but they have great food and friendly service.
Today, however, we couldn’t resist the one from one of our favorite restaurants downtown. The picture at the top of the e-mail was of the restaurant on the outside with blowing snow just like outside our window. The attraction was the heated street and sidewalk (no snow or ice). A second picture showed the inside as it was decorated for the holidays, cozy and warm. But the coupon was what really got us out of the house for lunch on such a miserable day: a free, refillable cup of coffee or hot cider with cinnamon if you came to lunch at 11 am. We could even do a couple of Christmas shopping errands on those clean sidewalks.
What attracted us to the three restaurants? Memories of good food, good service, and friendly staff who called us by name. The real payoff to these three restaurants was when they touched us at home especially when the weather was bad.

From the Diner's Seat at Table 12