The hospitality industry may be about providing food, drink, accommodation and service, but sometimes you have to go the extra mile to pull customers in. If you’re stuck for ideas on how to make your business more appealing take a look at what others are doing for inspiration.
Free chips
To mark the arrival of National Chip Week, Eddie Gilbert's in Ramsgate are chipping-in with an offer of free chips for every large portion of fish purchased. Chef Craig Mather's chips are made from locally-sourced Maris Pipers and are fried to order in either beef dripping or vegetable oil. The free fries promotion runs from 15-22 February
Cut price dining
D&D London hsa again teamed up with the Evening Standard to offer cut-price dining until 12 February. Many of the group's 30 London restaurants are offering set menus. Highlights include two courses for £10 and three for £15 at Plateau Restaurant in Canary Wharf, and two courses for £15 and three for £20 at Bluebird in Kings Road.
Afternoon treats
Wild Honey has created an afternoon menu called Sweets & Savouries to cater for diners who want to eat later and lighter. The menu will be offered between 3pm and 6pm on weekdays and includes light savoury dishes like Croque Madame, and a board of charcuterie. Sweet selections include English pound cake with apple compote and Chantilly cream, or cream scones with jam. Tea, coffee, sparkling wines and cocktails plus the restaurant's full wine list are all available to accompany the menu.
Wine bargains
City dining institution 1 Lombard Street and its sister brasserie Papillon, in Chelsea are offering some cut-price deals on a range of fine wines and Champagnes to help boost sales during the January slump. The price of a bottle of Cristal Louis Roederer 1997, usually £195 has been slashed to £125 while a Petrus 1950 has been cut to almost a third of the price at £550. Other deals include Chateauneuf du Pape, H. Bonneau, 2000 at £85 (normally £110) and Dominius, Napa Valley, 1995 - £100 (normally £175). The restaurants are also waiving service charges on the bottle prices.