I wrestled with the “slow days” problem for awhile but resisted the urge to coupon. In my mind, instead of generating more business, it would just give a discount to the folks already buying on those days.
Instead, I stayed the course with the Loyalty Program. The only way to get coupons is with the Loyalty Program. The guest gets, of course, a coupon for earning Loyalty Points. They also get coupons for awhile after first signing up. That keeps them engaged until they are reliably making purchases and therefore earning future coupons. Whenever anyone asks about coupons, I use that as an invitation to pitch the Loyalty program.
My Loyalty guests spend 50% more per meal than non-loyalty, and that is after discounts.
If you’ve ever heard the saying, “the tide raises all boats”, then keep reading, because as my Loyalty Program became more successful, my Mondays and Tuesdays also became more successful. While they’ll never be on par with the other days of the week, they now comfortably cover the costs for those days, which makes it worth staying open 7 days a week.