Who doesn’t love a good freebie! All kinds of restaurant promotions will get more eyes on your menu, and they will give new and existing customers a reason to return. In fact, restaurants that have taken advantage of free item promotions have seen a 12% increase in order volume, a 15% increase in revenue, and a whopping 105% overall return on investment. Gotta love those numbers.
So how do you make that happen in Skip’s world?
Have no fear, the Free Item Promotions tool is here! We’re going to take you, our lovely restaurant partner, on an easy, breezy, step-by-step adventure so you can learn how to create, manage, and cancel new promotions in the Skip Portal anytime you want at the click of a button. Ready? Let’s rock.
To activate a new Free Item Promotion:
- Head over to the Promotions page in the Portal, go to the box that says “Free Item” and click “Select Promotion”
- Choose the minimum order amount for free item to be activated from $15, $25, or $35
- Select the item that you want to give away*
*In order for the item to be eligible, it cannot contain alcohol and must carry a price greater than $0. - Choose whether you would like the Free Item Promotion to end until you choose to cancel or once an order limit (specified by you) has been hit (we recommend campaigns be a minimum of 14 days to maximize exposure to customers)
- Select when you would like the order limit to reset: daily, weekly, monthly, or never
- Read and agree to the Terms and Conditions in order to activate the promotion
- Click “Create”
And that’s how you run Free Item Promotions like a pro! More of a visual person? Check out this tutorial for our simple step-by-step video.
Now just to get ahead of those burning frequently asked questions:
How do you check on the details of your free item promotion?
Simply go back to the promotions page and click “View Details” in the “Free Item” box and you’ll be able to view or cancel the free item promotion you’ve created, plus keep tabs on the order limit.
What if the item is marked “Sold Out”?
We just suspend the promotion temporarily until the item is back in business. Just be sure to mark your item as sold out the minute it is, otherwise you’ll continue to receive orders with the free item included (which can be a huge headache on your end).
What if the menu is updated?
If a free item offer is actively running and we update the menu to publish changes, then that free item will automatically be cancelled to avoid any issues with the menu changes.
And now you have even more flexibility in your promos with our newest feature, allowing you to add a free item with priced options. How does it work? If a customer scores a free burger, they can now add options that have an extra charge, like cheese, a gluten-free bun, or any other premium toppings. Better customization options for them could mean more customers for you. Win-win.
Plus, we’ve added 3 new self-serve functionalities within this new feature. Now you can also:
Set a specific order threshold: Allows you to control the number of free item orders available within the promo window.
Reset frequency: Gives you the power to automatically renew promotions.
Reset time availability: Lets you offer items with a limited time availability.
Check out this special step-by-step video to learn how to use our newest features and functions.
How can I find other promotional ideas?
Feel free to check out our blog post outlining 8 creative restaurant promo ideas.
Happy promo-ing!
