LTO INSPIRATION
Your restaurant may not have the same size budget as the big brands, but you can gather inspiration from the marketing tactics they use to promote their LTOs. Look to brands such as Applebee’s, Chili’s, Taco Bell, KFC, Chick-fil-A, Pizza Hut, Arby’s, Saladworks, and Tropical Smoothie Café for LTOs that include everything from beverages to late-night snacks and that satisfy every type of craving from the utmost in decadence to the deliciously diet-friendly.
Watch: Impress guests with an LTO pink latte for springtime, Valentine’s Day, or Mother’s Day.
ARE LTOs RIGHT FOR YOUR RESTAURANT?
Three cases in which you might reconsider running an LTO:
1. You have limited resources. Developing and promoting LTOs often requires significant resources, such as time, money, and extra staff
2. The LTO would not be profitable. If the LTO you’re considering requires expensive or hard-to-find ingredients, it may not make sense financially to run it
3. Your customers don’t want them. If your restaurant has a loyal customer base that prefers your core menu items and is not interested in LTOs, it’s probably unnecessary to spend money and resources to introduce them
Source: Datassential: Limited Time Offers (June 2022)
CONCLUSION
Running a limited-time offer can be a great way to attract new customers, increase sales, and promote new or seasonal menu items. However, it’s important to carefully plan and execute the LTO to minimize risks and create a positive customer experience. An effective LTO should result in valuable data you can use to create future limited-time offers, garner guest feedback, increase revenue, and gain new customers who are curious about what your restaurant will offer next.
Nestlé Professional is dedicated to being an inspiring growth partner that delivers creative, branded food and beverage solutions, enabling foodservice operators to delight their consumers. From Minor’s®, Stouffer’s®, Chef-mate®, Sweet Earth®, Nature’s Heart®, and Trio® on-trend culinary items to innovative beverage systems under NESCAFÉ®, Nestlé® Vitality®, and Coffee mate® brands, Nestlé Professional meets the needs of foodservice operators while satisfying the tastes of the out-of-home consumer. Nestlé Professional is part of Nestlé S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland—the world’s largest food company—with sales of over $98 billion. For more foodservice product news and information, visit www.nestleprofessional.com.
