Restaurants and Thanksgiving: A Coupon for Quiet Days
Thanksgiving Day itself is booked solid at many restaurants, while the days around it can be quiet. A dinner discount coupon is a good way to bring in guests who cannot cook, want a break, or are hosting out of town visitors. It also works for the week before, when companies and friends hold early celebrations. This coupon makes the offer clear and festive in one glance.
The Card Design
The coupon is 6 x 3 inches in landscape. The left two thirds are a warm orange gradient surrounded by falling golden and rust coloured leaves. A white tag reads HAPPY THANKSGIVING! above Thanksgiving in a white script and DINNER DISCOUNT COUPON in bold capitals. The paragraph reads: Come celebrate with us and enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving feast with a 20% Discount on your entire meal. A closing line says THANK YOU FOR DINING WITH US THIS THANKSGIVING! WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU.
A perforated vertical edge separates the right third, which is white. It shows a big orange 20 with a percent sign and OFF, the words YOUR ENTIRE MEAL, a leaf icon, a framed box reading COUPON CODE THANKS20, a line VALID FOR DINE-IN OR TAKE-OUT. and a barcode picture. The edge looks like a tear-off stub.
Rules Worth Adding
- Which days the coupon can be used, for example Monday to Wednesday of Thanksgiving week.
- Whether alcohol, tax and tips are excluded from the discount.
- Maximum party size, such as “up to six people.”
- Reservation requirement, if tables are limited.
- A maximum discount in dollars, if you worry about large groups.
There Is No Expiry Date on It
Unlike many coupons, this one has no Valid Until line. Add one, or the coupon could be used long after the season. Retype the small line under the code, or add a short sentence at the bottom of the left panel: “Valid November 20 to 26.” A date also gives guests a reason to book soon.
Dine-In and Take-Out
The coupon says it is valid for dine-in or take-out. If you offer pre-ordered Thanksgiving meals, say whether the coupon can be used on them. Many restaurants run take-home dinners with a deposit, and a clear rule avoids misunderstandings.
Reach Local Guests
Leave stacks at hotels, offices and community centres, and send the coupon image to your mailing list. Include it in takeaway bags the week before. A post on social media with the code gives you a trackable result at the till.
Printing the Perforation Look
The perforated edge is only a printed design. If you want a real tear-off stub, ask a print shop to add perforation, or cut and score by hand. Print on 200 to 250 gsm card stock, three coupons per letter sheet in a column.
A Note Slipped Into the Takeaway Bag
Customers who order takeaway often return, so use the bag as a distribution channel. Slip a coupon into every bag during the weeks before Thanksgiving, with a handwritten “thank you” on a few. People who enjoy the meal may use the coupon to bring family on the quieter days, and your regulars feel rewarded.
See also the grocery shopping coupon and the turkey or ham purchase coupon. More are in coupons and discount vouchers.
