Kids Eat Free at Boston Market, Almost Without Limits
The rotisserie chicken chain one-ups rivals by giving away two children's meals with a $6 purchase all day long.
By David Farkas, Senior Editor -- Chain Leader, 9/21/2009 9:02:00 AM
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Kids meals at Boston Market come with a choice of chicken, turkey or meatloaf, one side dish (such as mac and cheese), cornbread, and a 12-ounce soft drink. |
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Boston Market is giving families break during the recession by giving away two kids meals, all day long, with one adult purchase of $6. Adults buying a Family Meal receive four free kid-sized meals gratis for children 14 and under. |
Boston Market is pulling down free-meal barriers in an effort to boost flagging same-store sales and traffic. Company officials announced today that the 522-unit restaurant chain would give away two kids meals per adult every day until October 31.
The only stipulation: Children have to be 14 or under and accompany one adult who spends at least $6.
"The name of the game today is butts in seats," says restaurant consultant and former chain executive Fred LeFranc. "The industry has recalibrated value, and kids-eat-free has become ubiquitous."
Still, the Golden, Colo.-based chain is taking things a step further by making the offer available to dine-in, drive-thru and carryout customers. Says Boston Market CEO Lane Cardwell: "Only about half of our customers eat in the restaurant. So we decided we would take down all the barriers."
Limiting Circumstances
Restaurant chains typically limit free children's meals to one child, in-store dining and the slowest nights of the week. Denny's, for instance, while also offering up to two free entrees per one regularly priced adult meal, does so only after 4 p.m. on Tuesdays. Children must be 10 or under, according to the chain's Web site.
Some chains also limit free food to participating restaurants. Not Boston Market. "This will be a 522-unit test," Cardwell declares, referring to the total number of units in the system. The company did not test the free-meal deal before its launch.
Sales and traffic at the Boston Market have been negative all year. Cardwell says same-store sales are trending negative in high single digits. So are traffic counts. Cardwell, hopeful the new promotion will boost traffic, claims it's time to do "a little good" for families with kids who can't spend more than $6 and still want a restaurant meal.
"Our margins will suffer but our dollar profits won't," Cardwell says.
Boston Market's giveaway includes the choice of chicken, turkey or meatloaf, cornbread, small side and small beverage. Kids meals are regularly priced at $3.79 and $4.79.
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The company, which operates restaurants in 28 states, isn't using broadcast media to announce the program. Instead, it will reach customers via kids-eat-free Web sites such as kidseat4free.com and in-store point-of-sale material. The deal will also be included on an IPhone application, wheredokidseatfreetoday, that identifies free-meals for kids.
MORE: Boston Market purged trans fats and artificial additives from its menu and is now reducing saturated fat and sodium. Richard Davis, vice president of culinary innovation , explains.
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Boston Market has lost their "Wow." Until they get that back, they can give away the moon and the stars and it still won't help their declining sales. They seem to be a ship without a rudder. But what they'll probably do is hire one of those high priced advertising agencies to help remedy their problems.
Joel Cohen - 2009-27-9 09:29:00 MDT -
And when the promotion ends, the question will be, "where did all of those customers go?"
Discounting is the penalty you pay for being unremarkable. And Boston Market just isn't remarkable anymore!
Joel Cohen
www.RestaurantMarketingBlog.com
joe cohen - 2009-22-9 05:29:00 MDT -
This is an obvious fill-in tactic to generate sales during the traditionally weak fall. I for one hope it helps them until they develop a compelling contemporary integrated marketing strategy. With the new CEO on board it is going to be exciting to watch and see what strategy they select going forward. Food ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat Grocerant niche is booming across many food distribution channels. Since Boston market helped build the niche; I hope they get there fair share this time around.
Steven A. Johnson - 2009-21-9 15:05:00 MDT
Adios
05/29/2009Chain Leader
02/09/2010Boston Market Extends 'Two Kids Eat Free'
10/29/2009
