Give a little, get a little

I knew that local restaurants were going to face tough times when a friend of mine, a woman who hates to cook, bragged that she had stayed home and cooked meals for her family five nights in a row last week. It was all terribly cozy and everything, but after five nights of my friend’s culinary creations, her husband was begging to go to a restaurant.

And when my friend Truman, who only goes into his kitchen because he uses his oven as an overflow closet, told me he had purchased a box of Hamburger Helper last week, I felt the world was truly coming to an end.

People, you’ve got to go out and eat!

And restaurateurs have to live up to their side of the deal and give patrons an extra incentive to put down that box of Hamburger Helper (which I have been known to eat myself under certain circumstances) and get out! Forbes.com has come up with a list of ideas for restaurateurs to woo those customers back into dining rooms. In addition to the concepts you’d expect (coupons, direct mail, punch cards — snore!), I like the suggestions of offering an extra free side dish with meals (like some snappy pea pods, above) or a free dessert for every couple who buys two entrees.

Best advice of all: Customers can sense negative vibes! Even if a restaurateur is getting ready to throw in the towel: be nice! And toss in a free dessert! — By Charles Ferruzza