BJ’s Restaurants is giving fans of its signature dessert, the Pizookie, a good excuse to eat one every day next month.
On Monday, the chain launched the Pizookie Pass, a $10 subscription that entitles the owner to one Pizookie every day when they dine in during the month of September. The 200 passes, available online to members of BJ's Premier Rewards Plus loyalty program, sold out in about 45 minutes, the chain said.
The chain will follow up the September deal with $5 Pizookies for dine-in customers throughout October. Pizookies are regularly priced from $8.95 to $9.15, according to BJ’s website.
The popular “dessert pizza” topped with ice cream and other toppings and served in a deep-dish pizza pan has been a frequent focus of BJ’s promotions, typically to great success.
Sales tend to spike on Free Pizookie Days at the 214-unit casual-dining chain, so much so that they can make for difficult year-over-year comparisons. During its most recent earnings call, for instance, BJ’s CFO Tom Houdek reported that same-store sales rose 4% in July compared to 2019—or 4.5% if you exclude the impact of a Free Pizookie Day two years ago.
The chain is upping the ante with this latest offer, which could give traffic and sales a boost as customers collect their Pizookies and likely a few other items as well. It could also drive guests into the Premier Rewards Plus program, which allows guests to earn points and redeem them for free food.
Though the pass sold out quickly, customers who missed out could choose to join a waitlist for future passes.
The offer comes as casual-dining sales and traffic have slowed this summer as some customers respond to rising inflation, though BJ’s said in July it had yet to see such a reaction from its guests and was more focused on improving its bottom line.
BJ’s has some experience running a subscription program: Last March, it began rolling out the Brewhouse Beer Club, which gives customers access to exclusive beers, in-restaurant upgrades and other perks for a fee of $30 every two months.
Viewed as a sales growth channel, CEO Greg Levin told investors in April that early results indicated that Beer Club members were visiting BJ’s more often and spending more money when they did.
The Pizookie Pass is similar to Olive Garden’s Never-Ending Pasta Pass, a $100, nine-week membership that would sell out in seconds. Late last year, Olive Garden executives hinted that the chain would move away from the promotion, saying the chain was doing fine without it.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.