Welcome to RB’s weekly roundup of the latest developments in restaurant marketing.
We’re seeing lots of restaurant chains celebrate singles this year in their Valentine’s Day marketing. But Wingstop is kicking things up a notch with its … saucy promotion.
The Dallas-based wing brand said it is celebrating those who are “proudly single” with a discount on boneless wings and Thigh Bites on Monday. It’s advertising the discount on the dating app Tinder so those who are looking for love can, at the very least, “swipe right on flavor,” the chain said.
“Our fans are at the center of everything we do and this year we wanted to honor our single fans with a spicy offering,” Wingstop Chief Growth Officer Marisa Carona said in a statement. “There’s so much to celebrate about going boneless on Valentine’s Day, like the chance to stay in, kick back and dig into some flavorful food. Wingstop is about more than a meal, it’s a flavor experience that will bring the heat to any boneless evening.”
Over at casual-dining chain Hooters, customers can shred a picture of their ex on-site on Valentine’s Day to get 10 free boneless wings with the purchase of the same. The chain is also offering up Valentine’s Cameo greetings from its “Hooters girls,” with proceeds going to each woman’s chosen charity.
“We have ushered in our own modern traditions and are debuting some unconventional ways to extinguish an old flame and celebrate Valentine’s Day at Hooters restaurants this year,” Marketing SVP Bruce Skala said in a statement.
And quick-service sandwich chain Jimmy John’s is switching from freaky fast to freaky fancy with an over-the-top pop-up “sandwich experience” Thursday through Saturday in Austin. The chain is launching Château Jé Jé, “a one-time-only, intimate, seated, outdoor” restaurant that’s available via reservation only through Tock.
Guests who are able to snag the ultra-exclusive reservations will experience a four-course sandwich feast; soda and chip “sommeliers” to assist in selecting the perfect pairing; a romantic garden setting; and (we are not making this up) a live jazz band serenading diners with “sultry sandwich ballads.”
For those who are in a romantic relationship with carbs, Little Caesars is offering up a boxed bouquet of Crazy Bread through Monday at select locations in Charleston, S.C., and along the southern Atlantic Coast. The gift (to yourself or your beloved; we don’t judge) is available via online ordering only. It features eight sticks of Crazy Bread and a side of Crazy Sauce, packaged like a traditional bouquet but topped with much more Parmesan.
On Tuesday, the day after Valentine’s Day, Checkers & Rally’s is observing National Singles Awareness Day (we did not know this was a thing) by giving away what is, perhaps, the saddest restaurant promotion we’ve ever seen: A single chicken tender. But wait, singles, you can only get that free solo chicken tender WITH a purchase. “No one needs to be ‘cooped’ or coupled up to feel the love,” the quick-service chains said in a news release. We know we will surely feel the love, snuggled up with our single, solitary, crispy-coated chicken tender.
Marketing Moves:
Organic juice chain Clean Juice this week promoted B. Quick Chadwick to chief marketing officer. For the past four years, Chadwick has served as the 120-unit chain’s vice president of marketing.
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.