Dominic Lavan, managing director of Pubtokens.com, which supplies gift vouchers and works with pubs across the UK, says there is a need to make sure that the original offer is profitable, because the customers who are attracted through heavy discounting will dine out elsewhere depending on the best offer.
Lavan says: “Once consumers get used to eating for half price, it is very difficult for them to switch back to paying full price and so long as pubs and restaurants continue to offer these promotions there are a growing number of consumers who may be lost entirely as full-value customers. I am not convinced that these consumers are suddenly going to revert to previous behaviours once the economic outlook improves.”
