Creating a "Locals Night": A Step-by-Step Guide to a Profitable Weekly Event for Your Restaurant

Picture your restaurant on a Tuesday night. The lights are on, the kitchen is staffed, and the overheads are ticking away... but too many tables are empty. It's a familiar pain point for restaurateurs everywhere. Your bustling weekend service proves you have a great product, but how do you capture that magic on a quiet weeknight?

The answer is a "Locals Night."

This isn't just about offering a random discount. It's a strategic weekly event designed to transform your quietest evening into a buzzing, profitable hub for your community. It’s your chance to build a core group of regulars, test new menu ideas, and create a predictable stream of revenue when you need it most.

Here’s your step-by-step guide to crafting a Locals Night that your community will love and your accountant will approve of.

Step 1: Choose Your Night and Define Your Goal

First, the basics. Strategy before tactics.

• Pick Your Night: Pull up your sales data and find your consistently quietest night. For most, this is a Tuesday or Wednesday. Crucially, never run a promotion like this on a Friday or Saturday. The goal is to generate new business, not to discount the sales you were already guaranteed to make.
  

• Define Your "Why": What is the primary goal of this evening, beyond filling seats? Having a clear objective will shape your offer. Is it to...
  

  • ...test potential new dishes for the main menu? (A "Test Kitchen" theme)
    

  • ...move specific inventory, like a particular wine or cut of meat? (A "Steak & Wine" theme)
    

  • ...simply build a reliable, community-focused vibe? (A "Neighbourhood Supper" theme)

Step 2: Craft a Smart, Profitable Offer

This is where most restaurants go wrong. A blanket "20% off for locals" promotion is a lazy approach that erodes your profit margins. You need an offer that is both compelling for the customer and profitable for you.

• The Set Menu: This is the best option for most. Offer a two or three-course set menu for a fixed, attractive price. This gives you complete control over your cost of goods sold (COGS) and streamlines kitchen operations. You can feature high-margin dishes or use it as a low-risk way to trial new creations.
  

• The Perfect Pairing: Bundle a high-margin main with a specific drink. Think "Burger & a Pint" or "Mussels & a Glass of Sauvignon." The key is to bundle it with a house beer or wine where you have a substantial margin, not a premium craft beer that erodes the profit.
  

• The "Wine Club" Special: Centre the offer on the drinks. Choose a good quality but cost-effective wine and offer it at a near-retail price. Customers who feel they're getting great value on a bottle are more likely to stay longer and spend more on food.

Step 3: Define "Local" and Build Your Exclusive Club

How do you manage who gets the special offer? It needs to feel exclusive, but the process must be frictionless for both your guests and your staff. Asking people to show ID with their postcode is clunky and awkward.

The modern solution is to create a digital "Locals Club."

This is precisely what a tool like meed is for. Instead of a messy, informal system, you create a simple, official club.

• Instant, Free Membership: You can create a "Locals Club" program in meed in about a minute. Place a small, elegant sign with a QR code on your tables and at the host stand.
  

• Frictionless Sign-Up: Guests scan the code with their phone, and they're in. No app to download, no complicated form to fill out. They are now officially part of your club.
  

• A Defined Audience: You now have a clear, manageable list of your most engaged local customers. They are your VIPs for this special night.

Step 4: Promote Your Locals Night (Without Breaking the Bank)

Now that you have your club, you need to get the word out.

• Your Best Channel is In-House: Your weekend customers are your prime candidates. As they're paying their bill on a Saturday, have your staff make a personal invitation: "We loved having you tonight. Just so you know, we run a special set menu every Tuesday just for our regulars. If you scan this code, you can join the club for free, and we'll send you the menu each week."
  

• Use Your Digital Club List: This is your new superpower. With all your club members in meed, you can send a notification every Tuesday morning. "Hi [Name], it's Locals Night! Tonight's special menu features our new slow-cooked lamb shank. Book your table now!" It's targeted, timely, and free.
  

• Simple Social Media: Post the menu and a great photo on your local community Facebook groups and Instagram stories every week on the day of the event. The consistency is key.

Step 5: Execute Flawlessly

The offer gets them in the door, but the experience brings them back.

• Brief Your Team: Make sure your front-of-house staff are fully briefed, enthusiastic, and treat your Locals Night guests like the VIPs they are.
  

• Maintain Quality: This is non-negotiable. The quality of the food and service must be just as high as it is on your busiest night. This is your audition to turn a Tuesday regular into a full-price weekend customer.

A successful Locals Night is a powerful tool. It transforms a slow evening into a profitable, energetic, and community-focused event that builds deep and lasting relationships with the customers who matter most.