Making Lunchtime Pay: Driving Midday Sales for Your Pub or Bar

The roar of the evening crowd is the soundtrack to any successful pub or bar. The clinking glasses, the banter, the ringing till – it’s what it's all about. But what about the quieter hours? That midday lull between 12 and 3 pm can often feel like a missed opportunity. While you might have a few regulars propping up the bar, turning your establishment into a bustling lunchtime destination can dramatically boost your bottom line.

The challenge for driving midday sales to your pub or bar is clear: how do you convince people to swap their sad desk-side sandwiches or soulless chain restaurant meals for a proper pub lunch? It’s not just about opening the doors; it’s about creating an experience that’s worth leaving the office for.

Here’s a deep dive into a variety of executable ideas to transform your midday trade.

Re-engineering Your Lunchtime Offer

Your evening menu might be a masterpiece, but the lunchtime crowd has different needs. They're often short on time, more budget-conscious, and looking for something that won't send them to sleep at their desks.

• The Express Lunch Menu: Time is the biggest hurdle for most lunchtime customers. Design a dedicated ‘express’ menu that guarantees service within 15 minutes. This requires careful planning of your kitchen to ensure certain dishes can be prepared quickly without sacrificing quality. Think high-quality sandwiches, hearty soups, pre-prepared pies, or ploughman's lunches.

  
  

• Tiered Pricing and Combos: Create compelling meal deals. A classic "sandwich and a soft drink for £8" or "main and a pint for £12" is a simple but effective strategy. This isn't about being cheap; it's about offering undeniable value. You could also create tiered options – a light lunch, a standard lunch, and a more indulgent option for those with more time and a bigger appetite.

  
  

• Think Lighter, Think Healthier: While pub classics are essential, offering lighter, healthier options can broaden your appeal. Fresh salads, grilled chicken or fish dishes, and interesting vegetarian or vegan choices can attract a whole new clientele who might otherwise dismiss a pub lunch as too heavy.

  
  

• The Daily Special: A rotating daily special keeps the menu interesting and encourages repeat visits. It’s also a fantastic way to utilise excess kitchen inventory, reducing waste and protecting your margins. Did you over-order fish for the evening service? A spectacular "Friday fish and chips" special at lunchtime is the perfect solution.

Promoting Your Midday Offering

You can have the best lunch menu in the world, but if nobody knows about it, you'll still be staring at empty tables.

• Get Physical (with your marketing): Never underestimate the power of good old-fashioned pavement-level marketing. A-boards advertising your lunch specials are a must. If local regulations allow, consider flyers or table talkers in nearby office buildings (with permission, of course).
  

• Digital Dominance: Your social media channels should be working hard for you. Post tantalising pictures of your lunch dishes around 11 am each day. Run targeted ads aimed at people working within a one-mile radius of your pub.

  
  

• Corporate Partnerships: Actively reach out to local businesses. Offer a corporate discount card that gives their employees a small, consistent discount (e.g., 10% off) on weekday lunches. This builds a reliable, regular customer base.

  
  

• Leverage Local Events: Are there local markets, business conferences, or events happening nearby? Tailor a special offer to coincide with them. "Conference-goers Special: Show your pass for a free coffee with your lunch!"

Creating the Right Atmosphere

The vibe of your pub at 1 pm should be different from the one at 10 pm. It needs to be welcoming, efficient, and conducive to a working lunch.

• Power and Wi-Fi: Ensure you have strong, free Wi-Fi and plenty of accessible plug sockets. Many people will use their lunch break to catch up on emails or do a bit of work. Making this easy for them turns your pub into a practical alternative to the office.

  
  

• Service with Speed and a Smile: Your staff needs to be attuned to the needs of the lunchtime customer. Service should be prompt, efficient, and friendly, without being overbearing. The goal is to get people served and on their way within their limited timeframe.

  
  

• Acoustic Control: The music you play in the evening might not be suitable for lunchtime. Opt for something more relaxed and at a lower volume to create a comfortable environment for conversations and casual meetings.

The Loyalty Solution: Bringing It All Together with meed

Now, how do you manage all these promotions, special offers, and daily deals without creating an administrative nightmare? This is where a modern, flexible loyalty platform becomes your secret weapon. But not just any platform. You need something as quick and easy for you as it is for your customers.

This is where meed comes in.

Imagine you've got a surplus of sausages from the weekend. With meed, you can instantly create a digital coupon for a "Bangers and Mash Lunch Special" and send it directly to your loyalty members' phones. You can set the offer to be valid only for today, driving immediate footfall and clearing your stock.

Thinking of launching that express lunch menu? You can create a digital stamp card specifically for it. "Buy 5 Express Lunches, Get the 6th Free." Because meed doesn't require customers to download another app they'll never use, getting them to join is as simple as scanning a QR code at the bar.

With meed as your loyalty solution, you have the power to be agile and responsive. You can generate as many targeted coupons and campaigns as you need to encourage visits at specific times or to promote particular dishes.  You're no longer just hoping people will show up for lunch; you're giving them a compelling, personalised reason to walk through your doors, time and time again.

Driving Midday Sales for Your Pub or Bar

Turning your pub into a lunchtime hotspot is an achievable goal. It requires a thoughtful approach to your menu, smart promotion, and the right atmosphere. With the flexibility of meed, you can tie all these elements together, making your lunchtime pay in more ways than one.