Article

Pasta Patrol: Fazoli's takes brand door-to-door to reach seniors, families

Community marketing efforts help double visits from senior adults.

July 17, 2014 by Brenda Rick Smith — Editor, Networld Media Group

How do you drive traffic to your restaurant when mass marketing tools are out of reach?

Fazoli's may have found its answer by launching a high-touch community marketing campaign aimed at bringing in its target audiences: senior adults and families with children under 12.

"We are a smaller chain and we only have a handful of markets where we can do mass media buys," said Jon Quinn, VP of Marketing. "We really have to dig in and own our community."

Fazoli's is taking ownership by identifying local organizations aligned with its two main target audiences, then sending out the "Pasta Patrol" – Fazoli's associates dressed in special branded t-shirts. Pasta Patrol brand ambassadors visit local senior centers, camps and more in an effort to build relationships and spread the word about Fazoli's promotions.

"Pasta Patrol is very much a local awareness building device," said Quinn.

The community outreach effort also fits with Fazoli's overall brand message, he added.

"Part of our brand is being ingrained in our community," said Quinn. "We're fun, we're friendly, we don't take ourselves too seriously."

From April through June 2014, the Pasta Patrols focused on senior-centric connections, promoting the brand's Club 62 card program and special offers for senior citizens each Wednesday.

On Wednesdays, seniors age 62 and over pay $4 for any special Club 62 menu item. Seniors can also purchase small drinks for $1 any day of the week. Seniors can claim the offers by presenting their Club 62 card, available at participating Fazoli's locations.

To leverage the Pasta Patrol's efforts, Fazoli's also partnered with the American Contract Bridge League, inviting members – mostly seniors – to play a social game of bridge on site on Wednesdays in June from 2 to 5 p.m. Participating ACBL members who purchased an entrée were offered a free Italian Lemon Ice.

As a result of the efforts, the number of senior transactions has doubled since January, and year over year sales have increased 4 percent, according to Quinn.

After reaching out to seniors in April, May and June, Fazoli's shifted its focus to families with children under 12 in July, August and September.

Fazoli's recently rolled out the Spaghetti Smarts program on Tuesdays, when it offers kids' meals for 99 cents and educational crafts and activities from 5 to 8 p.m. During Saturdays in July, parents can present a picture of their child at summer camp or children can wear their summer camp t-shirt to the restaurant and receive a kids meal for 99 cents.

A variation of the program will continue in September, when Fazoli's will offer the 99-cent kids meal to youth soccer league members wearing their jerseys.

The discounts have proven to be a draw for Fazoli's value-sensitive target market and Quinn is hoping limited time offers will drive up the average sale.

"We have a balanced promotional strategy," said Quinn. "We temper the discount by promoting higher-margin, higher-profile items like our Stuffed Pasta Selects."

The Stuffed Pasta Selects sell for $5.99 to 6.99 at the pricier end of Fazoli's menu options. The selects were added to the menu in early July, and will be offered through Sept. 28. Quinn hopes the higher profile, higher margin items will also help build the average ticket.

About Brenda Rick Smith

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Brenda has more than 20 years of experience as a marketing and public relations professional. She invested most of her career telling the story of entrepreneurial non-profit organizations, particularly through social media.

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