Sonny’s BBQ smokes out what really draws younger guests

Sonny's BBQ is leaning on guest data to learn what brings younger diners through its doors, and the answer isn't the seasonal menu. The 90-unit barbecue chain is working with Bikky to combine sales, menu and guest data, allowing the marketing team to track how promotions land with different demographics.

The data quickly upended one assumption. A seasonal menu Sonny's expected to appeal to younger diners performed better with its core audience, while an $11.99 bowl promotion was the bigger draw for younger guests.

"We had just always assumed that younger guests wanted new flavors and seasonal trends," Katelyn Moré, director of marketing at Sonny's BBQ, said in a company press release. "Now we know price point is the lever that's actually driving younger customers versus the LTOs we were running."

The brand is also spotting menu wins sooner. When smoked wings began gaining traction during a recent promotion, the platform flagged the trend within days rather than at month's end.

"When you have that information 3 days into a promotion, you can adjust the rest of the campaign while it's still running," Katie Love, chief marketing officer of Sonny's BBQ, said in the release.

Sonny's is also using the data to rethink loyalty tiers ahead of a new website launch as well as relying on it to shape its November Feast menu, build custom dashboards for franchisees and tailor its media, SMS and email messaging.

Founded in 1968, Sonny's BBQ operates 90 restaurants across eight Southeastern states, serving slow-smoked meats rooted in Southern tradition with casual dining and drive-thru service.