Gibert finds that customers respond to promotions that offer education and encourage experimentation. Another recent event was a California clam bake. Gibert reminds it' a group effort. Clam bakes aren't indigenous to Venice Beach, but employees from Boston suggested we host one with a California influence. The Tack Room, which specializes in Southwestern cuisines with Pacific Rim influences, has weathered the drought for more than 30 years, using prix-fixe dining to reward regular customers.
Promotions can be very snappy, but they are in the face of what our restaurant offers.
The promotion, marketed locally, is aimed at rewarding patrons for their loyalty and tolerance during busy months. Twenty to 30 varieties of perfectly ripe tomatoes steal the show as they are incorporated into 17 recipes. We get new business and a lot of press coverage but the biggest benefit is for the staff. It allows them to get out of the hum-drum of what they normally do. Before Crawdaddy Bayou, snow was not usually part of Mardi Gras.