Why Footfall Matters More Than Discounts
Picture this: it’s a Tuesday night, and your pub is quiet. A couple of regulars, maybe a lone pint in the corner, and the faint hum of the fruit machine.
So you drop the price of pints. Or extend Happy Hour. Or offer two-for-one wings.
The short-term result? A small spike.
The long-term result? You’ve trained customers to only show up for discounts — and they’ll happily go elsewhere if someone else is cheaper.
That’s the race to the bottom. And pubs can’t out-discount the chains forever.
The good news? There are smarter, more sustainable ways to increase pub footfall — without slashing margins or losing your identity.
Why Discounts Don’t Work Long-Term
Discounts can get bodies through the door, but they come with three problems:
- Price Shoppers Don’t Stay Loyal
- Customers drawn by discounts aren’t regulars. They’ll jump ship as soon as another venue offers a cheaper pint.
- Margins Take a Hit
- Shaving 50p off every drink might feel like a marketing cost, but it eats into profit faster than you think.
- It Devalues the Experience
- If people only come for the discount, they’re not coming for you. They’re coming for a transaction. And that’s not sustainable.
Instead of selling “cheap,” pubs need to sell memorable experiences that punters can’t get anywhere else.
The Psychology of Footfall
So why do people choose one pub over another? It’s not just the beer (though that helps). It’s about psychology and community.
- Habit (Triggers): People love routines. “Wednesday quiz” or “Friday karaoke” becomes a ritual.
- Social Proof: If it looks busy, more people want to join.
- Stories: A giant roast, a legendary landlord challenge, or a quirky karaoke twist gives punters something to retell.
- Emotion: Fun, laughter, and nostalgia spread faster than posters ever will.
If you want to increase pub footfall, you need to design nights that tap into these triggers.
7 Proven Ways to Increase Pub Footfall
1. Unique Events That Stand Out
Every pub runs quiz nights and karaoke. The trick is to twist them:
- Add nostalgia rounds (90s kids only).
- Run “Bad Karaoke” nights where the worst singer wins.
- Host themed evenings tied to local culture or football.
2. Outrageous Menu Items
One memorable dish can put your pub on the map.
- The £50 Wagyu Roast.
- The towering “Landlord’s Challenge Burger.”
- Dessert platters so over-the-top people take photos.
Even if customers don’t buy them, they’ll share the story.
3. Build Social Proof into the Pub
People follow the crowd. Make your pub look like the place to be:
- Post quiz winners on a “Wall of Fame.”
- Share photos of punters having fun on socials.
- Stream big match-day reactions.
4. Partner with Local Breweries or Businesses
- Showcase local ales with tasting nights.
- Collaborate with butchers, bakers, or even local gyms.
- Community collabs give you built-in promotion and goodwill.
5. Use Seasonal and Local Triggers
People love routines and rituals. Tie your pub calendar to what’s already happening around you.
- Sports fixtures: Create specials tied to match results (“Every time England score, Guinness £1 off for 5 minutes”).
- Weather: Hot day? Promote “cold pint challenges.” Rainy day? Push a “comfort food roast.”
- Holidays: Christmas jumper nights, Halloween pub quizzes, Valentine’s karaoke duets.
These seasonal hooks become triggers that keep your pub top of mind.
6. Create Shareable Moments
The best advertising comes from your customers. Design photo-worthy moments in your pub:
- Funny trophies (e.g., “Worst Singer” or “Quiz Legend”).
- Oversized props (giant pint glasses, pub dog photo spot).
- Themed décor nights that beg to be Instagrammed.
If punters can snap it, they’ll share it. And every share is free advertising.
7. Add Practical Value
People love sharing useful information. Your pub can be more than just a place for drinks — it can be a hub of tips and hacks:
- Post a “beer and roast pairing guide.”
- Share match-day survival tips.
- Create a local guide (“Top 5 hangover cures in our town”).
This type of content spreads beyond your walls and pulls new punters in.
Case Studies That Show It Works
The Cheesesteak That Went Global
Barclay Prime’s $100 cheesesteak wasn’t designed to be eaten. It was designed to be talked about. And it worked — press coverage, viral stories, and endless free PR.
Your version doesn’t have to be steak. It could be a £50 roast, a cocktail with edible glitter, or a dessert challenge that nobody finishes.
The Giant Yorkshire Roast
Several UK pubs went viral serving roasts inside oversized Yorkshire puddings. Not only did it look great in photos, but it also became a story customers told their mates at work on Monday morning.
The result? Bookings soared. Not because of discounts, but because one unique menu idea created contagious word of mouth.
The Karaoke Switch
One London pub stopped rewarding the best singers and started rewarding the worst. Clips of tone-deaf punters filled TikTok feeds, and suddenly Thursdays were standing-room only.
That’s the power of taking an ordinary event and twisting it into something remarkable.
Why These Ideas Work
Each of these case studies taps into psychology. Jonah Berger’s STEPPS framework explains it best:
- Social Currency: People want to share things that make them look smart, funny, or “in the know.”
- Triggers: Tie events to regular habits or seasonal hooks.
- Emotion: Outrageous, funny, or nostalgic content spreads fastest.
- Public: If it’s built to show, it grows.
- Practical Value: People love passing on useful hacks.
- Stories: Customers retell experiences, not discounts.
When you design nights, promos, or dishes with these in mind, you don’t just increase footfall — you build lasting buzz.
How to Put These Ideas into Action
It’s one thing to read about £50 roasts and karaoke twists. But how do you actually make these ideas work in your pub? Here’s a simple framework.
1. Pick One Idea to Start
Don’t overwhelm your punters (or your team). Choose one idea that fits your pub’s vibe.
- If you’re food-focused → the giant roast.
- If you’re music-heavy → karaoke with a twist.
- If you’re sports-led → match-day rituals.
One strong idea will drive more footfall than five half-hearted ones.
2. Launch It Loudly
Unique ideas need fanfare. Treat your promotion like a mini event:
- Post it on socials with eye-catching visuals.
- Hype it up in the pub (chalkboards, table talkers, staff banter).
- Tease it before the launch (“Something massive is coming this Sunday roast…”).
3. Make It Easy to Share
The more shareable your idea, the more powerful it becomes.
- Create a photo spot or quirky sign.
- Offer a prize for tagging your pub on socials.
- Post highlights (quiz winners, karaoke clips, giant roast snaps).
4. Track and Repeat
Not every idea will land. Some will flop. That’s fine — test, track, and repeat the winners.
- Count social shares.
- Watch booking spikes.
- Ask punters what they loved most.
The goal is to find the unique ideas that stick with your crowd.
Why Footfall Is About Stories, Not Prices
When customers tell their friends about your pub, they don’t say:
“I went to the cheapest pub in town.”
They say:
“I saw a roast the size of my head.”
“The pub dog crashed karaoke.”
“We finally made the Winners’ Wall.”
That’s the difference. Discounts get forgotten. Stories get retold.
And the more your stories spread, the more your footfall grows.
FAQ: Increasing Pub Footfall
Q: How can I increase pub footfall without using discounts?
A: Focus on unique experiences — giant roasts, quirky quiz nights, karaoke with a twist. Discounts attract bargain hunters, but unique ideas create loyal regulars.
Q: Do events really work to boost pub attendance?
A: Yes. Events give punters a reason to choose your pub over others. Themed nights, seasonal hooks, and community challenges all drive repeat visits.
Q: What’s the cheapest way to get more customers into a pub?
A: Word of mouth. If you design experiences that punters want to share, you’ll get free promotion. Even simple tweaks like a Winners’ Wall can double engagement.
Q: Does social media really help pubs?
A: Absolutely. Posting fun, shareable content puts your pub into people’s feeds daily. Even one viral post can fill a quiet night.
Q: I don’t have time to write posts. What’s the shortcut?
A: Use SmartPubTools.net. Just type in your event or offer, and it generates pub-ready posts in seconds.
The Landlord’s Shortcut
Let’s be honest: not every pub owner has hours to spend writing witty social posts. That’s where SmartPubTools helps.
- Type in: “Karaoke Thursday, £25 bar tab prize.”
- The AI instantly creates:
- A cheeky Facebook post.
- An Instagram caption with emojis + hashtags.
- Even a reel script.
It’s marketing designed for pubs, by pubs. And it saves you hours every week.
👉 Try it here: SmartPubTools.net
Final Pour
Footfall doesn’t come from being the cheapest. It comes from being the most memorable.
So forget the endless discounts. Instead, create stories punters can’t wait to retell. From giant roasts to bad karaoke, the pubs that win are the ones that give locals something worth sharing.
🍻 Want more pub marketing strategies? Check out our blog: SmartPubTools Blog
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