Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar has launched a subscription service with an appetizing pitch: Enrollees get back as much as three times what they pay in.
It’s called the Lazy Dog Campfire Club, in keeping with the chain’s Rocky Mountain theme, and it works a little differently from other restaurant chains’ memberships.
A customer signs up to pay $5 a month and then gets one free item a month worth up to $15. The item can be a starter, a dessert or a TV Dinner, one of the chain’s heat-and-serve entrées.
In addition, subscribers get a 10% discount on takeout orders made online, priority seating and surprise benefits, according to a news release from the Costa Mesa-based chain.
There’s also a welcoming perk of a free appetizer on sign-up.
“If you come in every three months, it pays for itself,” said Chris Simms, founder and chief executive officer. “We wanted it to be a really great value, especially now with a little bit more cautious consumer.”
Most restaurant memberships are free and have a points-based rewards system. As customers spend money they accumulate points that can then be redeemed for free food, beverages or merchandise.
Subscriptions are less common. They usually require prepayment that gives customers a noticeable discount. Taco Bell offered a limited-time Taco Lover’s Pass in 2022 that for $10 gave subscribers a taco a day for 30 days. Panera Bread’s Unlimited Sip Club costs $14.99 a month and includes hot and iced coffees, teas and fountain drinks.
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Restaurant subscriptions provide a predictable revenue stream and nurture loyalty, according to Craver, a platform to help restaurants connect with their customers.
Lazy Dog is a casual restaurant with a focus on sourced ingredients. The menu is long and eclectic with comfort food items such as bison meatloaf and apple huckleberry pie.
Seasonal menu items are added in spring and fall. Recent additions include Firecracker Shrimp and Grilled Idaho Trout.
Initially response to the Campfire Club was encouraging, said Simms, among first-time guests as well as frequent customers.
“Ideally what we really want to do is connect more deeply with our guests,” he said.
“We’re building a community of people that we want to bring together and make this their place.”
Information: lazydogrestaurants.com
