Einstein Bros. and Soft Openings

Today an Einstein Bros. Bagels is opening on the campus of the university where I work. Since most of the students will not arrive until this weekend (Monday is the first day of classes for the spring), the store has three solid days to practice their craft before their biggest customers arrive.

Thus, this Einstein Bros. location will enjoy an abbreviated "soft opening."

On this, their first day of their "soft opening," the store will not be selling food. Instead, they are giving it away.

The store has been distributing a limited number of vouchers for free samples. Each voucher lists a particular food item and a time of day during which the customer may receive the food item. (Mine says, "Bagel Dog & Choice of Blended or Coffee Beverage, 12:30-12:50") Customers may choose from a selection of 10-12 vouchers, and return to the store at the specified time to pick up the specified item.

This seems like a great idea for our new Einstein Bros. store for several reasons:

1. It gives the new employees a chance to practice, without wasting any food. And even if the trainees don't get a food item exactly right, they (hopefully) will not anger or alienate their customers, since the customers understand that these employees are still in training.


2. It builds excitement for the store, as customers get to taste a sample of the food and drinks that Einstein Bros. has to offer. And even for customers who arrive too late to receive a voucher, the anticipation builds as they await their opportunity to purchase something from Einstein Bros. and taste for themselves.


3. It starts a cycle of reciprocity, that principle discussed by Robert Cialdini that states that people tend to return favors. Giving away free samples helps to build goodwill for a business; when customers get free samples, they often feel compelled to support that business later.

And so, unless the employees drastically mess up the food today and create a huge fiasco of customer fury, today's soft opening seems like a great opportunity for Einstein Bros.

I could, however, imagine a situation in which a strategy like this would not work for a particular restaurant. If the food items are especially difficult to prepare and master, then loudly publicizing the distribution of free food could be risky. If a huge number of customers hear about the opening and then receive free food that is not fit to eat, the restaurant could be stuck with a bad reputation that proves impossible to overcome. A restaurant in that situation may want to open more quietly.