If you run a bar, would you raise or drop the cost of your cover/drinks on Saint Patrick’s Day?

Raising the prices is a perfectly sensible business decision since chances are, your bar would be overwhelmed with customers cherishing one of the few (and possibly the only) drinking festivities. People will be drinking beer faster than the keg can flow, and you’ll probably be making twice what you make on an average night. Good business decision right?

Let’s look at this the other way around. What if you consider Saint Patrick’s Day to be an opportunity to not make money, but serve more new customers? It’s the perfect opportunity to grow your customer base. Instead of overcharging everyone for drinks, which everyone expects, surprise them by having good specials and bringing in the best DJ in town. Make your bar the cheap and happening place on St. Patrick’s Day, and you will be sure to have converted some new comers into regular patrons. Sure you won’t make as much money on that day, but you just increased your income for the rest of the year.

Sometimes the best business decisions aren’t measured by the most obvious parameters or aren’t measurable at all, but don’t try to make money, try to make customers and the money will follow.