Apr 10, 2009

It’s raining freebies at restaurantsBy Joe Guy CollierAJC.com

Got a sweet tooth for an afternoon treat, a hankering for barbecue ribs or a craving for caffeine?

In the next few weeks, metro Atlanta consumers can get a tasting of all of these for free, or almost free, as restaurant chains start a fresh round of giveaways.

On Wednesday, tax day deadline, Cinnabon will give away its Classic Bites, and MaggieMoo’s will offer a free scoop of ice cream.

Seattle’s Best Coffee, celebrating its 39th anniversary, is running a host of April promotions, including a free coffee for anyone 39 years old. On May 16, Shane’s Rib Shack will give a half-rack of ribs, Coke Zero and T-shirt to the first 100 people in line.

Giveaways can be an effective way to get people to try your products, particularly in a down economy, said Ken Bernhardt, regents’ professor of marketing at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business.

“If you have limited resources, you’re going to tend to focus on those things you know and like rather than take a risk on something new,” Bernhardt said. “The best way to overcome that is to give it away.”

A giveaway also can be a better strategy than a price discount because it’s seen as a special trial event, he said.

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