The company is hoping to appeal to a broader, younger audience via the campaign. The promotion is currently running in many McCormick & Schmick’s locations.

“The strategy is to diversify our guest communication channels and reach a broader guest base, including a younger demographic, through Foursquare,” said Jenny Storer, social media specialist at McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants, Portland, OR.

“We consider our bars a great introduction to our brand and believe that with an extra incentive to test-drive McCormick & Schmick’s, we will eventually create loyal guests that we can convert to the dining room,” she said.

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants focus on serving a broad selection of fresh seafood, as well as aged steaks, poultry, entrée salads and pasta.

Check-in here
Guests who check-in to any of its restaurant’s locations nationwide during happy hour can receive a free bar food menu item with any beverage purchase – excluding a cheeseburger.

In addition, the mayor of each restaurant location – a title awarded to the guest with most check-ins over the last 60 days – will receive one complementary dinner entrée with the purchase of another entrée.

“Foursquare’s growth rate has really impressed us, and it fits well with our brand image,” Ms. Storer said. “We originally tested a Foursquare offering in three locations and then rolled it out to several more, and we’ve been pleased with what we’ve seen so far.

“In the future, we would be open to testing other location-based-services,” she said.

Mobile promotions
McCormick and Schmick’s is getting the word out about the promotion via its Twitter and Facebook page.

Additionally, to encourage sharing of Foursquare check-in activity across guests’ social networks, the company will be randomly awarding $20 dining certificates to up to five individuals per month who share their check in on Twitter.

“We’ve been establishing a presence across different social media platforms for over a year now, including Facebook, Twitter, Yelp and others, so we’ll rely heavily on those in addition to more traditional media relations efforts,” Ms. Storer said.

Final Take