Bouldin Acres generated $85k in additional revenue with the help from Union's Rewards Program
VENUE SPOTLIGHT
Venue type
- Restaurant & Drinkery
Location
- Austin, TX
POSTED
- November 16th, 2023
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Honoring the legacy of a historic Austin community, Bouldin Acres stands as a vibrant restaurant and drinkery, offering a spirited take on dining, entertainment, and hospitality. Embracing the essence of the Texas outdoors, its expansive open-air venue boasts amenities such as giant TV screens, a live concert stage, and even pickleball courts for rent. While the vast space accommodates a sizable crowd, efficiently serving guests across this large area posed a serious challenge.
The introduction of Union’s Guest-Led Ordering service model, where customers use their personal smartphones to order and pay, led Bouldin Acres to reevaluate its traditional way of thinking. This shift empowers customers to order at their convenience, eliminating guest wait times and ensuring drinks are delivered 80% quicker than traditional service models. The change, though requiring a shift in thinking, has paid off, resonating positively with guests, staff, and owners. Jason Gonzales, managing partner at Bouldin Acres explains “we can now service more customers at once, without anyone having to wait.” For them, drinks that used to take 5-7 minutes to serve, now come out in under a minute.
"With Union's Guest-Led Ordering service model, our venue has been able to nearly double what we thought was our busiest night."
Union’s complimentary program has been a game changer for Bouldin Acres
The real unlock for Bouldin Acres came when they learned about Union’s Rewards program, a free feature that is included in every Guest-Led service model. To help incentivize an increase in guest spending and satisfaction, Union will reward customers who use the app to open a tab or order. Sometimes, these rewards come in the form of credit off the customers tab, which is fully funded by Union. When guests are rewarded for purchasing a cocktail, they spend more and leave happier. In fact, the average check with a Union funded reward is 74% higher than those without.
Jason Gonzales quickly adopted Union’s Rewards program into his business strategy after noticing the increase in sales whenever a guest was rewarded by Union for purchasing a cocktail. Being in the industry for over 23 years, Jason understood the potential this could mean for their business, and developed a strategy to harness it.
“The first thing we do is make sure as many people as possible are using the app to either open a tab or order. If they aren't, then they can't get rewarded."
Jason understood that rewards are only offered through the Union app, and therefore aimed to encourage as many guests as possible to use it to open their tabs or order. He recognized that the more guests who are rewarded by Union, the more revenue Bouldin Acres makes. How did his strategy work? We’ll let the numbers below speak for themselves.
The Bould'n Boozy
There is no better example of Jason’s strategy in action than with their crowd favorite cocktail, the Bould’n Boozy. This signature cocktail consists of spicy tequila combined with lime juice, agave, mint, and a chili salt rim. As delicious as it was, the real kicker came when Jason was told that for a period of time, Union was rewarding guests with credit off their tabs for purchasing it. He and his staff began encouraging guests to try out the delicious cocktail through the Union app.
Through the months of January and February, 1,800 checks, representing 15% of all total checks, included at least one Bouldin Boozy on it. Of those checks, customers had an average spending increase of 34%. In a span of two months, Union’s complimentary program that rewarded customers for trying a cocktail resulted in over $25,000 in additional revenue.
Bouldin Acres continues to utilize the Rewards program, understanding that when guests are rewarded for purchasing a cocktail, they spend more and leave happier. Year to date, the average check size with a reward on it has been 33% higher than those without, contributing to an extra $85,000 in revenue. During that time, about 50% of all checks have gone through the Union app, emphasizing the success of Jason’s strategy.
“When the owners and managers start seeing the numbers, it really changes your mindset on how this program can be beneficial to everyone.”
The crucial role that staff play and the benefits they see
Jason also recognizes the importance that staff have in Union’s Rewards program. As rewards are only given through the Union app, those customers that prefer a more traditional server or bartender to place their order, might miss out on this benefit. However, if staff are aware of what is being rewarded, then they have the ability to reach customers that might not otherwise know.
“It’s very important that we keep our staff updated on what new cocktails are being rewarded, that way they can speak to it too.”
The staff at Bouldin Acres see the difference. On average, tip percentage for a check with a reward is around 24%. That means the additional $85,000 that was brought in through the Rewards program resulted in over $20,000 more in tips for their staff. It’s no surprise that Bouldin Acres had to establish a waitlist for individuals eager to join their team.
In the pursuit of success and growth, Bouldin Acres goes beyond serving guests – they craft unforgettable experiences. Fueled by the revenue boost from Union’s Rewards program, they recently unveiled a new location just north of Austin this past September, with plans for more in the near future. Their vision? To be a household name nationwide, and their partnership with Union is helping turn that dream into reality.
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