DALLAS Maggiano’s Little Italy will encourage customers to take home leftovers in August when it expands its two-for-one entree promotion to all of its 44 units.
The “Today & Tomorrow” deal allows customers to choose two entrees for the price of one: one dish to eat at the restaurant and another that is packaged and ready to go by the end of their meal. Menu items eligible for the promotion include Mom’s Lasagna, Rigatoni "D," Baked Ziti & Sausage, Chicken Pesto Linguine, Four Cheese Ravioli, Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, and Gnocchi with Tomato Vodka Sauce.
Maggiano’s, a division of Dallas-based Brinker International Inc., began testing the promotion in seven of its stores in June. Results from the test markets were positive, with new customers coming in to try Maggaino’s, the company reported Tuesday.
Maggiano’s officials acknowledged that the two-for-one offering, a first for the upscale casual-dining chain, is a response to the decline in customer traffic the industry is experiencing in today’s difficult economy.
“Some say the recession is causing a new generation of Americans to eat a dish they’ve never eaten before: the leftover,” said Steve Provost, senior vice president of marketing and brand strategy for Maggiano’s. “No one who eats at Maggiano’s has ever gone home hunger, and ‘Today & Tomorrow’ builds on our brand equity -- you pay just once, but you stretch your dollar with two delicious meals.”
Maggiano’s is promoting the offer, which runs through October, via direct mail and such online sources as Twitter.com and Facebook.com.
Contact Dina Berta at [email protected].