Filling Dead Hours: Auto Dynamic Discounts From 3PM to 5PM

Internal data from a 60-seat cafe in Istanbul Beşiktaş: afternoon table occupancy between 3PM and 5PM was only 23%. The same cafe automated Eatigo's pioneer off-peak 25% discount model through thMenu — within three months occupancy climbed to 58%. Average check dropped 22%, but because the number of seated tables increased 2.5x, net revenue went +18%. This guide walks through how it was set up and which pitfalls to avoid.

The Logic Behind Dynamic Pricing

Off-peak pricing is textbook economics: a marginal customer beats zero revenue. An empty table between 3-5PM still costs rent, electricity, and staff wages — but produces nothing. Applying a 25% discount to these hours draws the customer base that is price-sensitive (students, remote workers, retirees) without cannibalizing the post-work crowd that arrives at 7PM and pays full price.

The way to do this in thMenu is category-level promotion: mark all "Beverages" and "Desserts" categories with a 25% off flag at 3PM, revert at 5PM. Main dishes stay full price — protecting the high-margin core.

Automation With Cron Jobs

Manual toggling breeds forgotten promotions. Cron automation is mandatory. On thMenu Pro+ you create a time-windowed campaign from the Campaigns module:

• Campaign type: Category discount, target: Beverages + Desserts
• Time window: 15:00-17:00 local, Monday-Friday
• Discount rate: 25%, auto-price reflection on

The system automatically adds a "Happy Hour" badge to each product card; customers see the discounted price the moment they open the menu. Cron flips the campaign off at 17:00:01 and prices revert.

Looking at the Data: Beşiktaş Cafe Case

Month one was conservative: only desserts at 20% off. Occupancy went from 23% to 34%, average check unchanged. Month two added beverages at 25%: occupancy hit 51%, check -18%. Month three a 240 TL/day social ad campaign labeled "Beşiktaş Happy Hour" launched: occupancy 58%, check -22%.

The key insight: 41% of discount-hour visitors returned within a week during full-price hours. Off-peak pricing functioned as a low-cost customer acquisition tool.

FAQ

Should I discount low-margin items? No. Discount items with 60%+ margins like drinks/desserts/coffee; keep 35%-margin entrees like pizza or burgers at full price.

Will I cannibalize full-price hours? Data says no — the 5-7PM customer profile is different. Still, track revenue per seat daily for the first 30 days and dial discount down to 15% if you see drops.

Should I run it on weekends? Saturday-Sunday 3-5PM is usually already busy. Run it only Monday-Thursday; Friday is risky because "pre-evening" traffic starts early.

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