A recent study by Valassis, a leader in intelligent media delivery, found that coupons and promotions are highly impactful in driving restaurant traffic and customer engagement.

According to the Valassis Coupon Intelligence Study, when choosing a restaurant, 32 percent are most motivated to select a location based on “price offers.” In addition, coupons and “value menus” have equal influence (29 percent each), reflecting the importance of tangible deals on driving dining out decisions. Also, 48 percent of employed survey respondents said they would visit a restaurant close to or on their way to work more often if they received coupons.

Restaurants can take advantage of these coupon-​seeking diners by targeting Heavy Daily Deal Purchasers. The most recent AudienceSCAN survey found 5.5% of adults purchased at least four daily deals (like Groupon or Living Social) during the past 6 months.

If restaurateurs and marketers aren’t tuned in to these types of insights, they are missing out on a sizable opportunity and may be underestimating the importance of engaging consumers with relevant messages.

Restaurants can promote their upcoming local events through daily deal campaigns. The AudienceSCAN study revealed 26.7% of Heavy Daily Deal Purchasers plan on participating in upcoming "restaurant weeks," and 30.9% visited a winery or vineyard.

“Consumers expect ready access to deals at home, work and on the go as they look for ways to save money and make dining out affordable,” said Curtis Tingle, chief marketing officer, Valassis. “The right deal, at the right time can activate a consumer who may not have been considering a restaurant otherwise, demonstrating the need to offer value at these influential moments along the path to purchase.”

Restaurants can consider promoting their catering services through daily deals too. According to AudienceSCAN data, 5.7% of Heavy Daily Deal Purchasers intend to pay for catering services this year.

Additional key restaurant findings from the Valassis Coupon Intelligence Study include:

• 45 percent of dads surveyed said they are most motivated by coupons when selecting a restaurant
• 42 percent of respondents search the internet/​savings apps for restaurant coupons
• 15 percent of consumers said paper coupons received at home are the main influence for buying a menu item they normally wouldn’t
• 11 percent said mobile discounts received at the restaurant are the main influence on this decision

AudienceSCAN data is available as part of a subscription to AdMall for Agencies, or with the SalesFuel API. Media companies can access AudienceSCAN data through the AudienceSCAN Reports in AdMall.