Customer Success Story: Lola's Cafe

The F&B landscape in Singapore is one of the toughest in Asia. With rental costs climbing, manpower shortages, and endless competition, café and restaurant owners need smarter ways to stay ahead. One tool that’s simple, effective, and affordable? Promo codes. Promo codes aren’t just about slashing prices. Used strategically, they help you attract customers, build loyalty, boost sales during quiet hours, and even measure marketing success. Here’s how you can put promo codes to work for your outlet. Attract New Customers with Welcome Offers Customers love deals, and nothing nudges a first-time diner more than a welcome discount. Example: “WELCOME20 – Get 20% Off Your First Visit.” Benefit: This lowers the barrier of entry and encourages people to try your food. For new F&B startups, this is one of the fastest ways to build awareness and trial, especially when combined with social media ads. Turn One-Time Visitors into Regulars Promo codes linked to repeat visits create a habit loop. By rewarding diners who come back, you encourage long-term loyalty. Example: “LOYALTY10 – Get $10 Off Your 3rd Visit.” Benefit: Keeps customers engaged, driving higher lifetime value. Pair this with CRM integration to personalize rewards. For instance, give frequent diners extra perks on birthdays or anniversaries. Keep Seats Full During Off-Peak Hours Every F&B outlet has dead hours. Why let tables sit empty when promo codes can fill them? Example: “TEATIME15 – 15% Off Between 3–5 PM.” Benefit: Smooths out demand across the day, improving overall profitability. This helps maximize your rental dollars — since you’re paying for the space 24/7, why not make it work harder for you? Strengthen Delivery & Online Orders Online orders are now a must-have revenue stream. Promo codes can help shift traffic away from costly delivery platforms and onto your own channels. Example: “DIRECT5 – Save $5 When Ordering from Our Website.” Benefit: Customers enjoy savings, while you avoid high commissions. When linked with your POS, these orders integrate seamlessly into your operations, improving efficiency. Track Campaign Effectiveness with Ease Traditional promotions are hard to measure. Promo codes solve this by being fully trackable. Benefit: You’ll know which codes drove traffic, which boosted sales, and which platforms brought in customers. Impact: Marketing decisions become data-driven, reducing wasted spend. For small outlets with limited budgets, this ensures you invest only in what works. Amplify Reach with Influencer Partnerships Food influencers are powerful in Singapore’s dining scene. Promo codes make influencer campaigns more effective by giving them something tangible to share with their followers. Example: “Use Code ALEXEATS for 10% Off” shared by an Instagram food blogger. Benefit: Increases trust and traceability. You’ll know exactly how many diners came because of that influencer. This makes influencer marketing less about vanity metrics and more about measurable sales. Final Thoughts: Smarter Marketing with Promo Codes Promo codes are no longer just a gimmick. For F&B businesses, they are a practical, data-driven way to boost customer traffic, encourage repeat visits, and measure ROI. With the right F&B POS system , managing promo codes is seamless — from creating campaigns to tracking results across outlets. In a competitive market like Singapore, promo codes can give your business the edge it needs. If you are interested in getting a CRM to manage your promo codes, a POS systems, QR ordering, online ordering, self ordering kiosks, click here to enquire more.

Starting an F&B business in Singapore is exciting—but also incredibly challenging. One of the biggest hurdles? High rental costs. For café owners, hawkerpreneurs, or restaurant founders, rent can easily swallow a significant chunk of your monthly revenue. But here’s the upside: technology offers powerful tools to help you offset high operating costs while keeping your service quality high. If you’re an F&B startup wondering how to survive (and thrive) in Singapore’s competitive food scene, here are proven ways to leverage tech to fight rental pressures. 1. Choose a Strategic Location, Focus on Marketing Instead of splurging on prime locations with sky-high rents, consider a more affordable spot and reinvest your savings into marketing efforts. Lower overheads free up cash flow for advertising campaigns. Boost visibility through social media, Google ads, and collaborations with food influencers. Leverage food delivery platforms as a marketing tool—offer first-time order discounts and bundle deals to win new customers. 2. Reduce Manpower Costs with Self-Ordering Tech Manpower shortages and rising wages add extra strain to your finances. Self-ordering kiosks and QR ordering systems can: Let customers order and pay on their own Cut queues and speed up table turnover Reduce human errors in orders Allow you to run with fewer staff while maintaining fast service 3. Use Inventory Management Software to Cut Waste Food waste is silent profit leakage. By using POS-integrated inventory tools, you can: Predict demand based on sales history Order just the right amount of stock Keep storage space lean and organised 4. Boost Off-Peak Sales with Smart Pricing Don’t let your restaurant sit empty outside peak hours. Implement yield management by: Offering time-limited discounts between lunch and dinner Running loyalty rewards for off-peak visits Sending push notifications with flash deals 5. Invest in an Integrated POS System A modern POS isn’t just a cash register—it’s your command centre. Look for one that integrates with: Inventory tracking CRM loyalty programs Delivery platforms Real-time sales reporting This lets you make data-driven decisions while running leaner operations. Rental in Singapore will likely stay high for now but by adopting the right tech stack, you can operate efficiently, save costs, and keep customers coming back. Looking for F&B solutions such as an F&B POS system, QR ordering, online ordering, self ordering kiosk for your F&B business? Click here to find out more