First we had Shooters Grill in Rifle arming its waitresses — and getting on the national news. Late last week, KUSA TV reported that Rubbin' Buttz BBQ in Milliken would be holding a "White Appreciation Day" on June 11 — and once again, the story blew up across the country. In the wake of the uproar, the restaurant owners — both of whom are Latino — have modified their plans...but the comments keep coming. Says Matthew:
It's true a business owner can do what it wants as long as it doesn't break the law. That doesn't make what they do good business. Just as they have the right to do whatever they want, other folks have the right to be offended by it and not eat there. Here's where the point lies. The point of a business is to make money, and in order to do that, you have to find ways to bring customers in to spend their money on your product or service. The logical outgrowth of this thought is that you want to serve every possible customer you can, and try not to give them a reason to spend their money at a competitor's establishment. If I were these guys, I would have thought of a promotion that gave a discount to everybody—coupons are great for this, and it's why most businesses choose to use them instead of what these guys did. Whether or not it was their intent, their stupidity is shrinking their customer base.Was this a stupid move — or a savvy ploy? What do you think about "White Appreciation Day"? About the gimmick at Shooters? What's the best restaurant marketing campaign you've seen? The worst?
