What is a promo code?

A promo code is a tool you as a restaurant or café owner can use to give your guests targeted offers or discounts, managed electronically through your POS system. The code is usually a combination of numbers and letters given to guests as part of a campaign – for example through newsletters, social media, text messages or partners.

When a guest gives the promo code – either online or when paying in the restaurant – your POS system automatically applies the discount or benefit linked to the code. It can be anything from 10% off food, a free coffee with brunch or an offer that only applies on certain days of the week or at certain times.

An example from a restaurant

You run a café in the city centre and want more visitors on weekday evenings. You create a campaign with the code “HVERDAG20”, which gives guests 20% off the whole bill if they visit the café Monday to Thursday after 5 pm. You send the code in your newsletter and share it on social media. When a guest gives the code at payment, the system deducts the discount automatically – and you can analyse how many people used the offer.

Why is it important to know the term?

Promo codes are a modern and effective way to attract guests and keep loyal customers. They are easy to manage in a digital POS system, and at the same time you get valuable insight into which offers work. With promo codes you get:

– An overview of which marketing campaigns perform best.

– The option to segment your guests and tailor offers.

– An easy and professional way to give discounts without manual work.

In other words, promo codes create a direct link between marketing and actual sales – and give you the tools to measure the effect.

How are promo codes used in Flexybox?

In the Flexybox POS and booking system you can create unique promo codes for both marketing and retargeting. You can set rules for when and how the codes may be used – for example which products they apply to, times, customer groups and much more. Flexybox also records the use of the codes, so you can analyse which campaigns work best. The codes can be used both for online bookings and for in-person payments at the till.

Together with other tools such as Discounts and Vouchers, promo codes can be part of an overall sales strategy that maximises both revenue and guest satisfaction.

Frequently asked questions

You can create a promo code yourself in your POS system – such as Flexybox – and define rules for use, validity period and discount type. You then distribute the code to your guests by email, social media or flyers.

No, in most POS systems each code is linked to one specific value or benefit. You can, however, create several codes for different purposes or segments.

In Flexybox you can control who the code applies to, how many times it can be used and within which period. That way you prevent misuse and keep full control.

No. Promo codes often activate discounts, but discounts and vouchers can also be created without codes. Read more about the differences here:

– Discounts

– Vouchers