DRINK CULTURE
InstantNightlife Helps Operators Fill Clubs
Deal sites like Groupon and LivingSocial, that offer
on-premise discounts, have exploded over the past year. But since customers typically have several months to a year to redeem a deal, it doesn’t necessarily help operators who have an immediate need to fi ll their bar or club on slow nights. Enter InstantNightlife, a free Boston-based app for
the iPhone and Android that lets operators offer real time deals and post information on wait times, gender ratios and more, luring in customers within a few hours instead of weeks or months. A.J. DeRosa, general manager of Umbria Club Prime
in Boston, Mass., says he and his team have used the application to offer free admission before a certain time, since the club doesn’t serve food and Massachusetts liquor laws prohibit offering discounted drinks. However, DeRosa says, “The biggest advantage of
the application from a general manager’s perspective is that you can track the logistics of your club as well as your competitors. It gives us a better sense of what promotions and nights are working for our venue.” DeRosa and his promoters try to update their postings
about every half hour or more often when the vibe changes quickly. “Umbria is one of those places where when it’s packed, people want to be there,” he says. “It snow balls and we wind up with a line out the door.” InstantNightlife plans to expand to other cities next —Susan Johnston
year.
The Umbria Prime Club in Boston has used the InstantNightlife app to bring in guests. Here are two screen shots from the Iphone and Android versions of the application.
Please Turn Cell
Phones On Brennan’s of Houston is hosting a dinner
where Smartphones will be required, instead of shunned. T e restaurant has partnered with a 2D barcode technology company, Cellar Key, to host the interactive dinner that features wines from Oregon’s Argyle Winery. Chef Danny Trace of Brennan’s is pairing wines with a fi ve-course meal, priced at $90 per person, and each bottle contains a unique barcode that when scanned, provides additional pairings, winery videos, reviews and other information. Using the barcodes, guests can also share information with their network of friends through social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.
8 | APRIL 2011 www.cheersonline.com
