The Client: Bistrot Margot, a French bistro located in the heart of
Chicago’s historic Old Town neighborhood and owned by Chef Joe Doppes, opened in 1999 to great success as a result of its traditional French menu, dynamic weekend brunch, and canine-friendly outdoor patio. Renowned for its Prince Edward Island mussels and relaxed atmosphere, Bistrot Margot soon earned three stars from the Chicago Tribune’s restaurant critic Phil Vettel.

The Challenge: Though Bistrot Margot had a healthy number of loyal patrons, general manager Leah Allen wanted to bring in new customers, particularly younger diners. After profits lowered in the winter of 2009 and traditional advertising efforts left Leah frustrated with both costs and lack of returns, she turned to Groupon to help her better reach her target market.

The Deal: For $20, Groupon’s Chicago subscribers received $40 worth of traditional French dining- including mussels, steak frites, and duck confit.

The Results: Leah expected to sell roughly 2,500 Groupons, but was delighted to sell a total of 5,394—282 of which were redeemed in the first week. Since the feature, Bistro Margot has seen an 85% redemption rate, with 70% of the total redemptions coming from new customers. In addition, Leah estimates that 75% of all Groupon customers spent at least $20 more than the value of the Groupon, thus making the last week of the offer the highest grossing week in the history of the restaurant. Leah largely credits Groupon for more than doubling Bistrot Margot’s sales, and allowing her to keep her staff employed year-round to meet demand. Leah and her team were so thrilled with Groupon that they decided to run a second feature, which sold just shy of 3,000 Groupons.

The Proof:

• Highest grossing week in restaurant history
• 60% increase in sales during the first six months of the feature
• 282 Groupons redeemed in the first week
• 70% of redemptions came from new customers