Aloha "Price Change" & Happy Hour Problem

[xayk]

Hey now,

I've run in to something of a problem. Right now, I launch a happy hour 'New Price' promo on selected items. The problem, which I've come to understand is not unique, is that open checks with items that are on the promo also get the new price applied to them. That leaves fixing it to the discretion of the server.

I've used a Price Change in the past for happy hour, and that worked very very well, but there's a sales issue: apparently the price change doesn't account for the gross sales (which kinda makes sense), and my boss needs that accounted for.

Is there a solution I'm missing, either to account properly for the price change, or a way to launch a happy hour without applying it to open checks?

Thanks!

 

[zahead31]

xayk-

I do not believe there is a way to get the price change to account the discounted amount in gross sales. As far as the POS is concerned, the item is being sold at that new price, not being discounted.

Can you provide a specific example on you problem in your first paragraph? I am not sure I fully understand.

Cheers...

 

[xayk]

zahead31,

Thanks. It makes sense that Aloha consideres the price change the "official price". I was just hoping maybe there was a way around it...

A fine example of my problem would be: a customer waltzes in at 4:30 pm, and orders a beer @ $5.00, and starts a tab. When happy hour hits (via the New Price promo event) at 5:00 pm, he orders another beer, which is now discounted, @ $2.50. But the first beer has now been discounted to $2.50, as well. If the server/bartender is keen, he/she can delete the promo. However, not every server/bartender is keen.

My understanding is that this is simply the way a new price promo operates, but I'd like to find a way that doesn't retroactively apply the discount whilst still accounting for the gross sale.

Hope that's a tad clearer!

 

[zahead31]

I see what you are saying now. It sure would be nice if the promo could look at the time the item was ordered.

I do not have an answer of the top of my head, I will have to play around a little bit. In the meantime, my suggestion would be to have your servers/bartenders close the tabs or split checks once the happy hour hits.

 

[DTSMAN]

Don't use promos for HH and you will not have this problem. Make duplicate submenus with the items that will be offered during HH. HHBeer, HHApps, etc. Change the prices at the menu level. Create a new Menu call HHServer, HHBar, or what ever you have, set the HH submenus to that HH menu and schedule them to happen via event #7.

Bo

Kentucky phone support-
"Mash the Kentrol key and hit scape."

 

[xayk]

Bo,

That's kinda what I feared someone would say, but it's probably the only way to deal with this situation. Thanks kindly.

Would the menu-side price changes still reflect the gross sales, then?

 

[DTSMAN]

No. But you can use your Pmix to see average pricing.
The only way to have a discount not effect gross is for it to be a comp.

Bo

Kentucky phone support-
"Mash the Kentrol key and hit scape."

 

[RokStar]

I've never tried this, but here are my thoughts...

Use the Happy Hour submenus, as Bo suggested.

But on those submenus, don't use the regular items.
Use duplicate items that can be assigned to a different non-sales category. Then allow the promo to only apply to the new category items.

ie.

4:00pm, the Beer Submenu has an item called "Coors Lite"
Coors lite is in the "Beer" non-sales category.

5:00pm, the HHBeer submenu has an item on it called "HHCoorslite". HHCoorslite is in the "HHBeer" non-sales category.

Apply a promo that only affect items in the HHBeer category.

Obviously, you will now have two items, instead of one, but the $$$ should be right.

 

[renokp]

I think bo is right. We essentially do the same thing but instead of hh, we use it for sizes. Works well. Just more work.

 

[xayk]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I'll work with the accounting people and see what I can whip up that keeps them happy.

 

[awbbar]

Try this
Create an Item called hh or happy hour etc..
check boxes don't print on chit
Create a non sales category hh or ??
Put the hh item in this hh category.
You also have to put it sales category liq,beer ???
Create a modifier menu called hh or ???
set min/max both to 1 screenflow required bartender exempt etc...
Put this as the first modifier of the items you want discount.
Through events activate this item to appear on modifier menu hh.You need another event to take it off choose none
for item
In your promo make this category required.
Your previous items will not have this required category.

Try it.
Its just a thought