Here's how you set it up:
1. Do not write them, make a phone call or stop by in person to speak with them. Remember they are restaurants, so don't arrive during their busy times.
2. Compliment the restaurant food, service, etc.
3. Try to negotiate for more than their standard percentage. We always end of getting them to give us 6-10 free dinner coupons to use as gifts, in our auction, etc.
4. Promise some promotion. Offer to hang their banner the day of the lunch/dinner event. Put them in your newsletter.
5. Make sure you ask them to design and print your flyer to send home to parents. You would be surprised how many restaurants will do this for you.
6. Promote the event well.
7. Make sure you introduce the principal to the restaurant manager and thank them for everything.
8. Thank the manager and as many of the staff as you can before you leave.
9. Send a thank you note to the staff AND manager. Two separate thank you's go a long way.
Our school does McDonald's nights--not sure if it's in all areas but we do one night a month from 5-7 pm and we get 10% of the sales for that time--no matter who comes in, it's very easy with minimal time put into it. you just have to count the receipts at the end of the night and then turn them in either once or twice a year! Check with your local McDonalds. We made $1000.00 last year with very little effort and you jsut have to have one person there at the beginning and one at the end of the fundraiser. I know some palces require you to work for them which ours does not require but we have. Check with the manager of a restaurant close to your school! Good luck!
we have done pizza hut. i know you just talk to the manager and set it up. we sent home a coupon with the kids. i know we never made a great deal of money either. Pizza hut always would set us up for a monday or tuesday night and would not let anyone do a friday or saturday night where we could have made alot of money. i think they are too busy to have parents in their way on really busy nights.
Many different places do them (Chuck E Cheese, Pizza Hut, Pizzeria Uno's, Friendly's...etc) It depends on where you live and what eateries you have nearby. You should call all the places you would be interested in and speak to the manager to find out if they do a fundraising night and if so what their policies are. Some restaurants offer multiple days, Some run all day and night on your day, some run a few hours on a certain day, and some offer different percentages. After you get the info and decide where you want to hold it book your date.
Some establishments have fliers you can hand out or you just make up your own noting the time and place and any other info they need to know.
If you go with a place that offers the fundraiser all day and night a good suggestion is to run it on a day when the kids have a half day. We always do one at Pizzeria Uno on a half day and many moms take the kids there for lunch because of the half day. Many parents take their kids out to lunch on half days so instead of going to the usual McDonald's or Burger King they will take them to your fundraiser instead.
These restaurant nights will typically not make you a windfall of money as the percentage you get is usually 10%, 15%, or 20%. We normally take in $200-$300. However, they are no brainer fundraisers with very little work on your part and an easy way to make a little money.
We have done fundraier nights with CiCi's pizza (you just call and talk to the manager) and Chuck E Cheese (you request this online or by 800#) and McDonald's (call local stores). Our families seem to enjoy CiCi's because it is very inexpensive, staff like Chuck E Cheese because they eat free, and kids seem to like McDonald's because the staff "work" at the store. I'm not sure anyone is better than another. Some offer higher percentages, but when the food is expensive, less families participate. Our CiCi's night is ALWAYS really busy.
I know some restaurants in neighbooring cities do fundraiser nights that aren't done here so just call and see what each business offers.For example, our Subway only sells fundraiser cards but they will give us free stuff if we ask.
I really wouldn't send letters unless a company tells you they need it as they don't always get to the right people. Some people will even tell you to go into businesses because it's harder to say no face to face.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
