Late last year, the management team at Three Roads Brewing, which operates taprooms in Farmville and Lynchburg, Va., considered the McDonald’s McValue Menu. It delivered dependable daily deals, such as crispy chicken sandwiches and double cheeseburgers for around $3 each. Why not create a similar value-driven beer menu for Three Roads?
During December’s holiday season, Three Roads introduced the “Mile Marker 5” value menu offering pints of four different beers, including a kölsch and light lager, for $5 every day. “It was almost like a Christmas present,” says Jullian Corbett, the taproom manager in Farmville, about 70 miles southwest of Richmond. “We know times are tough, and we wanted people to be able to go out and buy gifts and still be able to relax with a cold beer.”
The Mile Marker 5 menu has become a taproom staple, drawing customers who are now sticking around for several hours to sip three or four beers, instead of just one or two that might cost $6 to $7. “We’re seeing the benefits of having an everyday value for people,” Corbett says. “You can still enjoy a night out in this economy.”…