Trivia game programs help boost repeat traffic, check averagesTrivia game programs help boost repeat traffic, check averages

Mark Brandau

Casual-dining chains and independent bar-and-grill concepts are finding that trivia nights are not exactly trivial.


Whether hosted live or run on a digital network, using fancy buzzers or old-fashioned pen and paper, trivia nights help to drive traffic and foster friendly competition — often resulting in diners lingering a little while longer at the restaurant, operators say.


Answering a need


For more than a year, Hooters has tried to drive traffic with a digital trivia platform guests can play using the Playmaker handheld device. Popular titles include the “Countdown” game for general trivia, “Sports IQ” and fan favorite “Are You Smarter Than a Hooters Girl?”


“We feel like it’s helped with frequency,” said Diana Switzer, div...