Event Strategy Guide

What Makes an Offline Event Work?

Dive into the three pillars that help us co-create successfull experiences for our 10,000+ paying Members and 550+ restaurant partners.

Setting a High Bar

Offline isn't a place where restaurants simply list events. Instead, each month we co-create a tiny number of events and heavily feature them to our paying Members, our entire free email list, and our social followers.

When you throw an Offline event, you're not just creating a night at your business. You're creating the night our Members choose over everything else happening in their city. That's a high bar—but when we hit it, the results are powerful.

Every Offline event is built on three core pillars

1

Exclusivity — make it feel like something special

Members want to feel like they're part of something that's just for them. That doesn't mean shutting down your business for the night—but it does mean carving out some kind of VIP experience.

Here are a few ways we help restaurants do that:

Reserving part of the space for Members (with signage, check-in, and a designated flow)
Giving Members early access to a public event (30–60 min before doors open)
Hosting the event on a closed or slower night with a Members-only crowd

Important: If there's zero separation from regular traffic, the event won't feel special—and that means it won't perform.

2

The Give — offer something worth planning around

Our Members aren’t just browsing—they’re deciding what one thing is worth doing that night. That means your event isn’t competing with a slow Tuesday—it’s competing with every other dinner plan, concert, or Offline restaurant in the city. To earn an RSVP, the experience needs to feel like a no-brainer. The “give” is what tips the scale. It’s your way of saying: this is worth it.

These are the formats we've proven work:

1 free drink + 50% off food — a sweet spot for Members and restaurants alike
2 free drinks + food for purchase — great for bars or craft cocktail spots
Two drink tickets — works well if you have food for purchase, or no food at all
One complimentary menu item — killer format for fast-casual spots where that item is the focus (e.g. a bowl, sandwich, or entrée-sized item). No-go for dine-in restaurants offering an appetizer.
Open bar — a big swing, but nothing drives buzz like it when you want the place packed
Ticketed classes — works well if your goal is cost coverage over volume, as long as the ticket price delivers serious value (think: "no-brainer" pricing)

Weak incentives (like 10% off, a free dessert, etc.) simply don't drive turnout. The Give is your investment in the event—and it's what unlocks all of the promotion and reach we deliver on our side.

3

Uniqueness — the "you had to be there" moment

The most successful events offer something Members can't get on any other night. It doesn't have to be over-the-top—it just has to feel fresh.

Some examples we've seen work:

A DJ or live music to elevate the vibe
A one-night-only menu
A meet-the-owner moment or kitchen walkthrough
A creative twist (menu tasting, interactive games, replicate a successful event you run for non-Offline customers etc.)

If you're integrating Offline into an existing, unique event then you probably have the uniqueness pillar already covered.

Why This Matters

We only feature a handful of events at a time—that's why each event has to feel like something people choose, not just something they stumble into. Every one of them gets:

Email Reach

A dedicated email to 200,000+ subscribers

App Placement

Featured placement in the Offline app

Social Push

A social push to 1M+ Instagram followers

Remember, we don't charge you a dime

The cost to participate is the experience you offer to our Members. In return, we handle all RSVPs, all promotion, and bring a crowd that's excited to show up, spend money, and spread the word.

Ready to implement these strategies?

Let's create an event that hits all three pillars and makes your restaurant the talk of the town.

1

21-day avg launch

2

48hr fastest

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No cost to you