4food, a hamburger shop in Manhattan, encourages customers to mix and match ingredients, add their creations to the menu, then share them with friends on social networks like Facebook and Twitter. The incentive? If someone orders your dish, you get a 25-cent credit.
In the store, you can be guided by a staffer, or use an in-store iPad to build your burger. There’s free Wi-Fi customers can use while eating to create additional menu items online. There is also a large LED monitor that displays Foursquare check-ins and tweets.
Adam Kidron, the creator of 4food, said the benefits of their social networking presence go both ways. Offering in-store credit and giving away food to Facebook and Twitter followers creates loyal customers. News of the restaurant went viral even before the grand opening. So far, the brand has more than 3,000 followers and fans on Facebook and Twitter combined, without spending any money on advertising.
“If a customer sells one burger, that’s money we can put into ingredients, making a better burger and keeping the price down,” Kidron told the Associated Press.
What do you think? Would you build your own burger & promote it to your friends?
