Marketing Discounts & Promotions

Overview

Marketing Discounts allows you to create custom discounts and promotions to provide eaters with deals when ordering from your restaurant’s direct online website, Otter POS, or Kiosk. 

Creating these promos and discounts help reward loyal customers and can draw eaters to order directly through your restaurant vs a third-party delivery partner. 

You can create different discounts to offer to eaters:

• Item/Category Level Discount

  A discount offered on a specific menu item or category.

• Order Level Discount

  A discount offered on the entire order total.

• Buy One Get One

  A discount offered on an item for purchasing another item (also referred to as BOGO).

Creating a Discount

When creating a discount within the Otter Dashboard, you can customize the discount by:

• Naming discount
• Choosing a discount type (fixed amount or BOGO to apply to menu items or order level discount)
• Setting dollar amount or percentage discount
• Creating a discount code or have it auto-generated for you
• Selecting date range for discount to run
• Customer eligibility

Steps to Create Discount

Follow the steps below to create a Marketing Discount.

• Step	Process	Image
  1	You can navigate to set up discounts from the Otter Dashboard select Apps > Marketing. Go to the Discounts tab.	Marketing App Discounts Tab
  2	Click [Create discount]. Select Marketing discount.  Click [Proceed].	Create Discount Marketing Discount
  3	Select the Brand and Location(s) to apply this discount to.	Brand Selection Location Selection
  4	Check next to the Channel(s) you'd like to offer the discount on.
  5	Type the customer-facing name for this discount. Type the internal-facing name for this discount (not shown to customers).
  6	Select Discount Type. Fixed Amount: A set percentage or dollar amount discounted.
  7	Select percentage or dollar amount discount. Type the fixed percent or dollar amount for the discount that will apply to eligible items or categories.	Percentage or Dollar Select Discount amount
  8	Select Specific category/item for Application.
  9	Select to apply the discount to a menu category or a menu item. Choose the menu item or category from the drop-down to apply the discount to.	Discount Applies to Item/Category Item/Category Selection
  10	Select the Priority of the discount— which item will the discount apply to in the order: Least expensive item Most expensive item
  11	Select start date (and end date, if applicable) of the discount. Check Does not expire if there is no end date.
  12	Select the day of the week and times you'd like to offer the discount. Check All day if you'd like the offer to be available all store hours on the selected days.
  13	Select if you'd like the discount to be applied: Auto: Eater signs in using phone number and select which available discounts to automatically apply to their order. Manual: Eater or Staff needs to manually enter discount code at checkout.
  14	Manual: Enter a Discount code. Click Generate it for me to have a discount code automatically created for you. Auto: Select Eligible cohorts— these are the eaters the discount will be available to redeem. Check All customers to make available for all eaters.	Manual Discount Code Auto Eligible Cohort
  15	Select discount usage limitations and number of uses (if applicable). Discount Usage Limitations If you select Unlimited, eaters will be able to use the discount unlimited amount of times within the discount time period.  If you add limitations— for example: Per-customer limit, set limit 1— each eater will only be able to use the discount 1 time within the discount timeframe.
  16	Click [Create discount] to publish Marketing Discount.
  17	Marketing Discount will show listed on the Discounts homepage.

• Step	Process	Image
  1	You can navigate to set up discounts from the Otter Dashboard select Apps > Marketing. Go to the Discounts tab.	Marketing App Discounts Tab
  2	Click [Create discount]. Select Marketing discount.  Click [Proceed].	Create Discount Marketing Discount
  3	Select the Brand and Location(s) to apply this discount to.	Brand Selection Location Selection
  4	Check next to the Channel(s) you'd like to offer the discount on.
  5	Type the customer-facing name for this discount. Type the internal-facing name for this discount (not shown to customers).
  6	Select Discount Type. Fixed Amount: A set percentage or dollar amount discounted.
  7	Select percentage or dollar amount discount. Type the fixed percent or dollar amount for the discount that will be applied to eligible orders.	Percentage or Dollar Select Discount Amount
  8	Select Entire order for Application.
  9	Select start date (and end date, if applicable) of the discount. Check Does not expire if there is no end date.
  10	Select the day of the week and times you'd like to offer the discount. Check All day if you'd like the offer to be available all store hours on the selected days.
  11	Select if you'd like the discount to be applied: Auto: Eater signs in using phone number and select which available discounts to automatically apply to their order. Manual: Eater or Staff needs to manually enter discount code at checkout.
  12	Manual: Enter a Discount code. Click Generate it for me to have a discount code automatically created for you. Auto: Select Eligible cohorts— these are the eaters the discount will be available to redeem. Check All customers to make available for all eaters.	Manual Discount Code Auto Eligible Cohort
  13	Select discount usage limitations and number of uses (if applicable). Discount Usage Limitations If you select Unlimited, eaters will be able to use the discount unlimited amount of times within the discount time period.  If you add limitations— for example: Per-customer limit, set limit 1— each eater will only be able to use the discount 1 time within the discount timeframe.	Discount Limitations Discount Usage Number Limit
  14	Click [Create discount] to publish Marketing Discount.
  15	Marketing Discount will show listed on the Discounts homepage.

• Step	Process	Image
  1	You can navigate to set up discounts from the Otter Dashboard select Apps > Marketing. Go to the Discounts tab.	Marketing App Discounts Tab
  2	Click [Create discount]. Select Marketing discount.  Click [Proceed].	Create Discount Marketing Discount
  3	Select the Brand and Location(s) to apply this discount to.	Brand Selection Location Selection
  4	Check next to the Channel(s) you'd like to offer the discount on.
  5	Type the customer-facing name for this discount. Type the internal-facing name for this discount (not shown to customers).
  6	Select Discount Type. Buy X Get Y: A discount offered on an item for purchasing another item (also referred to as BOGO).
  7	Select percentage or dollar amount discount. Type the percent or dollar amount for the discount that will be applied to eligible orders.	Percentage or Dollar Select Discount Amount
  8	Select to apply discount to menu category or menu items. Choose the menu category or item(s) the eater needs to purchase from the drop-down to receive the BOGO discount. Then select the menu category or item that the discount will apply to for the BOGO discount.	Discount Application Item/Category Selection
  9	Select start date (and end date, if applicable) of the discount. Check Does not expire if there is no end date.
  10	Select the day of the week and times you'd like to offer the discount. Check All day if you'd like the offer to be available all store hours on the selected days.
  11	Select if you'd like the discount to be applied: Auto: Eater signs in using phone number and select which available discounts to automatically apply to their order. Manual: Eater or Staff needs to manually enter discount code at checkout.
  12	Manual: Enter a Discount code. Click Generate it for me to have a discount code automatically created for you. Auto: Select Eligible cohorts— these are the eaters the discount will be available to redeem. Check All customers to make available for all eaters.	Manual Discount Code Auto Eligible Cohort
  13	Select discount usage limitations and number of uses (if applicable). Discount Usage Limitations If you select Unlimited, eaters will be able to use the discount unlimited amount of times within the discount time period.  If you add limitations— for example: Per-customer limit, set limit 1— each eater will only be able to use the discount 1 time within the discount timeframe.	Discount Limitations Discount Usage Number Limit
  14	Click [Create discount] to publish Marketing Discount.
  15	Marketing Discount will show listed on the Discounts homepage.

Discount Distribution

When a discount is live for eaters, it can distributed through an SMS text message and/or by displaying it as banner on your restaurant’s direct online ordering website.

Learn more about each distribution option below. 

• When creating a discount, you can create an SMS Campaign to share that discount with your customers.

  You can customize:

  Audience: Type of eater you want to target

  Send Date: When selected eaters will receive this notification

  Message: Add to the discount message template to make it personalized

  You’ll also be able to see a preview of the text message eaters will receive with your specific discount details.

  

   

• When creating a discount, toggle ON for Display a menu banner under the Distribution section. This will make it so eaters see a banner promoting the discount on your direct ordering website.

  You’ll also be able to see a preview of the banner show to eaters while on your direct ordering website.

  

Editing a Discount

Once a discount is created, you can edit discount settings from the Discounts page. 

You can:

• Edit Active discounts
• Duplicate & edit Inactive discounts
• Archive a discount
• View Expired discounts
• Filter view by channel, location, and/or brand

Check out more information about each action below.

• To edit a discount, just click on the discount listed, or click the 3 dots next to the discount. Click Edit discount. 
  
  From there, you can make changes to desired settings and click [Save] to implement changes.

  

• To duplicate a discount, select the 3 dots listed next to the discount. Select Duplicate to make a copy of that existing discount.

  

• To deactivate a discount, select the 3 dots listed next to the discount. Then select Archive to make the discount Inactive
  

Eater Discount Experience

Eaters will be able to apply active discounts at checkout on your direct ordering website, Otter Kiosk, or Otter POS. 

Once the discount is applied at checkout, they will see the discounted value, and the discount line item displayed— the discount will also display on their receipt for that order.

Checkout the eater experience for each channel below.

• When an eater is ordering through your Direct Orders Online Website, how a discount is applied at checkout depends if you have selected for the discount to auto or manually be entered. 
  
  Learn more about each application below.

  Auto Apply	Manual Apply
  Available discount will automatically apply to an eater's eligible order at checkout. Eater can also click View coupons to browse any other available discounts and apply a different discount to their order, if applicable.	Eater must manually type discount code into the Discount field at checkout.  Discount will only apply if order is applicable to discount code entered.

  Discount Usage Limit Verification
  If a discount has a limitation set of usages per customer, the eater will need to enter their phone number at checkout. 
  
  This is a way to track the number of uses per customer to ensure the limit has not already been reached.

• When an eater is ordering through Otter Kiosk, how a discount is applied at checkout depends if you have selected for the discount to auto or manually be entered. 
  
  Learn more about each application below.

  Auto Apply	Manual Apply
  Available discount will automatically apply to an eater's eligible order at checkout. Eater can also click Remove Discount to remove currently applied discount and click Add Discount to browse and apply other available discounts to their order, if applicable.	Eater must manually type discount code into the Discount field at checkout by clicking Add Discount.  Discount will only apply if order is applicable to discount code entered.

  Discount Usage Limit Verification
  If a discount has a limitation set of usages per customer, the eater will need to enter their phone number at checkout. 
  
  This is a way to track the number of uses per customer to ensure the limit has not already been reached.

• When an eater is ordering at your Otter POS, how a discount is applied at checkout depends if you have selected for the discount to auto or manually be entered. 
  
  Learn more about each application below.

  Auto Apply	Manual Apply
  Available discount will automatically apply to an eater's eligible order once a Guest profile is added to the POS order. Eater can also browse any other available discounts and apply a different discount to their order, if applicable, on the customer-facing screen (if dual screen).	Cashier must manually type discount code into the POS from Options > Add Discount. Discount will only apply if order is applicable to discount code entered.

  Discount Usage Limit Verification
  If a discount has a limitation set of usages per customer, the eater will need to enter their phone number at checkout. 
  
  This is a way to track the number of uses per customer to ensure the limit has not already been reached.

Usage Per Customer Limitations

If you have the discount set to limit the usage per customer, eaters will need to enter their phone number at checkout. This keeps track of the discount use per customer to ensure that eater has not already hit the limit  of that discount.

Direct Order Website

Kiosk/POS

FAQS

• No— This feature is included in the cost of your Direct Orders subscription.

• Customers can only receive 1 message every 2 weeks maximum— this provides prevention of overwhelming eaters with notifications and promotion communications.

• There may be a few reasons someone isn’t able to use the discount code. First, check that:

  - Discount is not expired

  - Order meets basket requirements

  - Discount hasn’t already been redeemed by eater (if one use per customer)

  If all of the above checks out still and the discount isn’t applying to eligible orders, deactivate the discount and create a new one to replace it.

• No— these discounts will only apply to direct online orders. You can create campaigns for delivery platforms within the Marketing app > Delivery App Marketing tab. Learn more on that here.
• Eaters will be required to sign-in if the "Limit one redemption per customer" is checked in the discount/promo settings to prevent the same eater from using the discount codes more than once.

Updated September 24, 2026 22:57