Business side of food

A customer was having a party at us, they wanted to suplement all their friends bills so the people who couldnt afford to come could do so and not know the full charge, dont write the prices on our menu she said and I'll tell them we have a special deal for 15 euros.......

Recession means business needs to respond to its customers needs how to do this and stay in business is the dilemma.
Reduce prices seems sensible but how do you offer the same standard of product and charge less?
What will people think?
Will they feel ripped off if they ate last week for 24e and this week for 16e?
How will your competitors see you?
What about our pride, our ego, doesn't cost equate to quality?

All of the above is relevant but can any business afford to question itself this way, the only reality surely is the first, 'business needs to respond to its customers needs' & means.

http://t.co/EwiZ7dgC
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth
I read this article today, is this a better approach? I am not convinced. Why hide I don't believe customers are superficial and I also think that people are ok talking about costs.

Eight Bar and Restaurant is truly delighted to offer our customers a simple cost effective way to eat @8. 
New menu new prices.

We have worked on our prices without compromising our standards, our ingredients or our suppliers. Vegetables from Beechlawn Organic Farm or Lough Boora Farm, lettuce from Stephen Gould on Headford Rd, meat from McGeoughs Oughterard, cheese from Bluebell falls or Killeen Farm gouda, the list goes on.
Be assured it is about value to customers.
Buying local, eliminating waste & focus on daily menu changes, profit reduction & improvement in productivity means we can do this.
 
There are no catches, no shared starters, no gimmicks, no specials, no early birds. No set menus at a fee only our ever changing menu at great new recession beating prices.
 

New menu. Lower prices. Same high standards. Buying local, less waste, daily changes.

Our customers tell us they love it at Bar 8 but times are tougher, if not for them for friends, so...
Eight Bar and Restaurant is truly delighted to offer our customers a simple cost effective way to eat @8. 
Shane has completely revised our menu pricing to respond to the turbulent times we live in his

We have worked on our prices without compromising our standards, our ingredients or our suppliers.
Be assured it is about value to you our customers.
Buying local, eliminating waste & focus on daily menu changes means we can do this.
We are a multi award winning restaurant who will prove that with our inventive approach we can provide quality food at a price that works within your budget.
As Bar 8 was one of the first Galway Restaurants to offer tapas , use locally sourced ingredients  and promote and use wild and organic produce we are sticking to our principles!!!

There are no catches, no shared starters, no gimmicks, no specials, no early birds. No set menus at a fee only our ever changing menu at great new recession beating prices.

Now you can eat from my menu, from 6 pm Tuesday to Sunday. Our LIGHT BITE starters are around €4, our BIGGER BITES mains at €16 or less, excluding the 10 oz sirloin from McGeoughs in Oughterard which is reduced to €20.50 and with our AFTER EIGHT desserts at around a fiver.

Come on in and eat your way into the good times here at Eight Bar and Restaurant on the Docks in Galway, look forward to meeting you ph 091 565111 or http://www.eight.ie/