Technomic has found that independent restaurants have mixed views on the effectiveness of online daily deals.

The results of the Chicago-based food industry research firm’s recent survey of restaurants that participated in a third-party daily deal indicate that 51 percent were pleased with the result and 46 percent thought the deal provided a good return on investment.

The research also revealed that over 40 percent of restaurants have done daily deals with multiple providers, indicating a lack of loyalty to any single source.

Restaurants that have not used a third party online daily deal believe other forms of promotion yield a better return; they claim a lower commission rate would encourage them to participate.

“In this challenging environment, restaurants are more actively and objectively assessing which promotional tactics work best,” notes Bob Goldin, Executive Vice President.  He adds that “restaurants are open to testing new tactics, including online daily deals, but require solid proof of performance before making any of them a permanent part of their marketing mix.”