The effort, created by Propaganda of St. Louis, Bennigan's AOR, includes cable TV, radio, email, online and in-store placemats and on-store banners as well as server T-shirts.

Susan Karlen, director of marketing, tells Marketing Daily that she expects that other quick serve and fast casual restaurants will follow suit. "They have to," she says. "They might not be as dynamic or aggressive as Bennigan's but in this economy they'll have to [lower their prices]."

Cable TV ads are slated for the Dallas/Ft.Worth market and will be made available to other franchisees. Radio ads will air in Dallas, Denver, Houston, Tampa and Orlando, Fla., Chicago and Cleveland, Ohio. In addition, lunches will be given away in radio promotions and email blasts will go out to Plano, Texas-based Bennigan's database and to the databases of participating radio stations.

The Cash Crunch Lunch program runs through June 16, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily. The menu items include five classics and five new fresh options, says Karlen. Regular prices for these menu items run from $6.99 to $9.29.

"We just want to help the consumer who is in a cash crunch and offer the opportunity for them to eat at a quality restaurant at an affordable price," she says.

Bennigan's has over 310 locations in 10 countries, and is owned by Metromedia Restaurant Group, which also owns Steak and Ale, Ponderosa Steakhouse, Bonanza Steakhouse and The Plano Tavern.