This Smalls Sliders National Dog Day campaign is being run by the brand to reward pet owners and their canine companions for their patronage this month. The promotion is taking place on National Dog Day (August 26) only when customers can receive a Can's Best Friend bandana when they bring their dog with them to a participating location and spend $10 or more. The brand encourages customers who get their hands on the bandanas to snap photos of their dog wearing them and post them to social media with the hashtag #NationalDogDay and tagging @SmallsSldiers in their post.
Chief Marketing Officer Michael Alberici spoke on the Smalls Sliders National Dog Day campaign saying, "National Dog Day is one of our favorite days of the year because we built our Cans to feel like a neighborhood stop guests visit again and again, and their dogs are part of that routine. Dogs are part of our guests' families, and we want to send them home with a little something extra. Every bandana we hand out is our way of saying thanks for making your Can a part of your routine, four paws and all."
Image Credit: Smalls Sliders
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Pet-inclusive Promotions
- Restaurant campaigns that reward guests for bringing pets create loyalty moments around family-like routines and open space for companion-focused offers that extend beyond standard meal discounts.
- Social-ready Pet Merch
- Branded pet accessories turn customers’ animals into shareable campaign assets, blending merchandise, user-generated content, and community identity into low-cost visibility channels.
- Occasion-based QSR Rewards
- Single-day cultural moments such as National Dog Day provide quick-service brands with timely reasons to drive visits, personalize incentives, and strengthen emotional connections with niche customer groups.
Sectors Adopting This
- Quick-service Restaurants
- Pet-friendly visit incentives can differentiate casual dining formats by transforming routine transactions into neighborhood experiences tied to lifestyle and companionship.
- Pet Products
- Limited-edition accessories connected to foodservice promotions create crossover potential for pet brands seeking new distribution, co-branding, and social engagement models.
- Social Media Marketing
- Hashtag-driven photo sharing around pets gives marketers a highly expressive content stream where brand affinity, local participation, and organic amplification can converge.
