THIRD LAKE — Each holiday season for the past eight years, the excitement over restaurateur Kris Schoenberger’s red envelope campaign has grown as cash and prizes totaling more than $100,000 in value have been in the offing.
But this year — with the introduction of some very special golden tickets — the buzz is rocketing like Willy Wonka’s gilded glass elevator.
“I wanted to do something different,” said Schoenberger, owner of BBQ’d Productions in Third Lake, Lake Zurich and Kenosha, Wisconsin, as well as Station 51 in Antioch. “Those receiving a golden ticket will have a seat at our Golden Ticket Dinner in March at the Lehmann Mansion, where all of our grand prizes will be given away.”
Red envelopes are available to dine-in customers at Schoenberger’s restaurants, as well as to anyone making a purchase at LCB Home in Lake Villa, from now until the end of the year, or when all of the 5,300 envelopes are gone, whichever comes first. Each of the no-peek envelopes contains a prize. It could be a free dessert, half off or 100 percent off a meal, or any of myriad others.
But the hottest items this year will be the 300 envelopes containing golden tickets, Schoenberger said. Golden ticket holders get entry to the dinner on March 21, 2024, and all grand prizes will be given away that night to the golden ticket winners. The grand prizes range in value from $100 to $3,000.
“It could be cash. It could be a trip. It could be a Louis Vuitton bag. It could be electronics,” Schoenberger said. “It’s going to be a very fun evening, with dinner, drinks, dancing, a gourmet meal worth close to $100 — and lots of prizes. It is going to be the thing that people are going to talk about all through the community for months to come.”
Customers receiving red envelopes must not open them until they make a return, dine-in visit to one of the distributing restaurants between Jan. 1, 2024, and Feb. 29, 2024.
Schoenberger said he started his end-of-the-year red envelope campaign nine years ago as a way to give back to customers.
“They’re the reason I’ve been able to achieve my dream of becoming an entrepreneur,” said Schoenberger, who also owns Elyte Productions at the Lehmann Mansion, a wedding and events venue in Lake Villa. “This is a fun, exciting way to say thanks.”
There is no limit to the number of red envelopes a customer can receive. Dine in a few times a week, and receive an envelope each time, while supplies last. BBQ’d Productions restaurants are located at 34121 Route 45 in Third Lake, 405 N. Rand Road in Lake Zurich and 4235 Green Bay Road in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Envelopes also are available at Station 51, 883 N. Main St., Antioch.
BBQ’d Productions restaurants feature mouthwatering, award-winning smoked and grilled pork, beef, fish and ham dishes as well as salads, craft cocktails and more. Station 51 Truck Co. Bar and Grill in Antioch features fire station-themed décor. Popular menu items there include foot-long mozzarella sticks and lobster rolls straight from the East Coast, served on signature New England rolls.
For other information, visit wegrillitall.com or call 847-550-1234 for Lake Zurich, 847-543-1234 for Third Lake, 262-764-5005 for Kenosha. BBQ’d Productions regularly updates its menus with the latest fare, and also offers a free mobile app, private events and catering. The Station 51 website is at station51truckcompany.com.