I agree. Also, poker players like it when they can play in "teams" with a few other players at the table, so you should encourage that too.
Tlop, I hate to say it, but I don't think a message board of advantage players is the place to get advice on how fill a casino with civilian players.
My biggest general suggestions would be to ask: what type of "environment" are you trying to create in your casino, and what's the competition offering next door. If you casino is a small, intimate place, then you want small, intimate games. If you are going to whiz bang bright lights and loud noises to seperate fools from their money faster, just have attractive dealers wear bikinis (see: Rio bikini pit, hooter casino, Playboy club).
The other thing is your competition, you probably want to diferentiate. If they're also dealing shoe games of blackjack then you might consider switching to pitch games, either single or double decks. The rules probably don't have to be particularly generous, you're just trying to create a different feel and pace of the game. Downside of pitch games it they'd require a little more dealer skill.
Offering generous rules might work. But you'd probably need to advertise it, in a "bet blackjack in town" sort of way. You already offer surrender, which I agree is probably misplayed more than it's played. If you switched the rules to S17, then they would be pretty good rules, the only way to decrease your edge further would be reducing the decks, or offering "special" rules like six-card charlie, double on any three cards, or hit on split aces.
Comps and loyalty mailers might work well. Correction: it WILL work well (see Harrah's) If you take better care of your players than the big joint, it will probably be a great way to build loyalty.
So, if you make your rules more generous, please PM me. And if you adopt a bikini pit, please send pix. thx!