The holiday season can indeed be the most wonderful time of the year for restaurant operators, and with some planning and forethought they can ensure they end up on consumers’ nice lists.
The holiday season can represent as much as 20% of a restaurant’s annual sales, and upward of 50% for fine-dining establishments, according to Nation’s Restaurant News. That’s because many people use the holidays to get together with family and friends, but they don’t necessarily want the hassle of preparing meals and cleaning up afterward.
That said, many people like to make their holiday plans well in advance so the best time to launch your guest engagement and promotional programs is September, with October right behind.
Here are some ideas for how you can make your restaurant the destination of choice this holiday season.
1. Decorate Your Dining Room
Holiday decor is a great way to get people in a festive spirit—and possibly even spend more money. Use lights and other decorations to create a fun, inviting atmosphere. If the dining room looks particularly memorable, guests might even do some of your marketing for you through word-of-mouth and by posting pictures to social media. And, don’t forget the outside of your venue as this will help attract passersby and walk-in customers.
Handcraft Kitchen & Cocktails, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, really gets into the holiday mood with its decorations. Its “Miracle” promotion turns the restaurant into an immersive Christmas experience complete with a special menu, holiday music on constant rotation, an animatronic Santa and decor that requires 50 hours to install. The staff even gets involved with holiday-themed outfits.
2. Book Live Music
You can take the ambiance up a notch by hiring a band or solo performer such as a guitarist or pianist. Not only will music help to liven up the atmosphere, but it also gives you something to advertise in advance. In addition, the band or performer might advertise their appearance to their followers, possibly bringing in first-time customers.
3. Promote Holiday Menus
Smart menu planning is critical as people often associate the holidays with favorite dishes, such as pork chops or ham, and flavors like pumpkin or peppermint. Highlight seasonal offerings across all marketing channels—from your website and social media channels to menus and even chalkboards. Encourage guests to post pictures of their meals on their favorite social channels, like Facebook and Instagram.
Genuine Restaurant Group’s two Miami restaurants—Amara at Paraiso and Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink—offer prix fixe holiday menus on several occasions that are a hit with customers. The festive experiences are available Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
4. Add Family-Friendly Services
Holidays are family events, so make sure people know you can accommodate guests of all ages. Use social media, email, SMS messages and other channels to let people know you welcome younger guests and offer things like booster seats, kid-friendly menus and entertainment.
5. Partner with Other Businesses
Consider asking a nearby business—such as a clothing store, bookseller, gallery or jewelry retailer—to join in a cross-promotional campaign. For example, purchases of a certain amount at one business could earn a discount at the other.
For example, Tratto, a modern Italian trattoria in San Francisco, partnered with a local winery for its Feast of the Seven Fishes, creating cross-promotional opportunities for both businesses.
6. Catering Promotions
People love to cater their holiday gatherings—whether at home, the office or some other venue—because it simplifies an otherwise hectic time. Make sure you have adequate staffing and supplies available, budget carefully and make it easy to place a catering order. A successful event during the holidays could lead to more opportunities at other times of the year.
7. Take-Home Meals and Meal Kits
Along the same lines as catering, help simplify people’s lives by offering take-home meals or meal kits for pickup or delivery. The kits should include all the necessary ingredients, already in the proper portions, and clear cooking instructions. You can take this idea one step further by offering holiday cocktail kits. This idea could easily be extended throughout the year.
The kits should target specific types of people, as well as be consistent with your restaurant’s brand. Prati Italia in Jacksonville, Florida, promotes its contemporary Italian fare through gift boxes with homemade pasta, fresh sauces and wine that are perfect for pasta lovers.
8. Gift Cards
Long a staple of the restaurant industry, gift cards are very popular during the holidays. Research from the National Restaurant Association found 62% of consumers hoped to receive a gift card as a present. Physical and digital gift cards make for a great last-minute gift idea. Perfect for that hard-to-buy-for-person, they can be used well beyond the holiday season.
Rosa Mexicano, a New York-based chain of Mexican restaurants throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, sold holiday gift cards between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31. Although the cards were digital, the promotion was marketed with photos of holiday-themed physical cards.
9. Retail Items
Staying with the gift-giving theme, consider making branded retail products available to purchase during the holidays. Items such as clothing, hats, glasses, proprietary sauces or seasonings or even a subscription service offer additional revenue streams and a way to advertise your restaurant and engender ongoing customer loyalty.
10. Charitable Donations
The holidays are a time of giving, and you can score points with your customers if you follow suit. Promote the fact that a percentage of proceeds—whether from a specific holiday dish or from overall sales—will be donated to a worthy cause. You can even mix it up and pick a different charity on different days. The goodwill generated is priceless and carries long-term benefits.
Onieals, Hoboken, New Jersey, has become well-known for its Holiday Stocking Charity Drive, which features a different recipient each year. All donations go to the designated charity, and donors receive a stocking to decorate that is hung from a garland around the restaurant’s bar.
With some thoughtful planning and some seasonal creativity, the holidays can be a jolly time for customers and restaurant operators alike.
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