The holiday season is such a wonderful and exciting time! It offers family members and friends the opportunity to get together in order to eat, drink and be merry. Where do they like partaking in such festive occasions? Hopefully, your restaurant is one that welcomes those celebrating the holidays. Over the next couple of weeks, business should pick up even more. That is, of course, if you are putting in an effort to market your eatery this month.
Hanukkah starts on Sunday and Christmas is the following Sunday. What steps are you taking to grow patronage at your restaurant before the holidays hit?
Offer a catering service.
Just as popular a holiday tradition as opening presents is big family dinners. However, not everyone has the time and energy to cook food for large groups of people. By advertising that your restaurant offers a catering service, you create an entirely new revenue stream. On behalf of restaurant management software company, POS Sector, Aida Behmen-Milicevic notes that this is particularly suitable for small restaurants and pizzerias.
“These restaurants usually have the food delivery service and so far they certainly have made contact with staff from various business companies,” she points out, “These business companies often organize various meetings, parties and receptions where food is served… Deliver your restaurant holiday’s offers to all business companies. Valuable work will pay off.”
Spruce up your decorations.
Chances are that you have already decorated your restaurant to celebrate the holidays. It might be worth it, however, to step things up a bit. Change is good. Add to the decor to boost the festive spirit at your establishment. Consider pumping in some holiday jingles or even hiring live entertainment to really activate an energetic holiday atmosphere. The hiring platform, Workstream also recommends that you keep the festive mood going online.
“Update your website to reflect holidays and line up posts on your social media about the holiday specials you have in store,” advises their website, “If you have a mailing list, consider sending subscribers an e-greeting card.”
Contact last year’s guests.
There’s certainly nothing wrong with contacting customers you’ve made happy in the past. Hopefully, you’ve developed and nurtured some strong customer relationships throughout the years. Reach out via phone or e-mail to those whose contact information you have. Let them know that you would be happy to welcome them and their guests to discounted meals in your restaurant.
“View the list of reservations for celebrations of Christmas and New Year from the previous year and contact your last year’s guests and offer them to book their place in the restaurant,” advises Behmen-Milicevic, “Emphasize that they have benefits over the other guests. If you have e-mail contacts of your gusts send them the link to a private web address where they can make a reservation.”
Put your restaurant’s menu online.
Take advantage of Unity Payments’ complete online ordering software solution! Easily set up your menu, make live menu updates, manage inventory, process takeout and delivery requests, schedule pick-ups, create promo codes and more! For more information, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-661-3761 or email us at info@unitypayments.ca.
