Introduction TWEET EARLY, TWEET OFTEN 1 SEND A SEASON S GREETING 2 FEATURE A PRIX FIXE MENU 3 ASSEMBLE YOUR STAFF 4 BE RESERVATION READY 5 DECK OUT YOUR RESTAURANT 6 CONCLUSION 7
Winter IS COMING Are you ready for the storm of holiday customers headed your way? Each year during the holiday season, the restaurant industry sees a massive number of people choosing to eat, drink, and be merry. Just how many, you ask? Last year, food and drink spending totaled nearly $50 billion across the U.S. in the month of December alone. The last month of the year offers restaurateurs huge potential to drive additional sales, attract new customers, and grab their piece of the holiday profit pie. It should come as no surprise the restaurants that plan ahead, prepare a holiday strategy, and invest in tools to help promote their business are the ones most likely to have success cashing in on this annual flurry of restaurant diners. Whether your seasonal restaurant strategy is on the ball or behind the ball, we ve got some great tips to help you plan ahead. This list might not tell you who s been naughty or nice, but it will definitely prepare your restaurant for success this holiday season.
Tweet tweet EARLY, OFTEN There s no time like the present. Promoting your restaurant at least a month before the holidays through social media can help ensure that your venue is top of mind (and top of mini-feed) for customers looking to plan parties or festive get-togethers. Implementing a holiday specific social media campaign across Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook can be a great form of promotion for your restaurant. Social media allows you to target your consumers directly, making running a campaign on these platforms a great way to catch their (ever-distracted) eyes. Check out the NRA s tips on how to use your social media presence to create a successful holiday promotion for your venue. 1
Seaons SEND A greetings Happy Holidays Tis the season to be jolly, so why not show local businesses and your regulars that you re thinking about them? A little holiday greeting card can go a long way not only will it leave a lasting impression, it will keep your restaurant in the back of people s minds. You can create free custom holiday e-cards in minutes with a website like Paperless Post, which allows you to easily send e-cards to all of your regulars with the click of a button. To really show your appreciation, include a voucher for a free drink or appetizer in your e-card to wow your customers and drive holiday traffic to your restaurant. 2
FEATURE prix A fixe menu A prix fixe menu is a great option for your restaurant during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. With the increased demand to eat out during the holidays, a slimmed down version of your menu can help keep your customers happy and your staff s stress levels at bay. Your kitchen staff can better plan for the number of guests and you can guarantee set revenue from each table you turn. If you want to get really fancy, try creating different menus for various price points to attract a larger customer base with simple prix fixe templates. MustHaveMenus is a great online resource that allows you to customize your own menu, or choose from a selection of beautiful pre-designed prix fixe menus. When you re done, you have the option to post your new menu directly to social media, publish it on your website, or print it for a reasonable fee. 3
ASSEMBLE staff YOUR Limit your stresses this holiday season by getting your staff organized in advance. Whether it s hiring and training new employees or just scheduling your current ones, making sure you have all hands on deck during the holiday rush is a must. If you don t know just how much extra help you ll need, reference last year s reservations to see which times were most popular or the number of guests you had in total. The holidays are a prime time for employees to take time off, so implement a first come first serve policy; whoever asks first, gets first consideration. Scheduling apps are a godsend during these busy seasons. Investing in an app like 7Shifts allows you to streamline staff scheduling, check staff availability, and approve time-off requests. It s better to be safe than sorry during the hectic holiday season increased pay is also a great incentive to encourage your staff to stick around in a time of need. 4
BE RESERVATION ready You have enough on your plate during the holidays; don t let reservations slow you down. Communication is key, so let your customers know exactly what you require for reservations. Whether the whole party needs to be present to be seated or that cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance, be transparent about what your reservation process entails. To get the ball rolling you can incentivize advance booking by offering a discount to the first few parties to reserve a table. Consider catering to your customers by using an online reservation service like OpenTable, that gives your customers the flexibility to book reservations online or through an app, whenever they want. Though OpenTable does come with a monthly and a per-reservation price tag, many restaurants are finding that the investment is paying back in dividends. 5
Deck out YOUR RESTAURANT There s no better way to ring in the holidays than decking the halls of your restaurant. Decorating your venue can be a great way to get customers in the holiday spirit, as long as you keep your target audience in mind. For example, if you have a predominantly Jewish customer base, you might want to consider passing up the Christmas tree for Hanukkah decorations, such as a menorah or a blue and silver color scheme. For the most inclusive approach to decorating, show off your holiday spirit by sticking to neutral seasonal décor. Pinterest is one way to get your creative juices flowing searching specific keywords like winter décor will provide you with some great inspiration. When in doubt, the right winter decorations can bring good cheer to your guests! 6
Conclusion By following these six tips, your restaurant is well on it s way to being a holiday-revenue generating machine! www.touchbistro.com NEW YORK 5 West 20th Street, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10011, USA TORONTO 477 Richmond St. W, Suite #210 Toronto, ON, M5V 3E7 Canada