How to create a festive winter holiday vibe in your restaurant

Winter is upon us, and whatever the weather where you are, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! As one of the most anticipated holidays around the world, it’s time to ask - is your restaurant ready to celebrate?

Whatever type of restaurant you run, the weeks leading up to Christmas can be a wonderful time of year to bring customers in from the holiday hustle and bustle to eat, drink and be merry.

While this time of year is, of course, the ultimate season to be jolly, it can also involve a lot of logistical planning, from organising multiple family get-togethers and festive meals to attending end-of-year work parties, decorating for the holidays and accomplishing the much-feared ritual of Christmas shopping, even the most die-hard Christmas lovers can start to feel a bit snowed under. Want to help customers relax and take a moment to really enjoy the spirit of Christmas? Try our Christmas promotion ideas for restaurants to create an irresistibly festive and bright vibe throughout the entire month of December and into the new year.

Offer a festive Christmas brunch to attract holiday shoppers

🍽️Make Christmas shopping fun with a cheery lunch or brunch menu throughout December. Give weary shoppers a welcome break from trying to find the perfect gift. Keep the menu festive but simple so diners can take the time to enjoy their meal and yet get back to their shopping quest quickly. Christmas menu ideas for restaurants could include rich, comforting soup flavours such as creamy butternut, spicy pumpkin, or chunky potato leek served with savoury quiches, scones, and classic pies (try butternut sage and walnut quiche, traditional chicken pot pie or cheddar scones). Celebrate with classic, decadent brunch dishes like eggs benedict with hollandaise sauce and roasted spinach and mushrooms, Christmas frittata with red and green peppers, or scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. What’s more, it's very difficult to resist traditional Christmas desserts such as pecan pie, pumpkin pie, fruit cake, Christmas pudding, gingerbread cookies and stollen cake… the list goes on!

Boost your visibility with Christmas promotion ideas: special events and local partnerships

🎭Boost your visibility and attract new customers by partnering with a local movie theatre or cultural venue. December is often a time to enjoy the fun with family and friends, such as ice skating, local Christmas events or catching a Christmas concert, show, or movie (especially once the kids are on holiday and relatives come to visit). Customers who drop in for a meal with a ticket stub from one of your partners could get a special Christmas drink or dessert or a special kid's meal offer. 

🎫 Create your own festive buzz. Christmas event ideas for restaurants could include a dinner featuring the work of local artisans on your walls, a teatime Christmas carolling event with a choir, or a family-friendly Christmas luncheon with games and a visit from Santa for the kids. If you have the space, promote local musical talent with a series of holiday concerts. 

🤝Show customers you care about your community by donating food to your favourite non-profit or charitable association during December. Consider organising a small concert fundraiser to garner business and raise money for charity. On a smaller scale, you could organise a raffle ticket sale and donate the proceeds to an organisation whose work you admire. The prize could be a gourmet meal for two in January or February, traditionally a slower time for many restaurants. 

🎁 Offer your customers the perfect gift solution: A gift certificate voucher for a gourmet meal for two or a special event such as a cooking class or wine tasting. Many people truly struggle to find just the right gift for their loved ones at Christmas. Let them choose from the regular menu or create a premium customised experience in consultation with the chef. Remember - foodies love experiences like learning how to make some of your signature dishes or understanding wine and food pairings.  

🎄 Deck the halls, walls and outdoor spaces of your restaurant. Christmas decoration ideas for a restaurant include incorporating Christmas lights for a magical, cosy mood in the evening, especially now that the days are getting dark so early. Give your dining room a warm, inviting glow with plenty of red and white candles and create a cheery, tasteful look all day long with a pine branch and pine cone centrepiece, bright red poinsettias or any other floral arrangement in rich Christmas hues: cheerful reds, rustic greens or snowy whites.  Don’t forget the Christmas wreath to welcome your customers at the door!

Final Tips: More Christmas marketing ideas for your restaurant

📱 However you plan to celebrate the holiday season at your restaurant, be sure to promote it across all of your available social media channels. As free platforms for direct communication with customers, the right marketing posts can reach attractive local targets. Why not post a short video of your chef making a Christmas dish or dessert or hosting a special holiday event? Create a contest for the best User Generated Content (UGC). Ask customers to submit their favourite holiday recipe, which could then be attempted by your chef and reposted. Be sure to add hashtags and a call to action (CTA) to all your posts for more impact.  

Remember: Christmas festivities don’t end on December 25th. The period between Christmas and New Year is a busy one, with many people off work and kids home from school. Help customers keep the spirit of Christmas alive and well all season long - and into the New Year! To find out how TheFork Manager could help your restaurant have a festive winter season, contact us today for more information on our restaurant management products and services.