We are quickly approaching “the most wonderful time of the year,” a phrase that is fitting for both the restaurant-goer and operator. These upcoming months are some of the biggest profit makers for restaurants around the country. With recent trends in the US economy and issues like the bird flu, making sure your restaurant utilizes the correct products and tools is a major key to a successful holiday season. Here are some tips to do just that.
Halloween
We are less than a month away from the kickoff to the holiday season. Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos can be entertaining festivities to celebrate at your restaurant. Pumpkin-themed desserts and drinks are great seasonal trends that consumers are eager to purchase during the fall months. A costume night is a fun way to attract your regular customers to dine in during the spooky season. Decorations can be small details that bring added flavor as well. If you’re in need of marketing tips for Halloween, our HOST services are here to bring you creative ideas to help pull consumers off the streets and into your dining room.
Thanksgiving & Friendsgiving
November brings us monster food-themed holidays that will have families and friends seeking out large meals and carryout-friendly sides. Keep in mind this year that the avian flu has brought in the second largest bird-related pandemic in recorded history, so the difficulty of finding the traditional turkey dish will have consumers looking for other options. This article from the Wall Street Journal has insightful information on the details of the recent avian flu and alternatives to cooking turkey. If your team uses this opportunity and offers creative turkey substitutes, you could see quite the uptick in Thanksgiving sales.
The Holiday Season
Christmas, Hanukkah, and numerous other December traditional holidays will have families around the country gathering to eat with the ones they love. Ensuring your menu features dishes that are seasonal will be pivotal in taking advantage of these celebrations. With the larger crowds, it will be imperative to choose labor-saving foods to keep your staff timely and your costs to a minimum. These ready-set-serve brussels sprouts from Markon are the perfect seasonal item that takes the prep work completely out of the equation for your busy staff.
New Years
Just a week after Christmas comes one of the most significant social nights of the year, New Years Eve. While many will prepare for large crowds in their dining areas, it is also a good idea to create dishes that will be attractive for your takeout customers. The past few years have created a growing market for takeout, and this year many will watch the ball drop with their friends and family in the comfort of their homes. There is one item we strongly recommend being a part of your New Years menu: pizza. An already popular takeout dish, pizza can be adapted to several different cuisines and is a great easy-to-serve dish for the countless house parties that happen every year. Be sure to stock up on our Bellacibo products to make the most delicious pizza possible for your restaurant and customers. Also, don't forget the day-after New Year's brunch, where New Years' themed cocktails can be a massive hit!
These tips will help take your menu and dining room to the next level to make this holiday season the best one yet.
For more info on these items, or for more ideas for the upcoming holidays, please contact your local Ben E. Keith sales representative.