Restaurant holiday promotions to maximize profits

4 Ways to Maximize Profits During the Holiday Season for Restaurants

Without further ado, these restaurant holiday promotions can help you capitalize on consumer spending during the busy season.

1. Think Outside of the (Takeout) Box

After a few years of a restaurant catering lull, catering for large events is back in high-demand. In addition to catering for traditional holiday events, consider expanding your reach by looking for unorthodox catering opportunities, such as holiday craft fairs and fundraisers.

You can also make your catering extra accessible by letting customers order online. Just take the example of Applebee’s online catering menu. Applebee’s customers can customize their orders, choose between delivery and pickup, and schedule catering up to two weeks in advance.

2. Upsell with Online Ordering

As you know, 50% of consumers order takeout or delivery for home gatherings during the holiday season. Relying on restaurants lets consumers save time during the holidays and avoid going out in bad weather.

While third-party apps can support your restaurant’s takeout and delivery needs, a direct online ordering system lets you save commission on those orders, so you can maximize profits when takeout orders are at their highest volume.

Boost your restaurant’s holiday marketing efforts even further with online seasonal meal bundles. Take inspiration from U.K.-based fast food chain Leon, which upsells via its app and in-store ordering kiosk by asking customers if they want to purchase a combo after adding an entree to their carts.

3. Give Customers Greater Value on Gift Cards

Gift card sales can also contribute a major influx of cash during the holiday season, with customers loading $35.34 onto gift cards on average over the holidays.

Your business probably already sells gift cards, so this restaurant holiday season, make the most of gift cards by selling them everywhere possible:

Let customers buy them directly from your online ordering page, for delivery or pickup
Promote digital gift cards via your website as last-minute gifts
Link to them on social media
Promote gift cards in your email newsletter

You could also create a gift card promotion, like the burger chain Red Robin does by offering $5 bonus gift cards with the purchase of $25 gift cards during the holidays.

4. Make Gift-Worthy Branded Merchandise

If your restaurant doesn’t already sell merchandise, you’re missing out. Merch makes a great last-minute gift and is more personal than just a gift card. Alternatively, you can bundle it with gift cards to generate even more revenue.

If you’re launching your merch line, begin with shirts and tote bags with your restaurant’s logo or catch phrase. If your staff wears a branded t-shirt or hat, consider making these available for purchase.

As you level up your merch game, consider adding more unique products. Dunkin’ sells fuzzy slippers, an inflatable pool, and other quirky merchandise in its online shop. These make great holiday gifts for any Dunkin’ devotee.

You can also release a line of limited edition holiday-themed merch to create a sense of urgency around your branded products. Delaware-based coffee chain Brew HaHa! partnered with artist Todd Purse to create a custom winter-themed tumbler for its merch store. The result is a unique and collectible item people can’t find anywhere else.

Now you’re ready to implement these creative, yet profitable holiday gift card promotions. And with the help of TouchBistro’s all-in-one POS and restaurant management system, tools like digital gift cards, online ordering, and more can help you make the most of each restaurant holiday marketing tactic.

Comments

Plain text