Valentine's Day: 12 ideas to increase the turnover of your restaurant

In 2025, 62% French people plan to celebrate Valentine's Day at the restaurant and 35% of them have an average ticket between 50 and 100€.

For restaurant owners, it is an opportunity to fill the room and to increase their income, On condition To be visible And of meet customer expectations.

The solution: an impacting and strategic communication. Here are 12 ideas to implement in your establishments for Valentine's Day!

1. Offer a festive menu

This is an opportunity to offer a festive menu! During this day, couples care less about the price, but more about the experience they will have together.

‍Setting up a tasting menu at a fixed price allows you to anticipate quantities, and inflate margins. Why not a blind menu to offer a real feeling of letting go?

The idea to pick out: to communicate about its special menu, the 39V gourmet restaurant did things 100%. When the user clicks On the 39V website a popup with a heart is displayed. Clicking on it redirects to the menu directly...

2. Adapt your storytelling

If you are talking to couples, seduce them!

• Rename your dishes On the menu, dare Word games ;
• Adopt formulations relating to Love and tenderness on your social networks;
• Introduce ingredients known to be aphrodisiacs. Chez Liquid, the restaurant of Top Chef candidate Mathias Marc, yuzu, chocolate and oysters were in the spotlight.

The idea worth pricking: The expressions of the restaurant Il Vaporetto. “SSensual Taglioni blossoming with Saint-Jacques”,”Games of seduction between sea bass fillet and naughty sweet potato mousseline“.

Credits @ilyafoodstories

3. Imagine a special Valentine's Day creation

Is your restaurant neither gastronomic nor bistronomic? No need to create a tasting menu to attract customers during Valentine's Day.

You can:

• Offer an ephemeral dish à la carte;
• Imagine a unique cocktail. Betting on drinks and drinks is a good option to maximize your turnover.

The idea worth pricking: that of Big Mamma, as usual, with A candy pink version Of their famous lemon pie on an exclusive offer. Results: more than 3k “likes” on each post.

Or again, that of Magnà, with Heart-shaped pizzas shared on Instagram.

4. Do a collab to multiply the impact

Partner with a brand or To a nearby restaurant. Collaboration creates value to differentiate your offer and allows you to reach a wider audience!

The idea worth pricking: in his take-out menu, Juan Arbalez has partnered with the brand Parisian jam to include a jar of “Kinky Chocolate.” The chef Céline Pham completed its menu with a small bouquet of florist Desiree. Other restaurants have offered a food and drink pairing, in collaboration with alcohol brands, such as Liquide and GreyGoose, or Sébastien Gaudard and The Bartender. These collaborations allow the 2 partners to join their talents and their community for greater success.

Consider co-creating an Instagram to publish it directly on the 2 pages. We tell you more about this feature here !

5. Offer a dinner with 4 hands

‍Like collaboration, partnering with another restaurant or another chef allows you to join forces. The networking of several chefs creates an explosion of flavors and creativity between two worlds. and thus marks the start of Valentine's Day. An operation that also makes it possible to arouse the feeling of exclusivity and urgency.

The idea worth pricking: a 12-handed menu created 2 years ago by 6 chefs including Emily Chia or Amandine Sepulcre. Or again, the unprecedented collaboration between the couple of chefs Sayaga and Gil with the collective We Are Ona To create A gourmet basket Valentine's Day special.

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6. Create a conducive atmosphere

If the atmosphere in your restaurant is romantic and warm, you have a head start! All you have to do is focus on it through your communication. Example: the restaurant Francette and its a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower.

If this is not the case, you can play on curtains, candles, flowers or even dim lights. One outside (heated) or a breathtaking view are major assets!

The good example: the palace restaurant The Reserve below through the hotel Instagram page.

7. Organize a musical atmosphere

To create a sensory experience at all levels! Jazz, piano, opera... Bringing in artists requires a small investment but represents real added value!

‍Customers love live cooking and live music, and even more love taking them on video/photos for social networks. An opportunity to attract customers and for them to relay your address.Best Practice: The restaurant Chez Eugène invited Valentine's Day followers to share an ideal program. Champagne aperitif and special menu, to be enjoyed to the rhythm of a live concert of French and international variety, followed by Italian love songs by a DJ.

If the budget does not allow it, feel free to simply play a special Valentine's Day playlist!

8. Give strategic gifts

Cocktail, glass of champagne, appetizers, dessert... offering a supplement not included in the menu can only please your customers.

Surprising them creates even more effect and happiness! You can also include thoughtful touches at dinner! In your communication, keep your gifts in suspense by using wording such as “What if you gave him more than dinner?”

9. Organize a competition

‍Why not Organize a competition in order to win 1 meal for 2 on Valentine's Day evening? The perfect way to engage your subscribers and invite them to relay your restaurant! Or promotions.

‍10. Offer a Valentine's Day delivery

‍Some Valentine's Day devotees prefer to spend it in privacy, at home. Don't forget them! You can offer a special “box” to enjoy at home, for an aperitif or a complete menu, with a bottle of champagne or other. Have fun with the packaging, the more original it is, the more these customers will come to you the next time!

11. Divert Valentine's Day or do one against Saint Valentine

In a world where celibacy is less stigmatized, you can organize Valentine's Day parties.

Turn Valentine's Day differently, by using humor, just like your establishment.

Address another target. A few years ago, the MOB Hotel organized a “Sans Jules ni Valentin” evening, designed for single people!

12. Communicating is the decisive step

Regardless of the actions put in place, it is necessary to communicate them. Because without that, how could potential customers know about an exceptional and ephemeral offer? Without communication, you are therefore missing out on the Valentine's Day opportunity, and will have invested time and money not to get 100% benefit from it. And if you exceptionally open this Tuesday, February 14 to celebrate Lovers' Day, how can customers know? It's important to share this information, and change your hours on Google My Business!

Finally, to communicate in the most optimal way possible, it is essential to control the image of your establishments. Are they really visible online? Do reviews damage your e-reputation? Take the test: scan your restaurant with the Malou diagnosis below! You'll get a visibility score and tips to improve it!