14 ideas for boosting restaurant sales over the festive season

The festive season is fast approaching. Synonymous for many with meals shared with family and friends, this period means an increase in business for restaurants. December is also a real opportunity toacquire new customers. Provided you have prepared and implemented various marketing actions.

The month of December is one of those periods that are conducive to consumption, and therefore to increased restaurant sales. It's the perfect time to acquire and retain customers. But competition is intensifying, and consumer demands increase at this time of year. So it's all the more essential to prepare your special holiday offer and your communication strategy to turn the festivities into a lever for customer acquisition.How to attract customers despite inflation-driven price increases? What can you do to attract customers with higher average ticket prices and win their loyalty for the rest of the year? We share with you 14 ideas for boosting your restaurant during the festive season.

I- What offers can your restaurant provide to boost sales over the festive season?

Christmas and New Year: opportunities not to be missed. Adding special offers to your menu increases the chances of boosting your customers' average bill. Tasting menus, new festive products, decorations...

1. Dress up your restaurant menu for the festive season

As the festive season approaches, the French tend to spend more and eat more refined dishes, such as smoked salmon, truffles and so on. Our customers Augustine - la table du châteauor Shiro are highlighting on Instagram and their websites the exceptional menu they are offering exclusively for the festive season.

Offering a special menu, made up of more noble products, attracts a clientele in search of festivity. A short-lived menu is also an opportunity to surprise loyal customers, and to offer higher prices! However, this festive menu must reflect the values and identity of the restaurant. Our customer Francette shares in story the future truffles that will sublimate the restaurant's plates for the festive season.

2. Offer less expensive holiday specials: focus on seasonal aperitifs

Not all budgets will be able to afford a more expensive menu, despite the festive season. Customers can, however, treat themselves to something a little more expensive than their usual fare. Mulled wine, Christmas beer, special cocktails or even a glass of champagne: there are plenty of profitable products to add to your menu this December!

3. Fill off-peak hours with special snack offers

In December, hot drinks such as Christmas teas, gourmet coffees and hot chocolates are a big hit. Restaurants that are open all day are well advised to offer sweet Christmas specials to attract customers who are strolling the streets in search of gifts. Hot drinks or cakes with festive flavors (cinnamon, Christmas spices, etc.): an ideal break between 2 stores!Our customer Comptoir du caviar goes one step further and offers a caviar and champagne aperitif experience to celebrate the month of December.

4. Keeping parents loyal by keeping children happy

Many people spend the festive season with their families. By offering a special children's menu, you can become a kid-friendly restaurant. Delighted to be able to spoil their children while indulging themselves, parents are more likely to return to this establishment. Use the keyword "kids friendly" in your Google posts and review responses! Many parents tend to search for "kids friendly restaurant", so make sure you appear in the results!

5. And why not take advantage of the period after the festive season?

After the holidays, the French tend to take a break from preparations, long meals and big tables. Why not take advantage of this moment to invite customers to linger over a post-holiday brunch on December 26th, January 1st or 2nd, or to suggest a healthier, lighter offer, a detox from big meals? Our customer OFF Paris Seine invites Internet users to come and enjoy a comforting brunch the day after New Year's Eve!

Our customer Martin last year invited Internet users to come to brunch, using the festive season argument with a touch of humor.

6. Decorate your restaurant with a festive theme

Christmas has a lot to do with decorations. Streets, stores and even houses glitter with garlands... Using the magic of Christmas inside your restaurant attracts customers in search of that festive spirit. A few decorative touches are all that's needed: mistletoe or fir branches on tables, a few sequins or candles for a warm, welcoming and... festive atmosphere!Cosy chalet atmosphere, vintage ski decorations, open fire, Christmas trees... our customer Quai Ouest has gone all out for the festive season, when the restaurant is renamed Quai Ouest 1200.

II- What marketing actions should be taken during the holiday season to acquire new customers?

The festive season also presents an opportunity to attract and retain new customers, thanks to a well thought-out marketing strategy.

7. Corporate Christmas dinners

The end-of-year festivities are also celebrated... among colleagues! Many companies organize Christmas dinners just before the school vacations. It's a great opportunity to fill up your restaurant for both lunch and dinner, with large tables, but also to make yourself known to the office clientele in the surrounding area. To attract them, you need to set up special communications for these groups, and target them well!

8. Organize an Advent calendar on your social media

There are several advantages to giving your community the chance to win gifts every day. Itengages enthusiastic web users in these "mini-contests", instills the spirit of Christmas, and is also an opportunity to set up ephemeral collaborations with other brands as prizes, and thus reach their audiences. -50% off a meal, cocktail, coffee, complimentary drink... There are many ways to strengthen the bond with their communities.Our customers Chouchou Hotel, Deia Coffee, Cali Sistershave launched their own Advent Calendar with great prizes to be won, some in collaboration with other brands. To take part, you need to follow a few strategic steps to help your Instagram page win subscribers and convert them into customers!

It's an original initiative that not only builds customer loyalty and acquires new customers, but also boosts social media ! To take part and try to win one of the prizes, you need to ask Internet users to subscribe to the restaurant's pages, to "like" the post or comment on it.

9. Playing with the December calendar

The month of December is punctuated by a number of important and emblematic days. Dates you can play with to bring in customers or boost your social media. How can you turn International Christmas Sweater Day (yes, it does exist!) into an acquisition lever? Organize a contest for the restaurant's Instagram and Facebook followers. The principle is simple: everyone who comes to eat at the restaurant wearing a Christmas sweater is offered a cocktail.

Valid throughout the year, but also suitable for special events, these communication actions generate higher engagement rates and encourage subscribers to visit the restaurant.

10. To place under the tree

Why not make up for the lack of gift inspiration among many French people by creating a voucher for a meal in a restaurant? All you have to do is develop a gift card system in advance, which is handed over at the cash desk once the meal has been eaten. Camondocustomer Malou's customerThe Camondo restaurant, one of Malou's customers, offers a range of gift vouchers for different budgets, with a menu to be reserved in advance or a choice of amounts.

11. Organize a Christmas of solidarity in your restaurant?

For several days in December, propose a unique recipe on the restaurant menu to donate a specific sum, such as €1 per menu, to a charity chosen in advance.

III- And above all, don't forget to communicate about these offers and actions!

These actions and special offers are only effective if you make them known to the widest possible audience!To do this, you need to implement an impactful communication strategy. But how can you make the most of your restaurant's marketing actions and offers?

12. Publish content on social media and Google

social media allows you to regularly share your news, new offers, etc. with your community. Publish tempting photos of new à la carte dishes, show off your establishment's ephemeral decorations, present your gift card... You also need to post content on your Google My Business page in order to move up in Christmas-related search results.Our customer the restaurant Martin République communicates via Instagram (stories, highlights, posts) but also on its website (pop up, dedicated space), from December 1 on its end-of-year festivities.

For quality content around the festive season, organize a photo shoot on this theme, as our customers have done Biba Brunch or Manteigaria.

13. Sponsor strategic content to reach a wide target audience

To optimize the impact of your social posts and reach a maximum number of users, use sponsorship. This allows you to reach a much wider target audience. By adding a few euros to an Instagram or Facebook post, you're sure to maximize visibility with a selected target.

14. Work with influencers to gain visibility

Influencers remain valuable partners for communicating your offers. As leaders of strong, committed communities, they have a real power of recommendation,so offer the most relevant of them the chance to discover your special menu. If they like it, they'll publish content on their social media and share the experience with tens or even hundreds of thousands of potential customers.

Conclusion

The festive season is a time for sharing and spending time with family. It's a time when restaurants fill up even more, and average billings can rise. New offers (festive menus, Christmas products, etc.) will attract loyal customers, boost guest spending and increase restaurant sales, whilemarketing campaigns on social media will help build customer loyalty and acquire new customers.