14 keys to a packed restaurant this holiday season 🎄✨

The festive season is fast approaching. Synonymous with millions of shared meals, drinks and events, this is one of the best seasons of the year for restaurateurs. It's the perfect opportunity to boost your revenues and take advantage of this surge in business.

What can you do to attract customers? What quick tips can help you stand out from the crowd? Everything you need to know is in this article!

Why prepare your restaurant for the festive season?

According to a study by the National Restaurant Association78% of those surveyed will take advantage of the holiday season to dine out.

In France, while Christmas meals are usually served at home, the festive period(from late November to mid-January) is also the time for a number of events that are likely to draw large crowds to your restaurant :

• Meals, brunches and Thanksgiving drinks (due to the American influence);
• Pre-Christmas meals or post-Christmas brunches;
• Aperitifs and Christmas drinks with friends and colleagues (the famous "Christmas beers", mulled wine, etc.);
• Christmas markets (foodtruck, takeaway, drinks);
• International events and festivities (winter solstice in China and Scandinavia, Canadian lights, the 7 days of Kwanzaa, etc.);
• On New Year's Eve (and even the day after, when brunch is back in vogue!);
• Sales (a chance to eat out);
• January'sdetoxes...

Between events and outings, must-try specialities and products, traditional meals and cult drinks, these almost 3 months of festivities are among the best seasons for restaurateurs!

To increase your restaurant's margins and ensure the success of this season, it's essential to be prepared!

14 ideas to boost your restaurant's holiday sales

Dressing up the menu

Smoked salmon or trout, truffles, foie gras, frozen desserts, chocolates... In the run-up to the festive season, the French tend to spend a little more to enjoy more refined dishes or unmissable specialties.

Examples: our customers Augustine - la table du châteauor Origines by Adrien Descoul are highlighting on Instagram and their website the exceptional menu they are offering exclusively for the festive season.

Warning: be smart: revise your menu accordingly. The most important thing: keep your basic concept.

For example: foie gras ramen from Yatai Ramen or truffles from Francette truffles.

You can offer a special menu, made up of more noble products, or a short-lived menu to create exclusivity .

Avoid high average ticket prices

We've just talked about it: the festive season is a time of big spending for the French. An Ipsos study in 2023 showed that they are increasingly in favor of responsible purchasing.

So avoid all-out foie gras and exorbitant prices. To increase your average bill while satisfying your customersyou can :

• Offer more expensive ingredients as extras on your menus;
• Add starters or special dishes on request (turkey to share, truffle velouté...);
• Marger sur les boissons (proposer du champagne, du vin chaud, des créations comme des bières de Noël, bière au beurre,"egg nog", etc.).
• Insist on the scarcity of products: pay attention to portions, take advantage of seasonal products...

Off-peak hours: playing on snacks and aperitifs

When it's cold outside, comforting hot drinks are just the thing.

Another advantage: it allows you to fill your off-peak hours!

When it comes to snacks, establishments that are open all day have every reason to offer special Christmas treats to attract customers who are strolling the streets in search of gifts. Christmas teas, gourmet coffees, pumpkin spice lattes, gingerbread, small cakes, mini logs, nougats (using cinnamon and Christmas spices).

In addition to the famous Christmas drinks (beers, mulled wine), you can be original with oyster bars, cheese tastings or foie gras.

Example: our customer Comptoir du caviar which offers an aperitif experience around caviar and champagne to celebrate the month of December.

And also, the special "champagne month" offer for Indiana Café.

Keep children happy, keep parents loyal,

For many, the holiday season is a family time. ‍

Offering a special children's menu and associated areas is absolutely key to being a"kids friendly" restaurant.

Parents will be delighted to be able to spoil their children and treat themselves at the same time, and will be more likely to come to your establishment.

💡The right reflex: use the keyword "kids friendly" in your establishment listing, Google posts and review responses from October onwards!

Don't forget the experience and the decorations (we'll come back to this later): wrapped presents, a tree, anything that will appeal to children.

Finally, go all the way: provide highchairs and a changing station in your toilets. Parents will thank you!

Playing on vacations

We're not telling you anything: often, when the restaurateurs are working, the others are on vacation!

This is often the case for holidays, which mean two weeks of school vacation and often a 5-day week.

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?

Good examples: our customer OFF Paris Seine invites Internet users to come and enjoy a comforting brunch the day after New Year's Eve!

Embracing the magic of Christmas

Christmas is all about decorations. Streets, stores and even homes - don't underestimate the power of tinsel!

Bringing the magic of Christmas into your restaurant is the best way to attract customers.

No need to invest too much:

• ‍‍Afew decorative touches are all you need (mistletoe or fir branches on tables, a few sequins or candles for a warm atmosphere);
• Original ideas and goodies that play on humor, magic or experience (wrapped gifts, socks to hand out, the presence of Santa Claus, quiz or trivia evenings on the theme of Christmas films...).

Once again, be original and focus on your restaurant's concept.

Example: cosy chalet atmosphere, vintage ski decorations, fireplace, Christmas trees at our customer's home Quai Ouest has gone all out for the festive season, when the restaurant is renamed Quai Ouest 1200.

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

Thinking business

The festive season is also a time for celebrating... with colleagues!

Many companies organize Christmas meals just before the school vacations.

If your establishment is in an office-friendly neighborhood, it's a great opportunity to fill your restaurant with large tables for both lunch and dinner, as well as to make yourself known to the office clientele in the surrounding area. You can offer take-away menus with a "Christmas at work" theme, or "catering" services.catering"with festive activities such as a secret santa.

Offer on social media

There are several advantages to giving your community the chance to win gifts every day. Not only does itengage enthusiastic Internet users in these "mini-contests", instilling the Christmas spirit, but it's also an opportunity to set up ephemeral collaborations with other brands as prizes, and thus reach their audiences. -50% off a meal, cocktail, coffee, free drink... There are numerous possibilities for strengthening the link 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.

Two birds with one stone: you spoil your community and engage them, which is excellent for SEO and e-reputation!

Playing with the December calendar

The month of December is marked by a number of important and emblematic days.

Dates you can play with to bring in customers or boost your social media.

How to make International Christmas Sweater Day (yes, it does exist!). We talk about it in the restaurant marketing calendar!

An acquisition lever? Organize a contest for the restaurant's Instagram and Facebook followers. A simple principle: 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.

Placing gift (tickets) under the tree

Why not make up for the lack of gift inspiration among many French people by creating a voucher for a meal out?

‍Simply develop a gift card system in advance, to be handed in at the cash desk once the meal has been consumed.

‍Therestaurant Camondocustomer of Malouoffers various gift vouchers for different budgets, with a menu to reserve in advance or an amount to choose from.

Organizing a Christmas of solidarity

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.

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 a high-impact communication strategy.

Communicate, communicate, communicate

social media allows you to regularly share your news, new offers... with your community. All the original ideas you're going to have this holiday season deserve to be shared!

The holidays are even a great opportunity to fill up on photos for your establishment, where you'll see lots of people, beautiful decorations, meticulous presentations...

Post tempting photos of the new dishes on the menu, show off the ephemeral decoration of your establishment, 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.

‍Ourcustomer 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.

Sponsor strategic content

To optimize the impact of your social posts and reach as many customers as possible, use sponsorship.

This allows you to reach a much wider target. By adding a few euros to an Instagram or Facebook post, you're sure to maximize visibility with a selected target.

A small gesture is always appreciated: think about sending an email to your most loyal customers to wish them a happy festive season! It's the easiest way to do it, and the perfect opportunity to include a selection of products and/or a promotional code.

Choose to schedule a first shipment a few days before each event (Black Friday, Christmas...). A second shipment can be made during the festivities. If you're in e-commerce, be sure to calculate and indicate the delivery time required during this busy period!

Appeal to influencers

Influencers remain valuable partners for communicating your offers. Leading strong, committed communities, these players have real power of recommendation. So invite the most relevant of them to come and 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.

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Has this article given you any ideas? With 1 to 1.5 months to go, you're right on schedule!