How to make Halloween an effective marketing lever for your Restaurant?

Halloween offers an opportunity to showcase creativity for your restaurant or hotel. The goal? To provide unique offerings that can effectively and quickly engage a new clientele.

“Trick or Treat?” Halloween, a tradition that endures today on the eve of All Saints’ Day. Each year, practices are updated to appeal to children and their parents.

However, Halloween has also become an event driven by marketing strategies and a great opportunity to generate additional revenue. For the legendary candy brand Haribo, Halloween represents 12% of its annual pre-crisis revenue.

Halloween is an excellent excuse to celebrate, dine out, or engage in any activity organized for the occasion. It’s a great way to increase visibility and double your revenue on the night of October 31. How can you make the most of this event to animate your restaurant or hotel? What essential practices should you consider to pique the curiosity of your future guests?

As a restaurateur, Halloween presents an opportunity to revamp your menu specifically for the evening or introduce a standout product that will generate interest and desire to taste.

1. Create a Halloween-themed culinary offering at your restaurant!

A Dedicated Menu

Designing a special menu for the evening of the 31st is an excellent way to attract a new clientele eager to celebrate this event. Imagine surprising dishes and cocktails that play with Halloween clichés. Don’t forget seasonal vegetables like squashes (pumpkin, butternut squash, and squash) or old vegetables (parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes) prepared in a unique way that fits perfectly with the evening’s theme.

An original menu represents an opportunity to encourage diners to share their experience on social media. It’s an excellent way to gain notoriety by demonstrating your creativity.

An Exceptional Product

Another way to stand out is by releasing a flagship product with an original visual, perfect for promotion on social media. French chef Alain Ducasse, for example, introduced his Halloween-themed chocolate collection, featuring “Hexa-spiders” and “Hexa-pumpkins.”

Every year, the Amorino ice cream parlor offers Halloween-themed ice cream and macarons.

2. Organize games and activities to generate excitement

To pique interest and create a festive and friendly atmosphere, encourage your guests to come in costumes. Organizing a contest for the best horror attire in exchange for a free dinner can easily spark the participation of the less motivated. This is an event that can help retain your clientele while gaining notoriety.

With the help of social media, organizing a contest has never been easier to engage your community and encourage interactions. For instance, you can organize a contest for the best horror-themed selfie in exchange for a meal to be enjoyed at your restaurant on the evening of October 31 for Halloween.

3. Create a sensational experience

The venue and atmosphere are integral to the customer experience, especially on a festive night like Halloween. You don’t need to invest heavily in exceptional items, but simply incorporate carved pumpkins, fake cotton spiderwebs, or paper bats. Don’t forget to play with music.

You can also transform your service team. These small details can leave a lasting impression and make your guests’ experience unforgettable.

For instance, Mama Shelter has developed a unique offering for Halloween, including bloody cocktails, surprise shows, and DJ sets. Take inspiration from Mama Shelter’s special Halloween offer!

4. Maximize communication

Don’t forget to share your special Halloween offer with your community and display it on your website. If you’re hosting a special event, use social media to create anticipation and whet the appetite and curiosity of some before the big day and the evening itself.

Therefore, Halloween is a calendar event not to be missed for your restaurant or hotel. Many offerings are waiting to be invented to bring the curious and food enthusiasts to your establishment. However, remember to communicate! Your creative genius must be visible for a compelling offer. A solid community management strategy is an essential support to ensure a successful event on the big day.