02 Dec Some tips to improve your Christmas season at your restaurant

There are several strategies to increase sales in your restaurant: increase the number of customers, increase the frequency of existing customers, increase the number of times we use a table and / or increase the average spend per head. At Christmas we will focus on a handful of actions that are simple and easy to implement:

1) Create a powerful Christmas menu. Make sure that you include your customers’ favourites, that it is profitable and operationally it is easy to deliver for both, your kitchen and front of house team.

2) Shout about it. Not saying here to spend thousands of pounds. You can easily and cheaply promote your Christmas menu by sending an email to your existing customers and on social media platforms. Boost your Social Media post locally with an audience 1 mile around your restaurant. Remember, your regulars and neighbours are more likely to book their Christmas parties with you. Do not forget to put a small flyer on every table and/or your blackboards. Remember, visibility is critical.

We ALL have Christmas parties: our company Christmas party, the department one, the one with you friends, or that other one with your football team or pilates crowd. If your potential and real customers do not know that they can celebrate their party with you, how will they take you into account in their decision?

3) Create a calendar with all your reservations and identify which are the days that you have to promote more to reach the maximum of your capacity. If we can’t see this clearly it‘s difficult to guide the client to book on the days that interest us the most, customers can be flexible because they know that it’s difficult to find a good place this time of the year.

4) Make sure you reply to all reservation requests ASAP. Remember that if you cannot confirm that you have room for them, customers will immediately look for an alternative.

5) Christmas decorations. Decorate your restaurant with lights and other Christmas motifs, don’t forget the music!

6) Give Back. Support an NGO or a local project. Christmas is a time to share, it’s a good time to do something for others and it will also help you with visibility.

There are several strategies to increase sales in your restaurant: