By Megan Prevost
It’s that time again! Time to start planning the next month’s events and specials for your restaurant menu. If you’re having a hard time brainstorming ways to increase revenue in the month of September, consider celebrating food holidays!
These holidays are simple and easy to plan for and have the potential to draw in a crowd. However, they do require some thought in advance. So, before these food holidays are upon us, decide what you’re going to celebrate and get to planning.
If you’d prefer to celebrate all month long, September happens to be:
- National Chicken Month
- National Potato Month
- National Honey Month
But, if you’d like to hone in on some one-day celebrations, here are a few that could be a perfect fit.
September 5: Cheese Pizza Day
You’re probably wondering why you would want to celebrate a boring old slice of cheese pizza? Well, we’re here to remind you that you don’t have to just offer deals on cheese pizza to celebrate this holiday. Use Cheese Pizza Day as an excuse to amp up your slice. Add a drizzle of hot honey or another accent or consider offering a free cheese slice with the purchase of another type of pizza. And, of course, you could even change up the types of cheese you’re using. Have fun with it.
September 12: Chocolate Milkshake Day
The chocolate milkshake is a classic. Dress it up or keep it simple to celebrate this divine holiday. This holiday is great for a variety of different restaurants, including burger shacks, ice cream parlours, and even fine dining establishments. It’s all about how you prepare and showcase your delicious milkshakes. For this holiday, consider offering BOGO milkshakes or a free milkshake with the purchase of an entree. You can also choose to showcase different chocolate flavours or create a new, holiday-only exclusive to entice customers new and old.
September 16: Guacamole Day
On September 16, your restaurant can celebrate the holy grail of sides: guacamole. Mexican establishments like taco counters, food trucks, and full-service restaurants — or even non-Mexican restaurants who like to add some avocado-based fun to their offerings — can have some fun with this one. Showcase your classic guac with chips or have some fun with tacos, burgers, or quesadillas that showcase this delicious side as a part of the main dish.
September 18: Cheeseburger Day
Apparently, September is the month for classics. There’s so much you can do to celebrate Cheeseburger Day. Showcase your favourite cheeseburgers or introduce a new special specifically for the holiday. You could even create a cheeseburger flight that allows your customers to try out a variety of sliders. Not only will they have fun sampling your menu, but they’re more likely to find something they love and come back for more in the future.
September 22: Ice Cream Cone Day
At the end of the month, we’re hitting another staple, and the options are unlimited with this one. If you have an ice cream shop, offering free small cones is a great way to get new customers in the door while also rewarding and reconnecting with old ones. Ice cream flights, new flavours, and BOGO specials aren’t off the table for this holiday either.
Get creative to celebrate these food holidays
Now that you’ve chosen the food holiday you want to celebrate for the month, it’s time to think about your marketing strategy. By combining print and digital advertising opportunities, you can catch potential customers passing by your restaurant as well as digital customers who may not have heard of your restaurant before.
Use flyers, and sandwich boards to attract passersby and table tents to notify seated guests of your upcoming celebration. A social media campaign will allow you to notify customers that follow you, with the potential to reach new customers as well. Once you put your marketing strategy into action, it’s time to celebrate!
Megan Prevost is a contributing writer for RestoBiz and a Content Manager for MustHaveMenus. Her work has also appeared in App Institute, Bar Business, Modern Restaurant Management, Small Business Currents, PMQ, FSR, The Daily Fandom, and FanSided.
