As the weather heats up, so too, does the opportunity to celebrate all things food, with June’s best food holidays! Draw in a crowd, offer something unique, and attract new interest with celebrations that help you stand out from the competition.
Here are some of the June food holidays you may choose to celebrate at your restaurant:
June 5: National Donut Day
As an already popular menu item, celebrating donuts on a grander scale is an easy sell for most guests. Make donuts the star of the menu for the day, offering fresh new flavours, allowing kids to decorate their own donuts, offering sampler platters for groups to share. Get creative with suggested pairings, to-go packages, and desserts that incorporate donuts to give guests the sweet treats they crave. If you don’t want to feature actual donuts, considering using them as inspiration for coffee beverages, milkshakes, and more for a sweet take on your regular menu.
June 10: National Iced Tea Day
Iced tea is likely on the menu already, but here’s your chance to level up. From cocktails to mocktails, iced tea lends itself to a multitude of variations. Get trendy with a sweet and spicy option, add fresh fruit for a vibrant twist, or go global with flavours like matcha, yuzu, or hojicha. If you don’t just want to focus on the menu, you could host a fun event like a blind tasting, an original “tea party,” or feature flights where guest can mix and match flavours.
June 15: National Lobster Day
Looking to celebrate lobster in a formal way? Create a few dishes that feature lobster as the star of the show, like a surf and turf platter, lobster bisque, or a lobster ravioli. If it’s not something you usually carry, you may want to take reservations for the celebration to be able to better manage your inventory.
If you want to keep it simple, you can still get in on the celebrations by incorporating it into your menu with a lobster roll, or elevating some of your favourite dishes like adding lobster tacos, or lobster mac and cheese. Be sure to get into the spirit with themed décor, lobster bibs, and plenty of photos for sharing on social media.
June 30: National Food Truck Day
Food trucks are always a hit, but if you don’t have one, partner up with someone local for a parking lot or patio event. By partnering with another business, you can cross-promote, getting attention for both businesses and reaching new audiences. Feature live music, colourful décor, and a party vibe that gets guests feeling like summer has arrived. Events like these can attract attention from the street, bringing in new customers who want to get in on the fun. If it’s popular, you may even decide to repeat the event or schedule a few local businesses on rotation to help you generate traffic and attention more often.
Great service and a great menu are the foundations of restaurant success, but guests are looking for something that’s innovative and offers a memorable dining experience. Celebrate June’s best food holidays to give your guests something to look forward to and another reason to visit your restaurant.
