Are you looking for a way to get attention, drive traffic, and stand out from the competition? Celebrating food holidays allows operators to get creative with their menus, feature new and innovative events, and offer something fun for their guests. Here are just a few of the April holidays your restaurant could celebrate this year:
April 6: National Acai Bowl Day
National Acai Bowl Day may seem a bit niche, but as the seasons change and guests are looking for vibrant, refreshing dishes, this may hit the spot. Come up with a few seasonal options for the menu or allow guest to create their own customized bowl from a set list of choices. Include options like a choice of base, fruit, protein, and toppings like seeds, nuts, or chocolate chips for a delicious, filling meal.
This could be a great opportunity for social media coverage, with Instagrammable colours and flavours, so choose a hashtag for the holiday and encourage guests to share on their feeds to get attention and drive traffic to your restaurant.
April 19: National Garlic Day
This one is practically a no-brainer – chances are that you already have several garlicky dishes on the menu, but here’s your opportunity to make garlic the star of the show! You could create an entire menu around the ingredient, with dishes like garlic knots or 40-clove chicken. If you want to provide a full experience, encourage sharing with a board of mini apps including Caesar salad, garlic bread, shrimp scampi, and more. Consider handing out samples of toothpaste, mouthwash, or gum for a fun and fresh end to the night!
April 21: National Tea Day
This holiday is unique in that you can celebrate it with beverages or beverage-flavoured menu items. Hosting an event like a tea tasting or high tea could be a fun event for your guests, but if you want to keep it simple, adding tea to some of your desserts can be an easy way to infuse new flavours into your menu. Think milk tea cupcakes, chocolate earl grey tarts, chai cookies, matcha macarons, and more.
April 22: Earth Day
While not strictly a food holiday, Earth Day is a great time to connect with your customers. Use this as an opportunity to build relationships with local producers and feature products from your community that lessen your carbon footprint. Create daily specials to use up ingredients and lower food waste. Get creative! Make it a unique with a candlelit dinner, design an inspired plant-based menu, or find other ways to incorporate your restaurant’s green initiatives into the occasion.
Food holidays are a fun way to re-engage your guests. Keep in mind that most of your customers don’t know these holidays exist, so spreading the word will be critical for filling those tables. Post about your events, advertise special menus, and talk up upcoming holidays, and ask guests to post on social media when they visit to help you reach a larger audience and create attention for your April food holiday celebrations.
