Is your culinary calendar full? Everyone loves a celebration, and food holidays are a way to get your restaurant noticed, broaden your appeal, and grow your brand. Along with a way to engage your guests, food holidays allow you to try out new dishes, attract attention from new customers, and re-interest your regulars with something fun and unique.
Here are just a few of the April holidays your restaurant could celebrate this year:
April 3: National Burrito Day
While many Mexican-themed locations will be celebrating this one, here’s a way for you to try and entice that clientele to visit your restaurant. Create burrito-making stations, offer mix-and-match options with different proteins, or come up with family dining dishes that groups can share. If you are looking to draw in a cost-conscious crowd, you could offer a two-for-one special, advertise a free appetizer like nachos and salsa, or host a happy hour with specials for the day.
To interest off-premise diners, you might consider adding a few grab-and-go options like breakfast burritos or a dessert version or making up a burrito kit that families can enjoy at home.
April 7: National Beer Day
This holiday is such a simple one to incorporate into your regular operations with tastings, beer flights, unique pairings, and even partnerships with local producers. If the weather cooperates, it might be an opportunity to fill your patio with guests looking to celebrate spring at the same time. With the rise in health-conscious customers, offering non-alcoholic might be a way to attract larger groups with varied needs – and you may even find a few favourites to add to your regular menu!
April 11: National Poutine Day
As Canadian patriotism continues to grow throughout the country, this seems like a no-brainer for restaurants. It’s a simple addition to your menu and there are so many potential variations from breakfast poutine to butter chicken, pulled pork, and beyond – the sky’s the limit! Choose one or two that complement your menu and celebrate with one of Canada’s most recognized dishes.
April 21: National Chickpea Day
Here’s a great opportunity to broaden your customer base and offer new flavours with globally inspired dishes on your menu. Think chickpea masala, Moroccan-style soup, falafel, and more.
It’s also a good opportunity to increase your appeal to your vegan and vegetarian guests, using chickpeas as an alternate protein source. Consider trying out chickpea burgers, adding them to salads, or adding homemade hummus to the menu.
Whether you re-think your menu for the day or you incorporate chickpeas into some of your favourite dishes, use this holiday to try out something new and draw in new customers.
April 30: National Stop Food Waste Day
Now’s your chance to really wow your customers with your sustainability efforts! This holiday offers you the chance to educate your customers while maximizing your margins. Consider a ‘use what’s in the kitchen’ approach, adding daily specials based on ingredients you already have on hand.
This one is a good one to promote, raise awareness, and encourage your guests to participate in by auditing their own pantries, using up ingredients, and shopping more strategically.
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 to your dining guests. Ask guests to post on social media when they visit to help you reach a larger audience and create a buzz for your food holiday celebrations.
