As back-to-school approaches and summer weather comes to an end, you want to keep customers engaged and interested in your menu – and returning to your restaurant this September. Celebrating food holidays gives you the perfect opportunity to reinterest your existing guests while attracting new attention to your menu.
September’s food holidays make it easy for you to celebrate with your guests, get them talking, and keep them coming back throughout the month.
September 1: National Food Bank Day
Here’s a great way to make a difference and connect with your community. Consider celebrating by donating a portion of sales, holding a food drive, or partnering with another local business to maximize your efforts. You could even host an event where your community helps put together packages to deliver to the Food Bank.
Don’t forget to promote the event. Post on your socials, talk it up to your guests and include details online to get as much participation from your customers as you can.
September 7: National Acorn Squash Day
Fall often brings the addition of warm comfort foods to the menu and this holiday means you can get seasonal, too. Classics like squash soup are always a hit, but adding it to hearty chili, fall salads, or nachos offers delicious vegetarian options for your guests. Stuffed squash also makes a unique dish and delicious dish and can be created with sweet or savoury flavours for something new for your guests to try.
Acorn squash makes a tasty substitute for pumpkin or sweet potato, so feel free to swap it in to mix it up on your menu!
September 16: National Eat an Apple Day
Celebrating this holiday is a sweet no-brainer with desserts and sharing plates featuring treats like mini pies, donuts, candy, or caramel apples. There’s so much you can do on the sweet side, from baked goods to beverages, but what about the rest of your menu? Baked apples with pork, burgers with apple slaw, and even using apples to top pizza can entice your guests to try something new.
Get the whole family involved with a healthy side of sliced apples or cider as an option on your kids’ menu. You might even get kids to decorate their own apples and eat them to keep them engaged and busy while they visit.
September 25: Family Day
This holiday celebrates families enjoying dinner together, and your restaurant is a great place to gather! Think about ways to draw groups in with family-style dining, a special kids’ menu, entertainment, and more.
It’s not just your menu that makes your restaurant a family destination, though, so consider adding extra booster chairs, spill-proof cups, plastic dishes, and additional changing stations to help become known as a fun and convenient place for families to visit.
RELATED: Get your kids’ menu to the next level
September 29: National Coffee Day
Now here’s a holiday that will perk up your guests! If you’re open for breakfast, you can easily add a few coffee selections to create a buzz. For regular menu features, add milkshakes, desserts, and even savoury options like a coffee marinade or barbecue sauce. For a more adult approach, create a specialty java-centric drink menu, featuring martinis, alcoholic hot drinks, and frappuccinos.
As the weather starts to change, switch up your menu for these fall celebrations. Engage your guests with new and interesting dishes, encourage your team to get into the spirit, and promote your events to draw a crowd and fill those tables this month.
