By Jordan Hale

Black Friday may not typically be a big foodie holiday, but if you act strategically, you can attract customers, drive traffic, and raise your revenues. Research shows that 79 per cent of shoppers visit a full-service or quick-service restaurant while shopping on the holiday, which offers the opportunity for restaurants to interest busy shoppers.

Here are some of the ways that operators can boost the bottom line this Black Friday:

Plan early and set goals

Businesses, be they brick-and-mortar stores or e-commerce platforms, start planning for Black Friday around mid-August. With stores preparing so early, there’s an opportunity for restaurants to be strategic, too. Take a look at the promos in your area, gauge the potential traffic, and create offers and events to target the crowds.

Train your staff

As tired and hungry groups of people visit your restaurant, providing a positive, memorable experience should be your top priority. After a long day, your staff should be prepared to deliver exceptional service. They should be able to handle taking orders, making food, getting it to customers, and turning tables at a pace that has guests wanting to return to your restaurant.

Feature Black Friday menu offers

Offering something quick and unique should capture the attention of busy shoppers, so adjusting your menu for the occasion could help maximize your margins. Your staff isn’t the only part of your restaurant that needs to be ready. Set a special Black Friday menu that features simple dishes that are easy to prepare. Think tacos, quesadillas, fries, pizzas, and any other of your favourites. You could also partner with a local business to offer a free appetizer with receipt purchase, BOGO deals, or create custom offers for loyalty members or social media followers.

Often, entire families go out hunting for the best deals together, so a group promo might like meal discounts for parties of six or more, might help you attract value shoppers. A “Shop Together, Eat Together” special could be very appealing to a hungry, tired crowd.

Another way to celebrate is by incorporating themed drinks on your menu. You could offer specific drinks to please the crowds that match the ‘black’ theme, like Black Martinis, Black Russians, Black Margaritas, Espresso Martinis, Charcoal Lattes, and Cold Brew Concentrates that get guests trying your limited-time features.

Promote your offers

Now that you know how you’ll be preparing for the Black Friday rush and what you’re going to be serving your patrons on that hectic day, it’s time to figure out how to get them through the doors. Many restaurants turn to custom signage when they want to promote deals, but also focus on highlighting wayfinding instructions and communicating opening hours. For Black Friday, restaurants can print their menus on temporary brochures, showcase deals on temporary window decals, and place sandwich boards on the pavement to make passersby aware of the special event.

Launch social media campaigns

Given that the majority of people spend a sizeable portion of their days on social media, advertising your event and promotions on social platforms is a no-brainer. You can create YouTube shorts or Instagram reels and posts that show people how you’re gearing up for the event. If you have the budget, boost the posts and stories by making them sponsored to reach a broader targeted audience. Schedule similar posts in the weeks leading up to the event to guarantee maximum awareness. Teaser videos and posts here and there will also keep them on their toes.

Don’t forget Cyber Monday

Once the Black Friday rush is over, businesses might experience a dip in sales for a couple of weeks. If your restaurant offers delivery and if you have an app or are featured on a food delivery platform like Uber Eats or DoorDash, you can offer discounts for Cyber Monday for orders placed online to help lengthen the promotions.

Black Friday may be mostly about the shopping deals, but restaurants can capitalize on the occasion as well. From LTOs to promotion and partnerships, you can use the holiday to fill those tables and attract a new crowd.

Jordan Hale is a brand strategy consultant with 7+ years of experience helping businesses and brands increase visibility and customer conversion through visual marketing. Jordan contributes insights on business signage, design psychology, and physical brand identity to business publications.