Prepare for Christmas: your hospitality business checklist

With the busiest time of the year almost upon us, it’s time for restaurants to start preparing for the festive season.

We know from experience how stressful this time can be. 

From managing your festive menus and designing targeted marketing campaigns to assembling a capable team, there’s a lot for restaurants to do in the run up to December.

To help you get organised, we’ve put together an easy-to-follow festive checklist. Let’s dive into our best tips when planning for Christmas in your restaurant.

1. Planning your festive menu

Your Christmas menu is the lifeblood of your business in December, and an opportunity to be heard above the noise.  

From Subway’s BrieMelt to LEON’s Festive Feast Wrap, every restaurant has an iconic Christmas offering to delight their customers.

So, what’s yours? 

• Design your Christmas menu

Use the power of the season to drive ATV, by including exclusive seasonal offerings such as Christmas meal deals or limited edition menu items.

Play around with item names; customers appreciate a little fun and originality. For example, the Reindeer Treats McDonald’s introduced into their festive offering. 

Use historical data to identify which previous menu items did well. What would your audience love to see return this Christmas?

• Ensure all menus are up to date

Once you’ve dreamed up your festive offering, ensure all of your menus are updated and your third-party delivery partners, such as Deliveroo or JustEat, are notified of the changes. 

A great Christmas menu won’t get you far if your customers can’t order it.

2. Christmas restaurant operations

In the hustle and bustle of Christmas, it’s easy to forget small, yet essential, details. Don’t let logistical errors be your downfall this year!

• Operating hours

Do you reduce your operating hours over Christmas? 

Double-check that all of your digital channels (website, social media accounts, and third-party delivery partners) display the correct hours to avoid disappointing your customers. 

• Festive pricing changes

Are you running special offers or discounts? 

Update your menu provider and all third-party delivery partners in good time to avoid pricing mistakes (and the headache that goes with them).

• Channel review

Ensure that all your operational tools, such as your OPAT and QR table numbers, are functional and displaying correct information. Don’t forget to update your minimum spends and service charges, too! 

3. The Christmas customer experience

Consumers are bombarded with deals and discounts from every direction during Christmas. It’s important for them to still feel cared for, rather than being shaken down.  

Maintaining a sincere, personalised relationship during the festive period can increase customer sentiment and keep you at the top of their nice list. 

After all, Christmas is a time to share with loved ones, and consumers are more likely to spend their time and money on brands that make them feel valued. 

Here’s a few tips on how to achieve this:

• Festive campaigns

Strong campaigns are essential in a season of fierce competition.

Review your current customer communication strategies, such as your social media content and mail-outs, and ensure your messages are targeted and personalised. 

Take some time to review your demographic data from last year: are your campaigns targeting your number one customers? How can you capture their attention based on current trends? 

• Festive loyalty programmes

‘Tis the season of indulgence! 

Reward your customer’s desire to eat, drink and be merry with a festive promotion in your current loyalty programme.  

Whether it’s double loyalty points, Christmas discounts, special deals or seasonal rewards, give your customer’s (another) reason to keep coming back. 

Don’t forget to promote your festive rewards through sincere, targeted communication. 

• Promotional banner upsells

Your Christmas offering should be clear and accessible from the moment your customer enters the premises.

Ensure you’re utilising your promotional banners to spotlight your festive offering, including any upsells or meal upgrades. 

• In-meal upsells

Ensure your self-ordering kiosks facilitate a smooth in-meal upsell process for your customers, maximising every opportunity to drive ATV.