Small Restaurants are Helping Customers Celebrate the Holidays in Unique Ways

Are you looking to embrace new restaurant holiday trends and boost profits? Don’t wait for the holiday season to come to you, create your own food holiday! Our wholesale restaurant suppliers share innovative ideas to help create and promote new food holiday events.    

What Are Some Seasonal Factors Affecting the Restaurant Industry? 

Holidays can be an unpredictable time for small restaurants. Families might choose to have holiday meals at home instead of dining out. Add the impact of COVID-19 into the mix and holiday restaurant traffic becomes even more uncertain. 

Just because you can’t predict your profits doesn’t mean there’s cause for panic. While it’s also a good idea to market the big fall and winter holidays, you don’t have to rely solely on mainstream festivities to drive business. In fact, a little out-of-the box thinking could do wonders for your brand and bring more customers through your doors. To help create buzz and keep holiday traffic all year long, why not create your own food holiday? You’ll have a wealth of unique marketing opportunities, can highlight interesting and playful cuisines, and give your guests new reasons to celebrate.  

What is a Food Holiday? 

Simply put, a food holiday is a day devoted to celebrating a specific food. A quick visit to Foodimentary.com reveals over 365 national food holidays! While it comes as no surprise that July 4th is National BBQ Day, you might have never known that September 1st is National Gyro Day and October 1st is World Vegetarian Day. Everything from popcorn to raisin bread to even Lobster Thermidor has its own special day. With so many possibilities, you will never run out of inspiration for new menu items.  

How Can National Food Holidays Fit Into Your Menu? 

While you could produce a new menu item for each food holiday, it’s best to narrow your focus and pick a handful that speak to your unique restaurant. Is your restaurant known for innovative vegan cuisine? Then structure a special menu that kicks off on November 1st, for National Vegan Day. Famous for your breakfast? Celebrate National Waffle Day. Once you pick your favorite food holiday, get creative with your menus and your marketing. 

For example: 

• Don’t limit your holiday to only one day. You can also offer promotions and weekly specials during the entire month to bring in more customers.  
• Incorporate retail items into your holiday menus to increase sales. Do you make a killer hot sauce? Package and sell it on National Taco Day. 
• Create special meal kits that customers can take home to celebrate the new food holiday. 
• Take simple items to the next level. Who says that National Peanut Butter Day is only about PB&Js? Why not try a smoky and spicy peanut butter chili or a Thai chicken pizza with peanut sauce?

Don’t be afraid to toss out all the current food holidays and make your own. Does your restaurant offer something distinctive worth celebrating? Maybe it’s your mother’s moussaka recipe or a signature dish found only in your restaurant. Cultivate your own holiday by creating a celebratory experience around your unique menu.   

Getting the Word Out About Your Restaurant’s New Food Holiday

Whether you are promoting your own food holiday or an existing one, market your celebration the same way you would any major holiday meal: 

• Stand out with creative marketing campaigns. 
• Make promotional materials including recipe information and specials. 
• Develop a social media hashtag and start promoting early on. 
• Encourage your customers to post their fab food experiences on social media. 

Looking for a Local Wholesale Restaurant Supply Store with High-Quality Products for Your New Holiday Menus? 

Looking to create the next big restaurant holiday trend without cutting into your bottom line? US Foods CHEF'STORE offers fresh meat and seafood, produce, dairy, and much more—all at competitive prices. 

Take advantage of Click&Carry and easily track and manage your orders as well as save time and money. We also offer grocery delivery service options for when you need holiday products on the fly. Find a location near you and start shopping for your new tradition!