A successful restaurant is not only characterized by its food and service, but also by an inviting atmosphere and a varied menu. This also includes special promotions and events. These can be regular events, such as a weekly cocktail happy hour or after-work parties on Fridays, or they can be hosted on specific holidays.
1. Tastings, cocktail courses, happy hours
One sensible approach, for example, is to align events with the core competencies of your gastronomy business. If you serve special cocktails or select wines in your establishment, you can organize tasting events, cocktail mixing classes or happy hours, for example. These align perfectly with your gastronomic concept and give you the opportunity to showcase and share your expertise. Not only your visitors will be thrilled by these ideas – for your employees, too, this type of event offers variety and the opportunity to strengthen ties with regular customers or win new ones.
2. Organizing theme weeks
Theme weeks are another way to surprise regulars and attract new guests. For example, this can be a "fish week" where you bring special fish dishes to your menu. This promotion works especially well if the restaurant is located in an area where fish dishes are not found in every restaurant. Seasonal ingredients also offer great potential for creative theme weeks. How about a "chanterelle week" or "asparagus week" with respective menu creations? This gives guests an incentive to visit the restaurant and try new dishes.
3. Special lunch or dinner offers
With regular theme days, such as a "Steak Wednesday", you make the lunch table more attractive and encourage your guests to pay your restaurant a visit during their lunch break. Another such promotion would be an "After-Work Friday" that could become a weekly ritual for your guests. Do not forget to advertise promotions like this extensively on your marketing channels and on-site at the restaurant.
4. Special offers for specific target groups
If your customers include special target groups, such as students, it may be worthwhile to include specific special offers. Upon presentation of an ID card, these guests could benefit from a discounted "student menu" and help revitalize the establishment, especially during the week.
5. Special holidays
Another idea to attract guests and stand out from the competition is to create extra cards or events for unusual holidays that are not on everyone's calendar. For example, have you heard of German Beer Day (April 23), International World Cocktail Day (May 13) or International Friendship Day (July 30)? Surprise your guests with special menus for these occasions. You should clearly define the goals of such events in advance, such as retaining regular customers, acquiring new customers or testing out additional business, and bear in mind that such events require a certain amount of preparation and start-up time.
