As the chill sets in and the holidays approach, that can only mean one thing for restaurants. It’s time to gear up for the winter rush. This time of year always brings an influx of guests seeking cozy vibes and delightful dining experiences, and you’ll want to make sure your restaurant is prepared to meet their needs.
To make the most of this potentially lucrative period, you need to plan ahead and implement strategies that guarantee efficient operations, top-notch service and a memorable atmosphere. Get ready to sleigh this winter with our expert tips for a successful and profitable season.
Top marketing ideas for winter
The winter season presents the perfect opportunity to ramp up your restaurant’s marketing efforts and attract more guests during this busy time of year. Here are some marketing initiatives to promote your establishment and offerings:
Seasonal social media campaigns
Develop themed social media campaigns that showcase aspects like your winter menu specials, holiday promotions and festive settings. Share enticing photos and videos that generate excitement. Run contests and giveaways to boost engagement, like having people share their favourite holiday meal memories for a chance to win a gift card. Start promoting early to build buzz.
Email marketing promotions
Email marketing allows you to reach your diner base in a direct, effective way. Send emails highlighting your winter menus, any special holiday events and gift card deals. Include eye-catching imagery that whets appetites, such as pictures of your signature dishes or festive table settings. Offer exclusive email promotions to incentivise guests. And integrate seasonal design elements to make your messages look merry and bright.
Direct mail for target neighbourhoods
While digital marketing tends to be the first port of call, direct mail pieces still carry weight with anyone receptive to offline advertising. Send postcards or flyers promoting your winter offerings to residential and office neighbourhoods near your location. Consider including a limited-time offer to drive traffic, like a discount on a seasonal menu item or a free dessert with a meal purchase.
Partner with local businesses
Look for creative ways to cross-promote with other local businesses like retailers, hotels and entertainment venues. For example, you could partner with a nearby comedy club to offer a dinner plus show package discount. Or provide complimentary drinks to hotel guests who show their key card. Bundling services and co-marketing exposes your restaurant to totally new audiences through your partners’ customer bases.
Influencer and community partnerships
Connect with influential local voices and community pillars who already have direct connections to your target diners. That includes bloggers, neighbourhood social groups and highly engaged online food Facebook groups. See if they are willing to cross-promote your winter specials and events to their audiences in exchange for extending complimentary meals or exclusive pricing. It’s an economical way to expand your marketing reach through the power of word-of-mouth among audiences who genuinely value their recommendations.
With a strategic, multi-channel marketing approach leveraging both digital and traditional tactics, you’ll fill more tables throughout this winter season dining period.
- Find out more about social media marketing ideas for the winter period
Create a Christmas Experience
Capitalize on the festive spirit by creating a Christmas experience with OpenTable Experiences. A themed, multi-course festive dinner could immerse guests in a winter wonderland the moment they arrive.
Or perhaps you want to offer afternoon teas perfect for the colder weeks leading up to Christmas. Why not throw in some hot cider or mulled wine to bring the festive theme to life? Maybe your chef has cooked up a special Christmas menu, and you’d like to offer it as an Experience for guests looking for a memorable holiday dining event.
Additionally, consider hosting festive brunches or exclusive wine tastings to attract guests seeking unique seasonal celebrations. No matter your experience offering, guests get to see another side of your restaurant and enjoy special festive-themed moments when the nights are colder and darker.
- Learn how to set up an Experience on OpenTable
Social Media tips for the winter season
Social media should be a major focus when promoting your restaurant during the busy winter months. Here are some tips to maximize the impact of your seasonal social campaigns:
When developing a social media strategy for winter, start by identifying your primary goals. Is the aim to increase awareness of your holiday specials and events? Drive more gift card sales? Boost engagement with your brand?
Defining clear objectives will help you choose the right content and tactics. It’s also important to determine your ideal posting cadence—you want frequent enough visibility without overwhelming followers.
- Use a scheduling tool to plan topical posts well in advance
- Take advantage of seasonal holidays like Christmas, New Year’s, etc.
- Share photos and videos of winter dishes and specialty cocktails
- Run festive contests, polls and giveaways to increase engagement
- Promote any special holiday events, parties or entertainment
- Don’t forget about winter menu announcements and limited-time offers
- Make use of trending hashtags like #winterwonderland or create custom-branded hashtags
Incorporate plenty of visual appeal through professional photography and video. The cozy ambience of your dining room accented with holiday décor makes for enticing social content. Short behind-the-scenes video clips offer a fun glimpse into your kitchen during the busy season. And user-generated content from happily-fed guests provides valuable social proof. Just be sure visuals are optimized for each platform.
Your social bio, graphics and cover images should all be refreshed to align. Consistent aesthetics and messaging will help boost your restaurant’s visibility and engagement across Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and other channels. A focused, appealing social marketing strategy will help you get more holiday diners through the doors.
Get outdoor dining ready for winter (if applicable)
Outdoor dining spaces can be a major draw during the winter months, providing you have the space. To take the right steps and make them comfortable and inviting, invest in patio heaters and fire pits to provide warmth and ambiance so diners actually want to sit outside.
String up twinkling lights to create a warm, magical atmosphere and show that you’re in a festive mood. Offer lap blankets or sell branded stadium blankets for guests to bundle up. See if your local council allows for temporary enclosures or heated tents, as these create a protected, insulated environment for outdoor dining even in colder temperatures.
And if the snow falls or the weather takes a turn, be diligent about clearing pathways and outdoor dining areas. With the proper preparation, your outdoor areas can be an appealing winter wonderland experience.
Group bookings for winter (private dining)
With the holidays and winter months come an increase in group dining for festive gatherings, celebrations and parties. This presents restaurants with an important revenue opportunity through private and semi-private dining options. Promote your spaces and customize offerings to attract more group bookings:
Highlight your dining spaces
Whether you have a dedicated private dining room or semi-private area or can combine sections of your main dining room, market these spaces on your website. Include detailed descriptions, photos, capacity details and amenities like audio and visual capabilities. Make it easy for diners to envision hosting events with you.
Create group dining packages
Design special group dining menus and pricing packages for the winter season tailored to different sizes and occasions. Offer a holiday party package with plated meals, desserts, wine pairings and decor or floral options. A festive brunch package could include breakfast items, lunch entrees, beverages and holiday decor.
Promote for the holidays
Begin marketing these offerings two to three months before the winter holidays. Use email campaigns to reach your existing database about private dining options for holiday parties and gatherings. Update your website with seasonal package details. Post enticing photos of your spaces decked out for the holidays on social media.
Stay open to accommodations
Remain flexible to accommodate the needs and budgets of various groups. Offer plated or buffet-style service, bar packages, cake-cutting fees, etc. Provide à la carte decor upgrades like floral arrangements or audio and visual setups. Look to maximize revenue while customizing the experiences for diners.
Capture post-holiday groups
Don’t just focus on Halloween through to New Year’s. Promote your spaces for January and February birthday celebrations, retirement parties, bridal showers and more. Many look to host those early in the year, so keep actively marketing private dining in the new year.
With thoughtful packages and promotions tailored to winter festivities, you’ll attract more lucrative group bookings to fill your private and semi-private dining areas.
Summary: Getting ready for the winter season
The festive season always brings an influx of guests seeking a cozy ambience and delightful dining experiences. And with these tips, you can be well placed to delight diners throughout the winter, whether it’s a cracking Christmas meal or a full-on New Year’s celebration.
