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Love Is In The Air: Tips For A Restaurant Valentine’s Day Success
It is no secret that Valentine’s Day is a very busy holiday for restaurants. As we touched on previously, it is in fact the second most popular day for dining out, just after Mother’s Day.
Last Valentine’s Day, you prepared your restaurant by creating and advertising deals, creating an exclusive menu to attract guests, and set the atmosphere.
This year, you can improve your Valentine’s Day rush and create an environment that is both relaxing for guests and efficient for employees.
Prepare For Higher Food Costs
Because couples are looking for a restaurant that offers something special on Valentine’s Day, you will want to offer something distinctive to keep up with the competition.
With an exclusive menu comes higher food costs, so be sure to double- and triple-check your budget before you decide to offer a surf n’ turf. Like every other menu item you offer, calculate the cost of each dish and get detailed quotes from your supplier.
If you find you cannot afford the special of your dreams, it is perfectly fine to opt for something more budget-conscious.
Sample Your Planned Specials Menu
When you choose your Valentine’s Day special, be sure you sample it to ensure the taste and quality before serving it to guests in the mood for romance.
Sampling allows you to improve on dishes you currently serve and plan to serve and give guests the best possible culinary experience.
Schedule Extra Help For V-Day
Too many guests and not enough servers or cooks in your restaurant are a recipe for disaster.
Valentine’s Day is an absurdly busy holiday for restaurants, and that means they often need extra help to keep things running smoothly.
On Valentine’s Day, schedule extra employees to keep up with customer demand, utilizing your Cloud POS system like Micros, Toast, or MobileBytes to see what hours are the most popular at your restaurant based on historical data.
Prepare For Low Table Turnovers
Couples dining out on Valentine’s Day want to take their time and enjoy their meal with their significant other. As such, you should expect and prepare for low table turnovers.
To combat this problem and get in as many customers as possible that day, there are several strategies you can take advantage of, including:
- Using pay-at-the-table POS technology to subtly hint to guests that you need the table.
- Offering reservations for the night during your busiest hours so you know how many guests you will be serving.
- Limiting menu options so guests can make a quick decision and eliminate long ticket times.
Just remember that guests are at your restaurant to relax and have a good time. So be sure not to give the impression that you are rushing them.