Summer has come to an end and whilst many dread to think about Winter, now is the perfect time to start preparing for the Christmas season.
By focusing on it now and implementing early steps, you have the opportunity to increase your restaurant's Christmas bookings.
So, what can you do?
Here are 5 simple tips you can start to implement!
Start pushing out social posts and emails about Christmas at your restaurant
It may feel early, but there's a reason why restaurants do it. It's the same reason why other companies push out Christmas TV adverts at the end of Autumn - more than ever, people are planning their Christmas earlier and earlier, and spending more of the Christmas period out of their house. In the past 5 years, the number of people dining out on Christmas Day has risen by 139%.
What can you offer them?
Some customers will be hesitant to book this early, therefore it's important to make it as enticing as possible by creating offers to give them a slight nudge.
Perhaps you could create a countdown where if they book 2 months before, the whole table gets a glass of champagne, but if they book 6 weeks before, the table gets a free bottle - as the weeks go on, the gift decreases in value. By doing this, you're prompting customers to book sooner rather than later.
Provide all the details
Right now, safety is more important than ever.
Customers will want to know what measures you will have in place and that these won't take away from their special day.
Be as informative as possible so they know what to expect - it could be a good idea to create a video and show them a taster of the environment they will be in.
The Christmas parties
Granted, these events have to be different this year, but that doesn't mean they have to be boring.
Did you know that one-fifth of consumers find their Christmas party venue in September? And more than half of these consumers will choose a restaurant.
With 79% of people caring more about being in a safe venue, and the second priority being good food at 68%, this is your chance to show them that you've got it all planned.
Depending on the size of the group, map out different seating arrangements so you know exactly how many people you can accommodate - for example, you could split your tables up into chairs of 6 so people can still be social but safe.
Create an exciting Christmas menu
Work with your chefs to provide something special and unique on your menu and know this well in advance. By doing this, you can advertise exactly what you'll be serving and build excitement.
Customers want to enjoy a Christmas dinner that they can't replicate at home, so don't be afraid to really make yours stand out and show off that wow factor through festive emails and posts.
Partner with LUX to entice customers further to come to your venue during Christmas as we offer up to 10% back of their spend in points to use on luxury rewards, making their dining experience even more special!