Valentine's Day 2022: Marketing Tactics for Your Restaurant

Have you ever heard the expression, “love comes from the heart, but passes through the stomach”? Well, this Valentine’s Day there are many couples looking for a chance to make Valentine’s Day special. With the COVID lockdowns, mask regulations, date night has lost its appeal. How about you bring the momentum back this Valentine’s Day by tested ideas which increases your revenue and helps you grow your members in the long run.  Here are some ideas that are timely, proven, and designed to help you supercharge your food and beverage sales this Valentine’s Day. We will cover a few restaurant marketing tactics that can increase sales.

According to a National Retail Federation (NRF) consumer spending survey in 2021, consumers said they plan to spend an average of $196.31, up 21 percent from last year’s previous record of $161.96.  That number represents a huge leap, with total spending expected to reach $20.7 billion (National Retail Federation). $196 is a lot of money available in the hands of your members, guests, and residents in your community. “Americans are looking forward to pampering and indulging their loved ones with flowers, candy, dinner and all of the other Valentine’s Day stops,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. Well then why not spend all of that money at your Golf Course restaurant than any other place.

Furthermore, the evolution of consumer spending is still trending in the direction of experiential gifts, where recipients receive a gift of experience this Valentine’s Day. That means you have a great opportunity to sell the experience of your establishment with your marketing. Taking the idea of selling an experience even further, if you have another line of business such as a spa, golf, or event space you can create an amazing packaged deal to sell your experience.

Create a Special Menu

Why not create a buzz-worthy menu for Valentine’s Day? Have a few unique, one-of-a-kind menu items that will stand out in your restaurant marketing. Try to have at least one unique item for each category of food, perhaps even a Valentine’s Day package which includes a three-course meal. Many food and beverage operators are focusing on prix fixe programming, where restaurant-goers can receive a complete meal offered at a fixed price.  Want a little more flexibility for your guests?  Try three items from a pre-set menu of nine items – three appetizers, three entrees and three deserts. You can take the fixed or semi-variable idea for your Valentine’s Day themed menu. You could also create a sharing-themed menu, most couples already steal a bite of food from their significant other.

Wine Inspired

There’s nothing more comforting to your members than knowing that you’ve got their meals and wines paired perfectly with curated combinations designed to elevate the experience on Valentine’s Day.  Increase the experience with customized menus with the couple’s or small groups names on the menu and members will really feel like they are being treated special on this romantic holiday.

Offer a packaged deal

Something as simple as a small token gift of chocolates or flowers with every meal can be enough of an incentive for members to reserve as it makes the dinner more eventful. Many customers already intend to purchase romantic gifts for their significant others, why not bundle the experience and gift together?

Extend Valentine’s Day

With Valentine’s Day happening to be on a Monday in 2022, some romantically-inclined customers may not be able to celebrate on February 14th, so extend the special holiday offer for the entire weekend by offering any Valentine’s themed specials on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday prior to Valentine’s Day. Few restaurants will extend their specials beyond the 14th so you can stand out from the crowd in a good way! Furthermore, this will help manage demand and the issue of seating so many two-person groups – a particularly significant problem for restaurants with booths and large tables.

With your restaurant marketing tactics ready to go, it’s now time to start promoting them. There are two places this can be done inexpensively: inside and online. Inside the restaurant you should make use of themed signage designed to promote Valentine’s Day. Online you should take advantage of social media to market your ideas. When you leverage social media to promote your restaurant marketing, be sure to post on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Consider utilizing Facebook ads to generate attention in your local area. Social media is one of the most inexpensive ways to reach a larger untapped audience.

Please let us know if you decide to make use of any of these ideas – we’d love to hear about your experience. As always, make sure you collect your guest’s contact details during your Valentine’s Day promotion… just like any other day. This is a great opportunity to capture customer data from those you now know like to celebrate special occasions, so you can invite them to come back for future holidays, anniversaries and birthdays.

Want to know how our tools can help you grow your golf club? Send us an email today. 

For more information, please contact:

Lance Merrihew
707-779-2592

707-779-2592

[email protected]

About Total e Integrated

Total e Integrated is a leading provider of end-to-end business management solutions for recreation, retail, hospitality and community organizations. For over 20 years Total e Integrated has helped organizations to integrate departments, automate marketing, streamline operations and boost revenues with our innovative solutions and expert consulting services team.