February is the time of year when most restaurants see a nice uptick in the number of people dining out.
A big part of the reason for this is the fact that February is the month of Valentine’s Day, so a lot of couples are heading out to celebrate their big day.
As a restaurateur, there are many things you can do to keep up with the increasing business demands in this month and to ensure that your demands actually do increase as they should. Making sure you have enough supplies from a quality restaurants supply company is a good start. Aside from that, you can and should stay on top of the trends and prepare yourself for them.
Offer Specials all Month Long
To begin with, know that, even though Valentine’s Day is on February 14th, not every couple celebrates on this particular day.
In some years, for example, the “big day” is on a weekday, which is not always a convenient day for couples to dine out. Thus, many people pick their own date to celebrate.
People are also likely to do this due to big crowds on Valentine’s Day and due to their pay schedules and budgets. Thus, the best way to ensure that you can please every couple who walks through your door is to offer specials all month long.
Specials are a great way to clean out your walkin cooler and to get rid of items you may have overstocked on. In this way, you win and so do your clients by getting a great deal on their meals.
Go with Red and Pink Decor
It may seem a bit cliche to decorate with pink and red during the month of February, but the fact of the matter is that people like their traditions. And, for many, those traditions include lots of hearts and frou-frou colors to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Thus, why not give the people what they want? During the month of February, it is totally okay to give in to the local dining trends and to put paper hearts on your walls, pink tablecloths on the table, and anything else you can dream up.
Even if you do not absolutely love the decor, there is a very good chance that your customers will, so just go ahead and do it.
Offer Themed Menu Items
Another kitschy but effective thing that your restaurant can try is to offer themed menu items.
Whether it’s a steak cut into the shape of a heart, a sweet pink dessert, or anything in between, customers are sure to love the chance to try a Valentine’s Day themed menu item.
In fact, as reluctant as you may be to give this idea a shot, you will probably find that you sell more of your Valentine’s Day items than anything else.
As you can see, the restaurant world tends to get very holiday-centric in February, but you have nothing to lose by giving in to the trends and making your customers happy.
