5 Ways to Make a Memorable Fourth of July
It’s nearly Independence Day, and restaurants all over the country will run special promotions. It’s not just the Fourth of July, but the first big celebration of the summer after a long year of COVID-19. Customers are also excited to kick off the month with the usual festivities. It’s a great chance for restaurants to throw something special and welcome back guests for post-pandemic service.
Narrow down your niche and focus on what your best customers want out of the holiday. Are you a seafood restaurant? Then try new crab specials. Famous for your steak? Fire up the grill and host a BBQ outside. What matters most is keeping true to your brand and paying attention to your customers’ needs.
1. Kits and Delivery
Although you may be open for business, not everyone is up for in-person service yet. Instead, bring a touch of your restaurant to their dinner tables. Meal kits that include special dishes or themed courses are a great draw. Though restaurants are going back to normal this summer, we’re not there yet, so offering contactless alternatives for wary guests can encourage more sales.
Grill kits let them have their own barbecue with family and friends, too. Alternatively, invite them to join your celebration virtually, as this builds loyalty. Catering kits are also a great offer all year round for any events customers may throw. This is a chance to give them a taste of what you have to offer.
2. Festive Fourth of July Drinks
Create a special cocktail menu for a more lively celebration. Fit this specialty your brand depending on your usual audience, choosing sangria specials or deals on beer depending on what usually sells. These can go great with an outdoor BBQ and firework festivities, or incorporated into other deals and events that you usually host on the Fourth of July, such as bottomless seafood deals. Holiday cocktails always go great with whatever dishes you make.
3. The Right Restaurant Technology
Whether you’re serving up new drink specials or a delicious five-course meal, advanced Point of Sale systems enhance the customer experience. eatOS offers tableside devices so servers or customers punch in their orders right there, where it’s then sent immediately back to the kitchen for prep. This saves time, speeds table turns, and improves order accuracy significantly. You can also include order modifications that account for particular dietary restrictions or other customizations, ensuring much happier guests.
4. Interactive Fourth of July Celebrations
Those who do come to your festivities have been missing out on in-person meetings for over a year. Invite them in for cooking classes where they get to eat the result or have beer tastings where they learn how to pair it with food. Interactive activities are a great incentive to draw in customers this summer.
5. Consider Restaurant Demographics
Born-and-bred Americans aren’t the only ones celebrating freedom. First- and second-generation immigrants are also joining their cultures and homes together. Considering that immigrants make up a significant portion of hospitality workers and 37% of small restaurant owners, lean into the industry’s diversity with cultural dishes that have Americanized twists. There are all kinds of ways to honor your customers and celebrate freedom this Fourth of July, so find ways to make the most of it.
Photo by sheri silver on Unsplash
Ready Your Restaurant for Fourth of July
Now that the day is almost upon us, use these tips as a jumping-off point for whatever works best for your brand. Depending on your customers, regular menu, and atmosphere, different ideas will pull in better business. Smart Point of Sale systems track variations in performance over time, so you can see which promotions worked best in the past and adapt them for the current marketplace.
