Event and Promotion Ideas for Restaurants

Events and promotions are a huge part when it comes to marketing a restaurant. When they are executed correctly, they can be very successful. They help attract customers, encourage repeat visits and orders, and improve traffic at your door. Keep reading to find some fresh event ideas that can help excite your guests and boost your bottom line.

Planning the right restaurant event

Consider these factors before choosing an event to put on. They’ll give you a better insight into which types of promotions are effective on a certain budget or audience. 

Customer

Think about the average customer who comes to your restaurant’s door. Are they students? Families with kids? Or older people? It’s best to consider if they are affluent or budget-conscious too. 

For example, if you’re usually serving students with no families yet, a child-friendly themed event might not attract them.

Relevance  

Your event shouldn’t only resonate with the type of customers you serve, but it has to always be relevant to the time you have it. For example, an outdoor tropical-themed party won’t hit off during the rainy, monsoon seasons.

Budget 

To ensure an event is successful and profitable, make sure to plan out all the expenses involved in planning and hosting e.g. food and drink, decor, entertainment, et cetera. Once that’s figured out, you’ll be able to know how much profit the event should generate. 

Restaurant events ideas

Calendar events

Holidays – Hosting holiday parties are a straightforward way to plan a themed event. Host events like Lunar New Year or Halloween costume parties.

Valentine’s Day – Love-themed events like a romantic charcuterie and wine tasting can attract couples, or host a special singles night instead featuring discounts on drinks.

Family Day – Feature bundle promotions or a special course menu for celebrations like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Children’s Day.

Food events

Beverage tasting – Partner with local and independent wine, beer, or coffee breweries. Feature their best or newly launched items and offer small plates of your special menu items to pair the two. 

Guest chefs – To attract food enthusiasts in your area, consider bringing in a well-known chef to share a special dish. This can help your restaurant network with other businesses and encourage a wider segment of customers.

Tasting – If you have some new items you plan to introduce, a food-tasting event where you offer them to your guests can help you obtain feedback. A proper event or launch can entice customers to purchase the new item.

Community events

Charity – Host events like auctions, donations, or a sustainability talk to show the local community your efforts in giving back. Feature special food and drink items.

Themed events

Throwback party – Throw a one-off party where your customers can dress up and enjoy music from the ’70s, ’80s, or ’90s. Have your premise decorated with elements from that era, too.

Ladies’ or guys’ night – Offer special bundle promotions or discounts for drinks and snacks. Another popular, sought-after event is speed dating, where singles can get to know each other and purchase more drinks.

Game night – Have trivia nights or offer board games to your customers to encourage them to linger longer and purchase drinks and snacks. 

Market your restaurant the fun way

Hosting events to promote your restaurant can go a long way when you have the best strategies planned out. Get creative and have your staff involved in the planning for a successful, profitable event.