Promotion ideas to boost revenue this Father’s Day
Father's Day is not only an opportunity for restaurants to boost their revenue but also a chance to attract customers from different age demographics. By tailoring your promotions to appeal to dads of different ages, you can attract a diverse customer base and increase your chances of a successful Father's Day.
For example, restaurants can offer promotions that appeal to younger dads, such as free gifts or drinks, and create a more casual and relaxed atmosphere for families to enjoy. Meanwhile, promotions that appeal to older dads, such as custom upgrades or set-price experience menus, can create a more sophisticated and refined dining experience.
In addition to targeting different age groups, venues can also utilise their unique strengths and features to attract customers. For example, if you have an outdoor seating area, you can promote a Father's Day BBQ or picnic-style meal. Alternatively, if you have a bar area, you can offer specials on beers and cocktails to attract dads who enjoy a drink with their meal.
Venues that offer live music or entertainment can also capitalise on Father's Day by promoting special events or performances. Similarly, if your venue is located near a popular attraction or landmark, you can offer discounts or packages to attract customers looking to make a day of it.
By targeting different age groups and utilising your venue’s unique strengths and features, businesses can create a personalised and memorable dining experience for dads and their families on Father's Day.
Other promotion ideas to help you build your Father’s Day offer:
- Offer custom upgrades: Offer personalised upgrades, such as a more premium seating area or personalised menu items that cater to dads' tastes.
- Special menus with 'dads' favourites: Create a special menu featuring dishes that are popular with dads, such as BBQ ribs, steak or other hearty dishes.
- In-house promotion for regulars: Offer loyalty programs or discounts on repeat visits to build customer loyalty and encourage regulars to choose your restaurant for Father's Day.
- Giveaways for dads: Offer free desserts, offers on beer or upgrades like ‘free pigs in blankets’ to make dads feel appreciated and special.
- Special drinks: Create a Father's Day-themed cocktail or beer flight to add an extra touch to the occasion.
- Free gifts: Give dads a small token of appreciation like a keyring or branded beer glass to make them feel special.
- Set price 'experience' menus: Offer a selection of signature dishes or a themed tasting menu to create a unique and memorable dining experience for customers.
- Offer an ‘experience’: A darts or pool competition with a Father’s Day leader board, a Father’s Day-themed quiz or a ‘comedy night’ event are all examples of ‘experiences’ you can offer for a more unique Father’s Day offering.
- Offer gift cards: Even if fathers don't visit on a specific day, offer gift cards as a present idea to capture additional revenue and give the gift of a future dining experience at your restaurant.
Strategic marketing to drive more visits on Father’s Day
Strategic marketing is key to promoting your venue and advertising your Father's Day offer. By using a combination of marketing channels, you can reach a wider audience and increase your chances of attracting customers.
Email marketing
Send out an email campaign to your mailing list, highlighting your Father's Day offer and any special promotions you have. Personalise your email campaigns by segmenting your audience based on their interests, preferences and demographics. For example, if you have a loyalty program, you can send personalised offers to your most loyal customers.
Social media marketing
Use social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to promote your Father's Day offer. Share images of your special menu, promote giveaways and create engaging posts to encourage customers to book a table. Use relevant hashtags to reach a wider audience and consider running social media ads to target specific demographics.
Competitions
Hold a Father's Day-themed competition on your social media channels, such as a photo contest or a caption competition. Offer a prize related to your restaurant or the special menu you have created to encourage participation and generate buzz around your venue.
Utilise CRM for personalised campaigns
Use your customer relationship management (CRM) software to create personalised campaigns based on customer data, such as past orders, preferences and feedback. Create targeted email campaigns that speak to each customer's unique needs and interests to encourage them to book a table.
List your venue on DesignMyNight
DesignMyNight is an online platform that can help venues promote their venue and attract new customers for Father's Day. By listing your venue on the platform, you can benefit from increased exposure, targeted marketing, social media promotion, customised packages and review management.
DesignMyNight has a large audience actively searching for dining experiences, and they use customer data to create targeted marketing campaigns to promote the venue to the right audience. They also offer customised packages for specific events and have a review management system to help venues manage their online reputation. These benefits can help venues attract new customers, increase bookings, and grow their business.
Open up for bookings if you don't normally take them
If you don't typically take bookings, consider opening up reservations for Father's Day. By taking reservations, you can ensure that your restaurant is fully booked, and customers are not turned away due to limited seating.
By utilising these marketing strategies, you can effectively promote your venue and Father's Day offer, reach a wider audience and increase bookings. Remember to personalise your campaigns, create engaging content and utilise relevant channels to maximise your reach and drive traffic to your restaurant.
How to get set up for your Father’s Day promotion
Now you’re ready to start the logistical planning for your Father’s Day weekend. Running any kind of special event or offer generates a whole host of considerations for your venue managers, so ensure you cover all areas and make it as smooth as possible.
Here are some things you might want to think about when planning a Father’s Day promotion for your venue.
Assess venue space
Make sure that your venue is equipped to handle the increased demand for Father's Day. Assess your space and consider whether you want to change your floor plan to accommodate more tables for the weekend.
Prepare your staff schedule
Use rota and scheduling software to create a staff schedule in advance, so that you can ensure that you have enough staff to cover the event. Make sure that each staff member is clear on their responsibilities and has the necessary training to handle the expected demand.
Send booking reminders
If you are accepting advance bookings through your restaurant booking system then make sure you send booking reminders to customers to confirm their reservation and reduce the risk of no-shows. This will also give you an opportunity to remind customers of any special promotions or menu items that you have planned for Father's Day.
Food and drink ordering
Plan ahead and order food and drinks in advance to ensure that you have enough stock to meet demand. Consider offering special Father's Day menu items, such as 'dads' favourite dishes, special drinks, or set price 'experience' menus to entice customers.
Decor and ambience
Consider adding special decor or creating a unique ambience to enhance the Father's Day experience for your customers. This could include themed decorations, music or lighting.
Want more guests this Father’s Day?
Father's Day, next to Mother's Day and Valentine's, is a significant occasion for many families, and restaurants and bars can play a big role in creating special memories.
In this article, we've given you some of our top tips and ideas for Father’s Day promotions, how to promote your venue and planning ahead of the day.
Access Hospitality solutions can help you streamline every aspect of your operation, from bookings and ordering to marketing and customer engagement. Contact us today to discover how we can help your venue become the top destination for Father's Day and other holidays.
