The holidays are a festive time for friends and family to gather around and embrace in warm companionship at a loved one’s home. Sometimes, though, people want to get out of the house and may frequent a local bar or restaurant for a cozy environment. If you’re a bar or restaurant owner and notice a slowdown in business during this time of year, don’t fret. Read these three ways to increase business at your bar during the holidays to earn a higher profit this quarter.
Offer Daily Discounts
Patrons want the best bang for their buck, especially around the holiday season. As people spend lavishly on gifts for their friends, family, and loved ones, sometimes they need a drink or tasty meal after a day of shopping. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they want to overspend after buying gifts or groceries for a festive meal. Therefore, daily discounts are a great way to attract patrons to your bar or restaurant during the holidays. You may have heard of “Two for Tuesdays,” “Thirsty Thursdays,” or “Wet Wednesdays,” but these are just some examples of daily drink specials on a specific day for customers to save money on their favorite beverages.
Craft Seasonal Specials
Another idea is to craft some seasonal cocktails perfect for the time of year. The fall and winter holidays often feature many of the same annual flavors people have come to love. Apple spice, apple cider, peppermint, cranberry, eggnog, nutmeg, and cinnamon are just some familiar flavors and spices used to promote the holiday spirit. Therefore, why not consider a hot or cold cocktail that pairs well with the season? You can make Irish coffees, hot toddies, mulled wine, or even a seasonal twist on the margarita.
Market Your Business
Lastly, don’t forget to market your business. While some close for the holidays, seasonal marketing is an efficient way to increase business at your bar during the holidays. You can even promote your bar with a pop-up event. Many bars and restaurants opt for pop-ups to branch out from their storefront location. You can get creative with a theme from popular culture or holiday traditions, and people will flock from across the city and even surrounding suburbs to see for themselves. Other popular marketing strategies are social media, word of mouth, and traditional radio/newsprint. From there, you can post or talk about daily discounts, seasonal promotions, and live entertainment.
