Valentine’s Day is next weekend, and should be a thriving, exciting time for your restaurant, bar, or foodservice operation. We’ve had some ideas we think can help you make the most of this season.
Couples making Valentine’s Day plans often resemble deer caught in headlights. They want to get it right, and quite frankly, some of them are terrified of getting it wrong, so offer them a fail-proof package. Dining options leading from appetizer to dessert, in one package, simplify planning for your guests and make your restaurant an appealing option. Special menu covers or table cards , featuring some sort of romantic thought, add to the atmosphere. If a few of them should disappear, take it as a compliment because you offered a night to remember, and people with a menu at home will eventually use it again. Play love songs all evening, and if you can possibly move enough tables to create a small dance floor, you should. It doesn’t have to be large, because this is a slow-dancing event.
You’ll need cut flowers on the tables, but it’s also helpful to have roses for purchase. Some of us wait until the last minute to shop for Valentine’s Day. This is a costly, nearly impossible undertaking. (Chapstick is not an acceptable Valentine, even if the tube is red.) Making roses available enhances the evening in a way that won’t make everyone run late. I know there’s a temptation to give roses as a souvenir, and they work wonderfully for people without a date, but if the ones on a date happen to be sitting across the table from someone who forgot to shop, you didn’t make them look any better. Let score a few points and everyone wins, including you.You’ll want a souvenir of the night as a complimentary part of the package, and if it’s something permanent, like champagne flutes , your diners have a reminder of their evening that isn’t going to die in a week. Even if they’re non-alcoholic, break with tradition and offer to serve their tea or water in a champagne flute. This is their special night, regardless of beverage choice.
The most important factor for the couple in a Valentine’s Day dinner is that it be romantic. Some restaurants accidentally kill the romance by being too hectic to offer an intimate environment. If you offer the Valentine’s Day special for the entire weekend, Thursday through Sunday, you’ll see much more business overall, and your guests will be more likely to feel that they had a private celebration.
The most important factor for business owners planning for Valentine’s Day is advertising. These strategies only work if people know about them. High romance can mean high volume, but only if you tell us where to find it. Happy Valentine’s Day!
