Christmas brings one of the busiest trading windows of the year, and you want to make sure your restaurant stands out when customers are choosing where to book, what to order and which festive dishes to try. This guide brings together the best Christmas marketing strategies for restaurants, menu planning ideas, online ordering tips and promotion tactics that help you boost restaurant sales on Christmas while keeping operations smooth and manageable.
Why Restaurants Need a Clear Strategy to Boost Sales on Christmas
Every December, diners look for festive restaurant offers, Christmas food deals and places with a warm, seasonal setting for gatherings. This surge is great for business, but it also means you’re competing with venues promoting their holiday menu specials, Christmas takeaway promotions and seasonal menu planning. You need a set of Christmas marketing strategies for restaurants that help you increase Christmas orders, attract more festive bookings with special offers and improve the Christmas dining experience for everyone walking through the door. Christmas brings demand, but business goes to the venues with the clearest seasonal strategy.
Main benefit: Planning ahead helps you secure more bookings and manage the rush with confidence.
1. Christmas Restaurant Marketing: What Works Right Now
Restaurant owners across the UK rely heavily on marketing to boost holiday bookings. Whether you’re pushing Christmas menu ideas, promoting festive restaurant promotions or trying to raise awareness of themed nights, your message needs to reach diners early.
What to Focus On
- Social media marketing ideas for restaurants this Christmas that showcase Christmas dishes, décor, events and giveaways.
- Email campaigns to increase Christmas restaurant orders with tailored festive messages.
- Christmas restaurant advertising through local publications, food blogs and neighbourhood groups.
Why This Matters
People plan Christmas meals weeks in advance. They want reassurance about available dates, prices, dietary options and atmosphere. The clearer your communication, the easier it is for them to commit.
How to Do It
- Schedule a Christmas countdown with posts showing your holiday menu specials.
- Share behind-the-scenes clips of chefs preparing Christmas starters and appetisers.
- Send segmented emails to past diners offering early-bird festive restaurant offers.
- Promote Christmas catering ideas for offices and families.
Timely marketing creates trust. This way, you secure bookings before your competitors even start advertising.
2. Build a Festive Menu That Sells and Supports Higher Margins
Seasonal menu planning plays a huge part in helping you boost restaurant sales on Christmas. Diners expect traditional Christmas dishes, but you can also include cuisine-based Christmas dishes, quick options, diet-friendly plates and Christmas desserts that are reliable sellers.
What to Include
- Christmas sharing and family meals that work well for groups.
- Main dishes like roast turkey, crispy duck, lamb shanks or plant-based Wellington.
- Christmas desserts and baking favourites such as mince tarts, sticky toffee pudding and chocolate-orange cake.
- Dietary and special requirement meals including gluten-free starters or vegan Christmas platters.
Why It Works
A strong seasonal menu encourages customers to try more. It also gives you the chance to upsell drinks, sides and sweet options during the festive period.
How to Plan It
- Add limited-time Christmas food deals to create urgency.
- Include festive bundles with drinks and desserts.
- Highlight popular Christmas dishes your restaurant is known for.
- Promote your holiday menu specials on your website and online ordering pages.
A smart menu increases average spend, making customers buy more without feeling pressured.
3. Holiday Restaurant Marketing Strategies to Increase Online Orders
A big part of Christmas revenue now comes from online orders and Christmas takeaway promotions, especially in busy UK cities where people host gatherings at home.
What to Prioritise
- Show your Christmas menu ideas clearly on your ordering platform.
- Add Christmas sharing platters, party boxes and hot buffet trays.
- Use Christmas restaurant marketing messages on your landing pages.
- Push festive restaurant promotions for delivery during peak evenings.
Why It Helps
Families hosting dinners at home want convenience. Offices need corporate catering. Having seasonal dishes available online makes your restaurant the easy choice.
How to Improve It
- Add photos of each dish to create instant interest.
- Create timed discounts to boost restaurant sales on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.
- Add a “festive favourites” section at the top of your ordering page.
Micro-summary: Online menus can do the heavy lifting.
Micro-benefit: You grow sales outside dine-in hours.
4. Create a Festive Ambience That Encourages Repeat Visits
Your dining space plays a big role in the Christmas dining experience. Customers want warm lighting, welcoming décor and themed touches that fit the season.
What to Add
- Christmas restaurant decoration ideas that match your brand.
- Budget-friendly Christmas decorations for restaurants, including fairy lights, candles and ribbon displays.
- Festive restaurant window displays to catch attention from the street.
- Christmas wall and ceiling décor ideas that add atmosphere without cluttering tables.
- Christmas outdoor decorations for restaurants, if you have a patio or terrace.
Why Ambience Matters
People choose restaurants that feel special during the Christmas season. The right environment encourages longer stays, bigger bills and return visits.
How to Do It Well
- Keep lighting soft and warm.
- Add seasonal scents near entrances.
- Make space for a small Christmas tree or themed centrepieces.
- Play festive music at a comfortable volume.
Ambience influences spending. So a cosy setting encourages customers to book again next year.
5. Encourage Customer Engagement Through Seasonal Activities
Christmas is an ideal time to improve customer engagement. People love interactive experiences, and your restaurant can stand out with simple festive touches.
Ideas That Work
- Advent-style giveaways on social media.
- Competitions for free Christmas desserts.
- Loyalty rewards for guests who book multiple visits.
- Limited-time Christmas customer loyalty ideas like stamp cards or digital vouchers.
Why This Helps
Engaged customers share posts, leave reviews and bring friends. This adds organic visibility to your Christmas restaurant advertising.
How to Set It Up
- Run weekly polls asking which holiday dishes to feature.
- Give regular customers first access to Christmas food deals.
- Offer a discount for early seating on Christmas week.
Engagement boosts reach, allowing you to build a stronger relationship with your audience.
6. Operational Planning for a Smooth Christmas Season
Behind the scenes, Christmas brings a heavy workload. Without planning, delays and mistakes can impact your reputation.
What to Prepare For
- Staffing adjustments for peak evenings.
- Inventory planning for seasonal ingredients.
- Systems to manage high-volume Christmas takeaway promotions.
- Upselling drinks and desserts during Christmas without adding pressure.
Why It Matters
Smooth operations support customer satisfaction and protect your team from burnout.
How to Manage It
- Add extra prep shifts for key dishes.
- Train staff to suggest seasonal drinks.
- Use pre-order forms for large groups.
- Keep table turnaround times consistent.
Preparation reduces stress, enabling you to deliver a reliable Christmas experience every night.
FAQ: Boosting Restaurant Sales on Christmas
- How early should I start Christmas restaurant marketing?
Most UK restaurants start in October to secure early festive bookings. - Which Christmas dishes sell the best?
Traditional roast mains, sharing platters, desserts, and diet-friendly options perform strongly. - How do I promote my Christmas menu online?
Use social media teasers, updated website pages, and email campaigns to promote holiday menu specials. - Are Christmas takeaway promotions worth it?
Yes, especially for local gatherings, office parties and families hosting at home. - How can I improve customer engagement during Christmas?
Offer competitions, loyalty rewards, festive polls and fun seasonal activities.
