Valentines Day is one of the most important days in the hospitality industry.
With dining out being the most popular way for couples to celebrate this is a way of bringing income to your business. This year should be a very busy one with the day falling on a Friday evening. Why not stretch out the valentines for the whole week? Many establishments this year are choosing to run valentines menus Monday 10th feb-sat 15th feb. Planning ahead with a good marketing campaign will ensure that you stand out from the competition.
Set the Mood
Ambience and Privacy.Create a romantic atmosphere by giving space between tables where possible for privacy.Use dimmed or soft lighting if it’s available to you and romantic music for a cozy and relaxing ambience. Candles and flowers on the table are a great addition if you don’t already feature these on your tables. It’s important to advise any more inexperienced staff to keep chat with customers to a minimum so the couples can have romantic time together.
Organised and Memorable Bookings
Many customers will be looking for a set Valentine’s menu with clear pricing you could add some deluxe dishes in too to add revenue. Maybe you could include a complimentary glass of fizz on arrival or a free rose to take home. Making the dishes a couple of weeks before and taking photos and video is great for social media marketing posts. You could invite a local blogger or food journalist to try the Valentine’s menu in exchange for promotion on their channels or get restaurant staff to pretend to be customers to film content. Flyers on tables, posters on the back of bathroom doors or in the window help get the word out for your valentine’s offerings. Even a few lines at the bottom of the specials menu if you print those out.
Better Together
Another way of getting the word out is by collaborating with other businesses. For instance, teaming up with a local florist. By buying their flowers and promoting them they can in turn promote your business in their social media posts, through posters and flyers in the shop and also word of mouth to their customers.
No Show No More: Securing Bookings, Securing Success
No shows are a big problem in the hospitality industry a study by the UK-based restaurant consultancy, Sage, found that “the average British restaurant loses £2,000 a year on no-shows. “Taking a deposit is a good idea maybe £10 per person but this can also put people off from booking. If you don’t take deposit, it’s a good idea to call a couple of days before to confirm the bookings with people or send a text or email-based confirmation system. If you end up fully booked take a reserve list for any cancellations. Advertise and last-minute tables that come up and hopefully with Valentines being a Friday eve you may get valentines walk ins. Groups of single friends may choose to celebrate the occasion or even families.
Valentines for All
When designing food and drinks menus is it a good idea depending on your clientele demographic to include children’s valentine’s specials or ones aimed at groups too.
Love at First Bite: Creating the Perfect Valentine’s Menu
You could design a menu with aphrodisiacs in mind. Here are some common aphrodisiac foods: Chocolate – Contains phenylethylamine, which can elevate mood. Oysters – High in zinc, which is linked to increased testosterone levels. Avocado – Rich in healthy fats and vitamin E, boosting energy and libido. Honey – Contains boron, which may help regulate hormone levels. Chili Peppers – Can stimulate the release of endorphins and increase heart rate. Pomegranate – Can enhance blood flow and boost hormone levels. Watermelon – Contains citrulline, which can improve blood flow. Red Wine – In moderation, it can increase desire and improve circulation. These foods are often celebrated for their potential to enhance intimacy!
When menu planning you could include dishes to share, there are the indulgent classics like shellfish platters, chateaubriand and côte de boeuf. However, classics like raclette and fondue both sweet and savoury are making a comeback. Sea food boils are also trending on social media. Couples who wouldn’t normally eat out or spend as much eating out may be looking to splurge on something extravagant. Customers will actively seek out places doing such viral dishes and great for promoting your restaurant with their social media posts and stories. The same goes when it comes to desserts, the Dubai style chocolate bars and dream cakes are all over our feeds. These could be made heart shaped or with the traditional valentine’s colours of pink and red which blend well with white chocolate.
Love Potions
Don’t forget the drinks too. Pink fizz like rosé prosecco, cava are staples but how about trying a crémant (almost as good as champagne but a fraction of the cost) Valentine’s cocktails are a great addition using romantic ingredients like rose and pomegranate. Designing your own spritzes which are very popular. You could buy heart shaped ice trays, even put dried rose petals inside the cubes for a stunning addition. Edible flowers too. For the drivers and none drinkers include some mocktails (could even add some functional drinks to these like cbd or kombucha). Cocktails and Mocktails have a high mark up – great for profit.
Love in a Box
Many people are choosing to stay in for cost-of-living reasons or maybe they have young children. It might be too busy to run a takeout service alongside so why not create meal boxes for people to order to finish off at home with minimal cooking technique? It could also appeal to people who don’t normally cook to impress their spouse, claim the meal as their own. Flowers, wine and chocolates or gift boxes could also be included (another way to collaborate with local businesses)
Final thoughts
Valentines’ day is a chance to connect with customers on an emotional level through food and service. Careful Planning, thoughtful touches and standout dishes can turn one evening into a weeklong success.
