Restaurant Holiday Marketing: Creative Ways to Boost Revenue and Loyalty This Season

The holiday season can be one of the most chaotic—and profitable—times of year for restaurants.

Guests are eager to celebrate, book group dinners, and treat themselves to festive experiences with friends and family.

But with every restaurant vying for their attention, standing out takes more than just a seasonal menu. A smart holiday marketing plan can make all the difference between a good season and a record-breaking one.

The key is to start early, before the busy holiday season begins, so you can capture more reservations, drive more online orders, and keep loyal customers coming back long after the celebrations end.

In this article, we’ll share proven restaurant holiday promotion ideas to help you stand out, boost sales through your direct channels, and turn your restaurant into a destination for holiday celebrations all season long.

You can also watch this quick video for five simple steps to prep your restaurant for the holiday rush.

Get Ahead Of The Holiday Rush

The most successful restaurant holiday marketing campaigns don’t start in December—they start before Halloween candy even goes on clearance.

Planning and launching your holiday promotions in late October or early November helps you stay top-of-mind and ahead of your competitors as guests begin planning their holiday celebrations. Everyone is busy during this time, which means most guests start making their holiday plans weeks or even months in advance.

Early promotion gives you a better shot at booking corporate holiday parties, filling your reservation list, and locking in pre-orders for holiday meal kits or special holiday menus before customers fill up their calendars.

Map your promotions through the full holiday timeline

Don’t just focus on the obvious major holidays like Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. Extend your campaign to include the entire festive season:

• Pre-holiday events: Think Friendsgiving dinners, tree lighting nights, or themed trivia events.
• Post-holiday recovery: Promote winter comfort food specials in January or a cozy New Year’s Day brunch.
• Holiday catering: Offer packages for offices or families that want a stress-free gathering.

This extended approach turns your restaurant holiday promotion ideas into an opportunity to boost sales and attract loyal customers throughout the colder months.

Build anticipation with teasers and countdowns

Once your holiday marketing strategy is in place, it’s time to create some buzz.

Use social media, your restaurant website, and any marketing tools you have to tease the upcoming holiday specials, early bird deals, or preorder cutoffs for catering.

Countdown-style posts help encourage customers to act quickly, leading to increased foot traffic, more reservations, and stronger holiday marketing results overall. The goal is to build anticipation and turn excitement into action before the holiday season even starts.

Choose Holiday Promotions Your Customers Will Love

The most successful restaurant holiday promotions focus on giving customers memorable experiences that keep them coming back long after the holiday season ends.

Here are some ways to inspire, delight, and encourage customers to participate in your upcoming holiday events.

Create a festive prix fixe menu that showcases seasonal flavors

A thoughtfully designed prix fixe menu makes planning easy for both diners and your team. Highlight your best seasonal dishes and holiday specials, from fall-and winter-inspired entrees to shareable dishes served family-style for the whole table.

You might even include a complimentary dessert or a small surprise, served in the holiday spirit, to encourage guests to book repeat visits.

These curated menus bring out the festive atmosphere, giving diners something to talk about with their friends.

Offer take-home holiday meal kits for families and groups

Not everyone wants to dine out, but plenty of people still want restaurant-quality food at home. You can create holiday meal kits that make celebrating easy, complete with reheating instructions and packaging that fits your restaurant’s brand.

These holiday meal kits not only open new revenue streams but also give your regulars an extra way to support you during the festive season.

Run gift card promotions with bonus rewards for buyers

Gift cards are a proven revenue booster during the holiday season. Incentivize buyers with a holiday deal, for example, offer a $10 bonus card for every $100 gift card purchased.

It’s a simple way to boost sales while attracting both loyal customers and new customers who might be trying your restaurant for the first time. Position them as thoughtful, easy gift ideas for friends, coworkers, or clients.

Launch limited-time countdown deals that drive urgency

Get creative with time-sensitive holiday marketing ideas that motivate customers to act.

Launch new holiday promotions every few days, like a “12 Days of Deals” countdown featuring a steady rotation of free appetizers, takeout discounts, or special desserts. Then, keep the momentum going with “New Year’s Countdown Offers” starting the day after Christmas and running through the end of the year—promoting festive drink specials and New Year’s–inspired dishes.

These short-term incentives help entice customers, increase engagement, and keep your restaurant part of the conversation all month long.

Turn Your Restaurant Into A Holiday Destination

Your holiday marketing strategies will get guests through the door, but once inside, you want your diners to feel like they’ve been transported to a place of holiday wonder.

When you create an environment that reflects the energy and warmth of the holiday season, you’re doing more than serving guests; you’re building lasting memories that bring people back year after year.

Here are a few ways to make that happen.

Host themed events and pop-ups

Guests love themed nights, chef’s tasting dinners, or a weekend pop-up bar with holiday-inspired cocktails. In fact, 67% of holiday diners are looking for more than the standard dining experience—they want something special.

Try ideas your guests won’t find anywhere else in town, like inviting carolers or setting up a photo booth so diners can take home a memento.

Even small touches, like a festive playlist, twinkle lights, or seasonal centerpieces, can make your restaurant instantly more inviting.

Partner with local businesses for cross-promotions

Team up with nearby retailers, wineries, or coffee shops to create joint offers—like a dinner-and-shopping deal or a “buy a gift card, get a free latte” promotion.

These collaborations expose your restaurant to new audiences and strengthen your ties within the community, all while encouraging guests to support multiple local spots at once.

Run social media contests and giveaways to spark engagement

Launch holiday contests to build awareness and drive engagement by asking followers to share their favorite dish, tag your restaurant, and post photos from their visit for a chance to win a free holiday meal.

Social contests create excitement and generate plenty of user-generated content you can repost throughout the season, keeping diners connected to your brand and inspiring more guests to join in.

Use Your Owned Channels to Drive Better Results

As the holidays approach, competition for diner attention skyrockets. Every restaurant, bar, and catering company is vying for space in your customers’ feeds and inboxes. That’s why it’s so important to rely on your owned marketing channels—the ones you fully control—to reach your guests directly and maximize results.

Focus on the channels that already work hardest for you:

• Direct online ordering
• Restaurant website
• Branded mobile app

These owned tools keep the spotlight on your restaurant, not a third-party platform, and help you connect with guests who already love what you do.

Encourage diners to place orders on your direct online ordering

When you market through third-party apps or delivery platforms, you’re competing with every other restaurant listed there.

But your owned channels let you reach guests without distractions or commission fees. Direct online ordering helps you maintain control over the customer experience while keeping more profit in your pocket.

Promote specials on your website and Google Business Profile

Your restaurant website is where most diners will go for info about your business during the holidays. Make sure it’s updated with your seasonal offerings.

Additionally ensure your Google Business Profile is up to date with the correct website link, contact information and holiday hours.

Use your branded mobile app to push holiday offers

A branded mobile app is a great way to connect with customers and remind them of limited-time offers, menu updates, and specials, while keeping them ordering direct.

Start Planning Now and Make This Holiday Season Your Restaurant’s Best Yet

The holidays will be here before you know it—so the earlier you start planning, the better your results will be. With the right mix of creative campaigns, thoughtful experiences, and consistent promotion, you can turn this season into your restaurant’s most successful one yet.

Contact ChowNow to learn how Direct Online Ordering can help you keep every holiday sale commission-free.

Holiday Promotions Ideas Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best holiday marketing ideas for restaurants?

The best holiday marketing ideas for restaurants are the ones that feel authentic to your brand and deliver real value to guests. Think limited-time menus, themed events, or countdown-style promotions that build excitement.

Pair in-person experiences—like a holiday cocktail pop-up or festive prix fixe menu—with digital efforts such as email campaigns and social media contests to reach diners wherever they’re planning.

How can my restaurant run effective holiday promotions?

To run effective holiday promotions, start by planning early (late October/early November) and aligning your offers with what your guests actually want—easy ordering, memorable experiences, and great value.

Highlight your promotions across owned channels like your website and app to keep your audience focused on you instead of third-party apps.

Don’t forget to track what performs best so you can refine and reuse those campaigns next year.

What are some creative Christmas marketing ideas for restaurants?

Creative Christmas marketing ideas include launching a limited-time holiday menu, offering pre-order family meal kits for Christmas Eve, hosting a themed pop-up dinner or event, and collaborating with local businesses for cross-promotions. You can also run social media contests tied to holiday specials or user-generated content.

How do I increase restaurant sales during the holidays?

To increase restaurant sales during the holidays, focus on three things: early promotion, seamless ordering, and guest loyalty.

Promote your menu and events well before December, make it easy for guests to book or order directly through your site, and follow up with personalized thank-you messages or loyalty rewards.

The combination of convenience and connection is what drives repeat visits—and bigger ticket sizes—through the end of the year.

When should I start promoting my restaurant’s holiday specials?

You should start promoting your holiday specials at least six to eight weeks before major holidays like Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Early promotion helps you secure reservations, streamline staffing, and give guests time to plan group gatherings.

Aim to tease your offers in late October or early November, then ramp up marketing in December with reminders, limited-time deals, and last-minute gift card pushes.