Summer Promotion Ideas for Restaurants That Grow Sales and Keep Guests Coming Back

The old saying “make hay while the sun shines” is never more accurate than when summer arrives in the restaurant industry.

Longer days, outdoor dining, and eager customers mean it’s the perfect time to launch summer promotions to attract new customers and encourage repeat visits.

But summer never lasts long. To help you take advantage of this short, sunny stretch, we put together the best summer promotion ideas for restaurants—practical ways to drive more foot traffic, build customer loyalty, and make this season your most profitable yet.

In this article, you wil learn:

1. How to design summer promotion ideas that fit your restaurant’s brand
2. Creative seasonal strategies that boost sales and grow your customer base
3. Smart ways to measure successful promotions and repurpose them year-round

Offer Limited-Time Seasonal Menu Items

Limited-time offers are a classic restaurant promotion for a reason—they work. When guests know something won’t be around long, it creates urgency and entices people to take action before the season ends.

Try highlighting local ingredients that are at their peak during the summer—think corn, tomatoes, basil, and berries straight from the farm. Then create signature dishes that become part of your annual summer tradition, something people look forward to when summer hits.

And don’t forget the drinks and desserts. Seasonal cold beverages, frozen drinks, or a simple free dessert with purchase can persuade people to stop in.

These are all things customers will talk about, share on social media, and come back for again and again. The excitement will generate buzz around your limited-time menu items and encourage repeat visits that turn your short-term promotions into long-term wins.

Host Outdoor Dining Events and Experiences

Outdoor dining and summer go hand in hand—take advantage of the warmer temperatures by hosting outdoor events on your patio or even your parking lot to draw a crowd.

Create memorable patio moments

Customers love outdoor events, giving you a chance to do things you simply can’t pull off in colder months. Add fun summer-themed nights and entertainment, like:

• Rosé on the Patio Friday: Chilled wine flights or frozen drinks like Frosé and frozen Margaritas with light bites.
• Backyard BBQ Night: Smoked ribs, grilled corn, and picnic-style seating in the parking lot.
• Seafood Boil: A one-weekend special that feels like a seaside vacation.
• Outdoor Movie Nights: Use a projector to show a classic summer film with themed snacks.

Partner with other local businesses

Collaborating with local businesses, such as breweries, farms, or boutique shops, adds to the variety of your events. These partnerships allow you to cross-promote and bring in new guests who might not have visited otherwise, helping you build community ties and brand recognition.

Drive direct orders and loyalty

Don’t forget to connect events back to your sales channels. Offer perks like half-price appetizers or bonus stamps in your loyalty program for anyone who orders through your app or website.

That way, your summer promotions do more than fill tables—they help you build loyalty and keep those loyal customers coming back long after the season ends.

Run Loyalty Program Boosters

Summer naturally brings in new faces, and a loyalty program helps turn those one-time visits into long-term relationships.

Make rewards seasonal

Offer limited-time incentives tied to the season. For example, double stamps on summer appetizers or cocktails, or a special reward for hitting a certain number of visits before Labor Day. Small changes like these add urgency and increase how often they visit throughout the summer.

Encourage sign-ups with incentives

To increase the number of loyalty program sign-ups, you need to sweeten the deal by offering something simple, like a 10% discount or a free dessert on their next visit.

These low-cost rewards can pay off with more repeat customers without cutting deep into your bottom line.

Direct-Order Takeout And Delivery Promotions

Not everyone is looking to sit outside in the heat—many want the convenience of ordering and staying in their air-conditioned homes.

Design summer-time promotions that make takeout and delivery just as exciting as dining in.

Create summer bundles

Offer themed bundles that make ordering easy and appealing for groups of people.

For example:

• Picnic packs with sandwiches, chips, and drinks
• Pool party platters with wings, salads, and shareable apps
• Family feast bundles with entrees, sides, and desserts packaged together at a discount

Use seasonal packaging and branding

Heighten the experience with summer flair, such as bright packaging, stickers with BBQ or beach motifs, or in-bag flyers offering loyalty rewards and future event announcements to remind customers to come back.

Reward direct orders

For guests who order through your website or app, create digital-only perks—like a small discount for online takeout or an exclusive summer reward for downloading and ordering through your mobile app.

By incentivizing direct orders, you avoid steep third-party fees, giving customers a better dining experience, and reinforcing the habit of ordering through your direct channels.

Promoting Your Summer Campaigns Through Owned Channels

Even the best summer promotions will fall flat if your customers don’t know about them. Use your owned channels—your website, email, and social media—to get the word out and keep your restaurant top-of-mind.

Keep your website and menu updated

Start by making sure your online menu highlights your new seasonal summer specials.

Add a banner to your homepage, update photos, and use clear descriptions that make guests crave what’s new. A few small changes ensure promotions don’t get overlooked.

Use email and social media to stay top-of-mind

The people on your email list already know and love your restaurant, so all you need to do is share what’s new, like:

• Summer event announcements
• Reminders about limited-time dishes
• Last-call emails before specials and promotions end

On social media, lean into storytelling. Share behind-the-scenes prep, spotlight your team getting ready for an event, or post fun recaps after the fact.

Encourage customers to share their own summer dining moments, then re-share their posts—it’s free buzz and makes your guests feel like part of the experience.

Measure Success and Repurpose Winning Ideas

Every restaurant marketing campaign needs to be tracked so you know what’s working and what’s falling flat. Track these metrics to learn what resonates with your audience, so you can you can keep building on it year-round.

Keep an eye on these key metrics

Monitor numbers like:

• Order volume and average ticket size
• Loyalty program sign-ups or redemptions
• New vs. returning guests
• Attendance and presale for events

Adding promo codes to your offers is another simple way to measure results in real time. If a bundle or event-specific code gets redeemed often, you’ll know it’s hitting the mark.

Listen to guest feedback

Numbers tell one story, but your customers can tell you another. Ask for feedback in person, include a quick survey link in a follow-up email, or encourage reviews and comments on social media.

Their input can help you refine future promotions and avoid repeating what didn’t land.

Reuse promotions that perform well

Don’t let a great idea fade just because the season is over. If your “Summer Oyster Event” was a smash success, do a seafood boil for Autumn. If the double-stamp loyalty week boosted sign-ups, run it again around the holidays.

Once you’ve identified what works in summer, you can adapt those same tactics again and again.

Turn Summer Wins Into Year-Round Success

The best summer promotions don’t just fill seats for a season—they give you insights, habits, and ideas you can carry into fall, winter, and beyond. Start small, track what works, and use those wins to build a playbook of promotions that keep guests coming back all year.

Contact ChowNow to learn how Direct Online Ordering and Rewards Programs can help you turn summer promotions into lasting growth—without third-party fees eating into your sales.

Summer Promotion Ideas for Restaurants Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should I plan my summer promotions?

Ideally, start planning two to three months ahead so you have time to update your menu, design marketing assets, and schedule campaigns.

But even if summer has already started, it’s never too late to launch something simple like a limited-time dish or themed event.

What’s the best way to promote summer events on social media?

Mix posts that announce events with behind-the-scenes content. For example, share photos of your team prepping, run a quick poll to let guests vote on a special, or re-share customer photos during the event itself. Interactive content drives more engagement than static flyers.

How can I get customers to order directly instead of through third-party apps?

Make the benefits clear. Offer exclusive loyalty rewards, free items, or discounts for direct orders placed through your website or app.

Reinforce the message on your website, social media, and in-store signage so guests know where to order.

What metrics should I track to measure the success of a promotion?

Focus on order volume, average ticket size, new vs. returning guests, and loyalty sign-ups. Promo codes are also a simple way to see which campaigns perform best in real time.

How do I adapt a summer promotion idea for other seasons?

Look at the format, not the flavor. If a patio seafood boil was a hit, turn it into a chili cook-off in the fall. If a double-points loyalty week drove repeat visits, bring it back during the holiday rush. The best ideas can be repurposed year-round.

How much should I spend on promoting a seasonal campaign?

There’s no one-size-fits-all number, but many independent restaurants set aside 3–6% of projected campaign revenue for marketing. Start small, test what works, and scale up for future seasons.