It’s X-MAAAAS time and choirs are already on the radio.

For any restaurant manager or owner, December is probably one of the busiest holiday times. When it comes to Christmas, Americans like to party hard - be it foods, drinks, household celebrations, or online shopping. A report by Deloitte puts an average Christmas spending at a whopping $1,500.

Restaurants can position themselves just right to maximize sales during Christmas. Put lucrative marketing ideas to use and attract patrons from all walks of life this Christmas. Let people know not only you're open to serve them on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but you have also taken all the safety precautions to ensure the safety of your customers and your staff.

Get Out Flyers

Although social media has changed the way we communicate, there is one form of marketing which is still relevant in today's time, flyers. Handing out flyers and putting-up attractive posters in the neighborhood can attract a huge number of people to your website. You don;t really have to put up a deal if you are not ready yet to deal in discounts, but you can always use Flyers as your marketing medium to inform people that you’re open for online ordering, takeaway and curbside even during the Christmas holidays.

Take it a step further by creating and promoting a Christmas-specific menu on the flyers.

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Secret Santa Meals

Happy Meal or a Secret Santa Meal, call it whatever you’d like to, but the truth is that everyone loves surprises, especially during the holiday season. Why not bring a smile on your customers’ face every time they open the food package from your restaurant?

Add a delectable Christmas themed dessert, a drink or perhaps, a gift card with a 10% discount on their next purchase with all orders. Remember to promote this giveaway on all your social media channels and through newsletters.

Make it more interesting by not disclosing the Secret Gift in the Secret Meal! ;)

Christmas Contest on Social Media

A little bit of virality can take your restaurant business to the next level. In fact, you need to create content or perhaps a contest that has the potential of going viral. This would not only divert more traffic to the website but also put your business on the map.

Wondering how to get around that? We're here for you.

Restaurants can run multiple social media campaigns such as 'Selfie Contest', 'Help Us With The Next Item', 'Fan of the Week', 'Share to Win', and much more. Ask your customers to upload their selfies and tag you on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest. The one with maximum likes or comments or engagement gets the slice of the pie - in this case, a surprise giveaway or a free meal. Such marketing activities come under User Generated Content (UGC), which is considered to be the one of the most powerful strategies in the domain.

So here you are!

Start early, connect with your fans/followers before your competitors do and make the most of the holiday season.