Winter time, when the days are short and the weather chilly, even the most avid diners prefer to stay within the warm comfort of their homes. This means that online ordering could see a surge. But restaurants have to step up and cater to the needs of the season.

Break the winter’s monotony with these useful tips and tweak your winter menu to amp up the online ordering game.

Offer comfort food that’s a good as home-cooked favorites

With the falling temperatures outside, it’s always nice to cozy up with a plate of familiar food that makes one nostalgic for the good old days. That’s what comfort food is all about, a taste that carries precious sentimental value.

A feel-good food is perfect for the cold winter months because it reminds us of homespun delights that we know and have loved for years. Think Mac’n Cheese, deep-dish pizza, meatloaf, fried chicken and waffles, spaghetti and meatballs or even a hearty bowl of chicken soup. Adding a few universal favorites on the winter menu for online ordering provides an appetizing incentive for the diners.

Use seasonal ingredients to whip up winter specials

Adding specials to a restaurant menu can have a lot of benefits. While offering a variety to regular customers, it also helps attract new customers as well as give you the platform to showcase your creativity. Talk about the hot- trending ingredients of the season and innovate new dishes to attract eye-balls. People love to try out new recipes that also promise a balance between good health and great taste.

But before adding any specials to the menu, don't forget to do your homework. It doesn't make sense to add high-priced or extremely low-priced dishes for the sake of novelty. You must have a  clear objective and assess how the new food items will affect your budget.

Don’t forget the beverages

Who wouldn’t like to curl up with a cup of steaming hot chocolate during the frosty weather or enjoy a glass of warm mulled wine beside a fireplace?

Winter is a great time to be creative with your drinks menu and whether you offer classic like Eggnogs or put a new twist to old favorites, Mexican Spiced Hot Cocoa, customers are sure to enjoy and appreciate the seasonal offerings on the drinks menu. This small effort can drastically increase the average order value by 10% to15%.

Offer festive rewards

Winter season is also the time when people are under the festive spell. So why not take the cue and give your customers something more to cheer about?

Bring out the best in the menu with the crowd-pleasing, festive bird - Turkey. Think about introducing recipes that evoke the festive spirit. Delight customers with Turkey roulades or give the seasonal bird a Tuscan touch with rosemary, garlic, and fennel.

Apart from this, you can also tailor your loyalty programs for regular customers around holiday themes like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah. Alternatively, offering simple deals like BOGO and Happy Hours on winter specials can also do the trick.

Customize your menu for the season

Get into the festive spirit by playing around with the design and theme of your digital menu. Add warm colors, put up food pictures, and provide detailed descriptions of any special winter ingredients that you’ve used in your dishes. Acorn, butternut, kabocha, and winter squash are all at their prime during the fall and winter. The possibilities are endless as long as you’re open to creative ideas.

One of the best things about the digital menu system is that it allows you a generous scope for customization. At Restolabs, we offer complete customization of the website/app design and menu. Check out the packages for customizable app development here.

The Take-Away

The best winter menu for online ordering is the ones that outlast the holidays and stands up to the coldest weather. When you understand the needs of your customers, you make them happy and we all know that happy customers will do the marketing for you – absolutely free! Think word of mouth referrals, social media shout-outs, and online reviews. Be sure to let customers know about the new additions for the season. A little promotion can really fire up business this time of year.