10 Holiday Restaurant Promotions & Marketing Ideas for 2024

The holidays really are the most wonderful time of the year. From Thanksgiving and Black Friday to Christmas and New Year’s Day, the holidays are made for enjoying good food with those closest around you. That means your restaurant has a great opportunity to help make the season brighter for customers.

There are many fun and festive ways to bring people to your restaurant throughout late-November and December. Here are seven holiday restaurant promotions and marketing ideas to try in 2024.

1. Create Festive Fare for the Menu

Whether you serve the finest cuisine or famous finger foods, adding some holiday-themed dishes is an easy way to get everyone in the spirit. Think of entrees and appetizers that are hearty or incorporate traditional holiday flavors. For example, you could include dinner specials featuring dishes like:

• Spiced-glazed ham


• Herb-roasted chicken


• Cornbread casserole

But don’t just think about entrees: include a few festive desserts and drinks as well. Delicious cream pies, cakes and Christmas cookies can satisfy any patron’s seasonal sweet tooth. Jazz up your beverage list by offering some holiday-inspired beers and cocktails. Ginger beers and Moscow mules are common this time of year, and sweeter beverages like hot buttered rum, mulled wine and spiked eggnog are always popular. Don’t forget to include some non-alcoholic alternatives like peppermint hot chocolate and apple cider.

2. Offer Carryout Catered Dinners

Once you’ve crafted a festive menu, offer catered holiday dinners for customers to pick up and enjoy safely at home. Whether it’s for Christmas, New Year’s or specialty dishes for Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, offering partially or fully prepared meals is a great way to get customers ordering and keep your kitchens in full working order. You can make these catered meals as extensive as you want and serve them up at special pricing. You can even incorporate your famous cocktails in a to-go format to really keep the holidays merry and bright.

3. Spread Cheer on Social Media

Social media can be your best friend this time of year. Use your restaurant’s social channels to let everyone know about upcoming events and specials throughout the season. Post everything from pictures of seasonal food specials and fancy décor to Tik Tok or Reels of your staff dressed up in Santa hats or singing holiday songs.

Additionally, posting promo codes on social media is a great way to give back during the season. For instance, you could post a promo code for a free appetizer or a QR code to get 15-20% off their next visit. Have your servers encourage customers to follow your restaurant on social media to get the latest holiday deals. This will give patrons incentive to follow your social media channels going forward.

4. Host Holiday-Themed Events

Come up with a couple of holiday events that can draw people to your restaurant. Ugly sweater parties are a fun fad you can easily get in on. Pick a day before Christmas where you give out a coupon to people who wear an ugly holiday sweater, or throw a sweater party complete with a DJ and fun prizes for those who don the “ugliest” getup.

If the idea of an ugly sweater party doesn’t necessarily give you the warm fuzzies, consider hosting a holiday-themed trivia night. Quiz patrons on everything from Christmas movies to classic carol lyrics. Finally, one of the most popular holiday events for a restaurant to host is a New Year’s Eve bash. Offer a limited drink or food menu, hire a DJ or band, and distribute party accessories and champagne for the Ball Drop to your guests. 

Whatever event you plan on hosting throughout the season, make sure to hang posters and promote it on your social media channels.

5. Promote Gift Cards

Who doesn’t love getting a gift card to their favorite restaurant? They’re great incentives for your guests to come back, an easy way to boost sales and they’re the perfect way to gain new customers. You can promote gift cards on your social media channels and on your website, train your staff to mention gift card sales to guests and even host a raffle or giveaway of gift cards. You can even host a contest with your staff for most gift cards sold, and offer a fun prize or even a day off for the winning staff member.

Another great way to promote gift cards is to offer a special or discount to customers who are purchasing them. Many businesses offer buy-one-get-one 50% off deals for gift cards purchased around the holiday season, or will tack on an extra $10-$20 on a certain gift card amount purchased. This not only helps your loyal customers save money but guarantees your restaurant will get repeat business.

6. Be a Holiday Party Headquarters

Whether it’s for work, family or friends, people love to throw a big holiday party. Unfortunately, not everyone has the room to host. If your restaurant has space, offer it up as a venue to host private seasonal parties. Make the dining room available either for a flat usage fee or by purchasing a package. For example, one package could be a la cart while another might include a set list of drinks and appetizers.

Make sure to emphasize reservations on any marketing materials, whether it’s through signage or social media posts. This will save you and your staff from dealing with large, unexpected groups.

7. Deck the Halls… of Your Restaurant

It’s the holidays, so don’t be afraid to liven up your space with some holiday decor. Consider stringing indoor lights and garland around bar tops, counters, poles and beams. Feel free to sprinkle in some statues or figurines of Santa, snowmen, gingerbread people or other characters. Of course, a tree is essential. If you have a large restaurant, make the tree the centerpiece of your floor design. If not, a small one in the corner or lobby will do.

Whatever décor you use also should depend on the atmosphere of your place. For instance, if you have a more modern-themed establishment, consider contemporary décor featuring white, silver and blue colors. However, if your place is rustic or traditional, stick with the standard red, green and gold colors.

8. Reward Early Birds

Since many people like to plan early for holiday festivities, consider offering special discounts or a free dish to customers who make a reservation prior to the holiday rush. You can host this offer within a certain date range prior to Thanksgiving or the winter holidays, then promote it on your social media accounts and website. If you go this route, though, make sure to have some additional reservation space available closer to the holidays. You don’t want to completely exclude your customer base by giving away all open availability.

9. Spread the Holiday Spirit

Open up an event to donate the proceeds to charity. Whether that be by offering special menu items, running a holiday food drive or simply putting up an angel tree for needy families, guests will be feeling the giving spirit of the holidays. This way, you can give back to the community or charity of your choice.

10. Holiday Card Promotions

Everyone loves a good Christmas card! Find your favorite holiday card or make your own to promote your business and the holiday events you have coming up. Not only is this a great way to get your customers’ attention, but also a festive and fun way to spread the word about the great things you have in store such as:

• Giveaways


• Deals on catering


• Charity events