Restaurant Black Friday Deal Ideas
Parts Town / Foodservice Tips, Holiday, Restaurant Tips / November 17

Black Friday is the busiest day of the year for shopping and eating out, so it’s a great opportunity to promote your restaurant. In order to help you make the most of the holiday, this list of 8 restaurant Black Friday deal ideas will help you attract customers and make sales in easy and creative ways.
Double Points
If you offer a restaurant loyalty program that gives points to frequent customers, consider giving twice as many points for dining in on Black Friday than for a normal meal. You can make this promotion even more effective if the points expire at some point in the near future: the sense of urgency will motivate guests to come back to your restaurant and spend even more money.
Charitable Donations
According to a Wall Street Journal article, 20% to 30% of all charitable donations are made between Thanksgiving and Christmas. So, why not offer a “buy-one, give-one” promotion: for every dollar that customers spend, you pledge to donate an equal amount to charity. Given that people will likely be in a generous mood on Black Friday, this deal idea is sure to be a success.
Coat Check
Since your customers will probably be tired from lugging around a heavy coat and big bags all day, help them take a load off by offering a free coat and bag check at your restaurant over Thanksgiving weekend. Besides, getting the big coats and bags off the floor will make it easier—and safer—for both customers and staff to walk around the busy dining room area.
Kids Promotions
Special promotions for kids are almost guaranteed to draw people to your restaurant on Black Friday. In addition to discounts on kids’ meals, you could also give children coloring placemats to keep them busy while they wait. The parents will remember the few moments of peace and quiet on their busy day, so they’ll keep your restaurant in mind the next time they need a break.
Food Deals
Black Friday is known for its deals, so people who come into your restaurant will be looking for the same. Easy ways to offer guests more bang for their buck include:
- Half-off appetizers
- Free dessert with order of an entrée
- 10% off lunch orders
- Buy-one, get-one free drinks
Holiday-specific deals would be good, too. If sustainability for your restaurant is important to you and your customers, think about putting a “Thanksgiving leftovers soup” on your menu to show you’re trying to minimize food waste. Or, since some people are going to be feeling guilty from gorging themselves the day before, offer salads and other healthy options at half-price.
Holiday Menu
Although your customers will have just feasted on turkey and all the trimmings, many people will still want to enjoy holiday foods. So, be sure to put some classic holiday items like ham, cranberry sauce and eggnog on your restaurant’s menu. Since everyone considers these foods to be special, you can get away with charging a bit more, too.
Shop ‘Til You Drop Deal
Want to try to offer a unique and fun Black Friday promotion? Have customers bring in their step counter to see how far they’ve walked while shopping. The more miles they’ve walked, the greater the discount. Most phones and smart watches have step counters on them, so it’ll be easy for people to track their steps and participate.
Focus on Delivery
Whether your restaurant offers in-house or third-party delivery, be sure to offer some sort of a discount on Thanksgiving weekend so you can reach those who stay home and shop online. Although you could offer free or reduced delivery on all items, focusing on holiday-themed items–which usually have a higher markup–might be a good money-making strategy.