Be the “Must-Order” Place During The Winter Holidays
This time of year brings a lot of joy to a lot of people as we spend time with loved ones and old friends. On the other hand, it is also a stressful time that is full of hectic shopping, office parties and visits to relatives.
Since this season is hectic for almost everyone, people are looking for ways to make their holiday season a little bit easier. Help everyone out by turning your restaurant into a stress-free option that makes your customers’ lives a little bit easier this holiday season. Here are some tips for getting it done:
Give Yourself a Makeover
Redesigning your digital platforms for a holiday or special event is not a new idea, but it has stuck around for so long because it is effective. No doubt you have already started to plan what your app should look like at this time of year. Whatever you decide to go with, remember that warm and welcoming colors can help to calm the nerves and give users a relaxing visual experience that they will remember in the future.
Keep it Stress-Free
People are already stressed and stretched to their last nerve. Dealing with an inconvenient online ordering system is a hassle people do not want to deal with. So, it is crucial for you to provide an ordering experience that is stress-free. If you have broken links, confusing options or pages that do not load properly, you will frustrate your customers and the chances of them returning are slim.
Remember the Flavors of the Season
Seasons and holidays tend to have specific flavors that are associated with them. The winter brings with it cravings for peppermint, apple, cinnamon and other warm, comforting, sweet flavors. Offer special holiday items so that people can still feel the holiday spirit, even when ordering online.
Don’t Forget Dessert!
At this time of year, the attention to sweet flavors goes double for dessert. Now is the time to create a special dessert menu to help people celebrate the holiday season. Work with your chef to create several special desserts that highlight winter flavors to lure people in for a taste or two.
Give Incentives
This time of year is perfect for ramping up your customer incentive program and taking it to the next level. Consider offering special incentives for your existing customers, and a larger-than-usual bonus incentive encourage new customers to sign up. At this time of year, people are looking for a good deal to offset all their holiday spending, and a good rewards program is a gift that can keep on giving.
Price Accordingly
As another effort to help your customers save money, now is the perfect time to add some specially-priced options to your menu. Give customers a discount on some of your favorite menu items as well as your special holiday dishes. If you create a few ways for customers to save money, they will feel like they came out ahead and will want to come back.
Pull out Your Catering Hat
One major theme during this time of year is family. One way that people celebrate with family is though food. You can expect that there will be a lot of large gatherings in the near future, and people will want to be fed! Check your menu to make sure you have menu options for large groups and gatherings. If you do not have them, now is the time to add them.
Parties go way beyond the family variety. People will be throwing office parties and other types of holiday parties as well. Plus, with the college football bowl season right around the corner, there will also be an uptick in tailgating parties and other events. In short, people are going to be in groups, and those large groups will need to be fed. Add menu options to appease these groups, make them reasonably priced and make it easy to order, and watch the orders roll in.
Have a Great Season!
Whatever way you choose do it, keep in mind that providing customers with a stress-free, enjoyable time is the key. If you can do that, you will add to the festive nature and joy that this season brings. Happy Holidays!
If you need help getting your website, online ordering system or mobile app into optimal working order for the upcoming holiday season, contact Orders2me today. We can help you help your customers make their holidays spectacular.