7 Easy Ways to Make and Market Valentine’s Day Brunch

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, which means it’s time to start thinking of ways your restaurant can capitalise on the occasion! Many eateries opt to offer special Valentine’s Day brunches to their patrons instead of going for the classic candlelit dinner route.

If that’s the case for you, good news! There are lots of ways you can maximise your profits on Valentine’s Day. Just follow the below ideas for your restaurant’s Valentine’s Day brunch.

Offer Valentine’s Day Gift Cards Ahead of Time

Firstly, you might consider setting up a Valentine’s Day gift card program before the big day rolls around. These gift cards can be for as little as five dollars off your upcoming Valentine’s Day brunch or something else you have in mind.

Regardless, hand them out to every customer who walks through your door for the last couple of weeks leading up to the middle of February. That way, you can drive traffic to your store and build up some goodwill at the same time.

Plus, this is a great way to announce that you’re having a Valentine’s Day brunch or special offering in the first place without having to resort to traditional advertising techniques.

Revitalise Your Marketing

That said, traditional advertising is still important. Specifically, you should invest in digital marketing techniques to let everyone know about your Valentine’s Day brunch and to boost traffic. You should:

• Leverage your social media marketing to its maximum extent. Go on your social media profiles and announce your Valentine’s Day brunch and any special deals you may have planned
• Consider putting up some PPC or pay-per-click ads based on unique search keywords, like “Valentine’s Day brunch specials”. That way, local restaurant-goers will be pointed to your restaurant’s website on Valentine’s Day or in the few days leading up to it

Don’t forget in-person marketing! You can set up ads or Valentine’s Day posters using tools like PosterMyWall. Make a template that’s uniquely yours and send these eye-catching and attractive flyers all around town to get people to stop by for your Valentine’s Day brunch offerings.

Offer Limited-Time Menu Items

One of the best ways to make this day more unique and interesting in the minds of customers is to offer limited-time menu items that won’t be back until the same time next year. Valentine’s Day is traditionally a romantic day for couples, so consider offering special menu items meant for two people to share or snack on.

Valentine’s Day is also associated with candy, so you might add a few special dessert items or cookies to the mix. Regardless, whip up some limited-time menu items and add them to a fresh menu with a unique design. You don’t have to only use the menus for Valentine’s Day; if you design them properly, you can keep using them for the rest of spring and still give your restaurant a boost of novelty that regular customers will appreciate.

Add Some Fresh Table Décor Items

In fact, novelty is a great way to improve your Valentine’s Day brunch traffic and make the experience even more memorable for those who stop by.

Decorate each table with:

• Candles, either real or fake. Real candles are more expensive but add more of an authentic ambiance to your restaurant
• Flowers. If you go this route, be sure to water and take care of them so they don’t look dead and unattractive at any point!
• Valentine’s day themed cutlery or table cloths
• Or anything else you can think of

As you decorate each table-space, feel free to switch things up and make every section of your restaurant unique. Nothing says you have to make every table in your eatery exactly the same.

Prep a Proposal Package

Valentine’s Day is a big moment for lots of couples, especially since there’s something of an unofficial tradition for men to propose to their significant others on this romantic occasion. With that in mind, you can make your Valentine’s Day brunch better for guys willing to pop the question by preparing a proposal package.

For example, you can offer:

• A meal with some of your best items for brunch, like light sandwiches and soups (so stomach butterflies don’t cause any problems!)
• Fresh flowers like roses brought to the customer’s table before they arrive
• A private booth or nook in your restaurant just for them
• And more

A proposal package might convince many guys to give your restaurant a try on this upcoming Valentine’s Day. Plus, you can up-charge the proposal package to compensate you for the extra effort it takes to accommodate each couple.

Maximise Floor Space for Tables of Two

As noted earlier, most people coming to your restaurant for Valentine’s Day brunch will be couples. With that in mind, try to redecorate your restaurant to maximise the floor space you have for tables with two seats. For example, you can split up regular tables that might seat four or six into two different tables with enough room for only two people.

This is a nice way to make your Valentine’s Day brunch more accessible for the general public. Plus, you don’t have to keep the tables set up this way forever. You can easily go back to your standard table arrangement or floor plan the day after Valentine’s.

Provide Takeout Options

Last but not least, consider offering some takeout options for Valentine’s Day brunch. Some couples will have a lot on their agendas and have other things to get to after eating out. By offering takeout, you’ll drive traffic to your eatery and potentially make a big profit.

Summary

All in all, simply providing a dedicated Valentine’s Day brunch will help your restaurant take full advantage of this once-in-a-year event. But following the tips above will make it even more special for those who stop by for a bite at your café or restaurant, plus potentially turn them into long-time customers and fans of your food!