For the hospitality industry, Memorial Day is one of the most important holidays of the year and unofficially, at least, it marks the beginning of summer. Setting yourself apart from your competitors is extremely important on major holidays. Therefore, persuade customers to bring their business to your venue by doing something your competitors aren’t.
As your bar, nightclub or restaurant starts planning for Memorial Day, here are 4 winning promotion ideas that will make this holiday a profitable one.
Offer Special for Veterans and Military Personnel
Memorial Day, after all, honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Show your appreciation for the risks these individuals take and have taken to protect this country by offering special deals and discounts for veterans and their families. Not only will this draw customers to your venue, but it will make them feel appreciated. It could be 25% off meals, two for one drink specials, or 50% off appetizers.
Bring in Live Music
Having a live band this Memorial Day is definitely a plus. Making live music a feature at you venue with high quality, well organized events, will attract more customers and deliver real financial benefits. On average, venues that feature live music take in more revenue on that particular day then venues that don’t.
Introduce Signature Cocktails or Dishes
There are so many fun ways to turn classic cocktails and traditional dishes into signature items in honor of Memorial Day. Here are two recipes to spark some ideas:
Strawberry Spangled Banner
3 strawberries
2 basil leaves
1½ oz. Disaronno
½ oz. Grey Goose Vodka
¾ oz. lime juice
¾ oz. simple syrup
Garnish: strawberries and basil leaves
Muddle strawberries and basil leaves in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and remaining ingredients. Shake and strain over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with strawberries and basil leaves.
Mozzarella-Stuffed Burger (Serves 4 if you’re making 200g burgers)
800g lean beef mince
1 egg
1-2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. smoked paprika
pepper to taste
100g mozzarella, grated/thinly sliced
fresh bread rolls
fresh rocket
caramelized onions
sliced tomato
Host a Cookout
As the unofficial kick-off to summer, people will want to be outdoors (especially if the weather is nice); therefore if you have outdoor space why not throw some burgers on the grill and organize some outdoor games! You can bet most of your competitors won’t be able to do this.