The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is just around the corner and with hosting relatives, gift wrapping, party-planning, and entertaining kids on winter break, families have a lot on their plate. Operators can seize this opportunity to boost revenue by catering to families this holiday season with convenience, comfort food, and festive events.

Kid Connection

Having some fun menu choices for the kids can attract families looking for convenient, affordable, yet high-quality options. Offer a strawberry lemonade drink, hot cocoa, or fun character-themed food or drink specials that will appeal to kids and encourage parents to spend more. Consider offering discounts to appeal to families, too. Kids under 5 eat free or a buy-one/get-one-free kid meal, or even creating a few combo meals, will entice families with children to dine at your restaurant.

Since so many kids are picky when it comes to food, adding an a la carte menu will please families that don't want to waste money on something their child may not eat. Ensure your kid's menu is considerate of food allergies and provides healthy choices to give parents peace of mind. Offering chicken tenders with sweet potato fries or grilled cheese with fruit and steamed veggies are great options.

Family Feasts

While some families will go all out with lavish feasts for the holidays, restaurant-cooked take-home meals are still very appealing to holiday diners with children. Busy parents will look to restaurants to take care of the holiday dining altogether. Providing party platters, take-and-bakes to feed a crowd, and a one-price carryout Thanksgiving dinners or other festive-themed catering packages will appeal to families who don’t want the stress of cooking this season.

Tack on a cocktail kit or holiday hot beverage kit that can be added to meals and you increase not only the chances of higher tickets but repeat customers. A Thanksgiving buffet for one price is another option to draw in busy families or large groups who don't want to cook but still would like to get out of the house and celebrate with friends and family.

Keep It Simple

The holidays are stressful enough, so take the planning and stress out of the equation for families this year. Provide reservations, lots of seating for large parties, and amenities for families with small children such as highchairs, cups with lids, and changing stations. Ensure your online ordering process is simple and clear and craft a curbside plan that’s fairly quick, streamlined, and runs smoothly for families wanting to grab food and be on their way.

Craft an Experience

Families won’t just be looking for an affordable and convenient meal this season. With the holidays, comes the expectation of festive experiences. And with people being pent up for this past year and a half, the demand for events will be higher than ever.

Guests with children will be more likely to come out to your establishment if you're getting into the holiday spirit with themed events and promos. An ugly sweater party with prizes and holiday trivia are just some options to entice families to choose your place over a competitor. Screening holiday-themed movies for the kids, hosting a tree-lighting ceremony, a turkey trot in your community, or a toy drive are also examples of charity events that may drive more families to your business.

Train Staff

A friendly and welcoming experience is super important to families and will increase the likelihood of return customers. Ensure your staff is trained properly and prepared to accommodate all types of families to make them feel welcome and comfortable.

Go to Market

Spread the holiday cheer with festive digital ads and promos on all your social channels and website so families can sign up for coupons to ensure you’re reaching the widest audience possible. Gift cards are a huge seller around the holidays, so make sure you are promoting those as gift opportunities as well. Don’t forget fun signage, creative window displays, festive lights, and more to attract people walking by.

Even though your restaurant’s brand may not be completely geared toward families, creating an atmosphere and menu that’s a little more family-friendly this season can be a big win for your business. This holiday season, family matters!