According to research, restaurants that stayed open on New Year’s Eve last year saw a 20% increase in sales volume compared to the rest of December. By combining multiple seatings in your dining room, plus offering takeout and catering, NYE can give a restaurant a much-needed boost to get through the slower weeks ahead. Here are five tips for making the most of the night!

Set the Mood

Make New Year’s Eve feel fun and memorable for your guests with décor, small giveaways, and photo opportunities. A little sparkle and some party favors can go a long way in establishing that this is a special night. Consider setting up a selfie booth for guests to capture memories of the night with printed or digital photos.

Another way to set the mood is to go all-in on a theme. Popular themes include going into the future, a black and white ball, Times Square, or a costume party. Coordinate your promo materials, decorations, entertainment, and giveaways to match the theme, and then make sure to capture some photography of your own to share in the days following.

Offer Food & Drink Specials

New Year’s Eve is a big night out for many, so it makes sense to create menu items that are luxurious and unforgettable. Whether you choose to offer a la carte specials or a prix fixe menu, look for items that have a wow factor for guests. Cocktails are another good option for keeping guests happy and driving sales, so work with your bar staff to come up with a few special cocktails for the occasion. Champagne-based cocktails and more extravagant drinks will be especially popular on NYE.

Strategize Around Seating Times

There can be a tendency for guests to camp out on New Year’s, waiting for the ball to drop. It’s important to clearly communicate how long a reservation lasts for each party so that you can flip a table when you need to. If you’re serving guests up until midnight, make sure the last tables know that they can expect to ring in the new year with you — maybe with a complimentary glass of bubbly or a special dessert. For your earlier tables, it’s reasonable to allow two hours for dining and to confirm that with your party at the time of booking.

Families may also want to celebrate the holiday together, but those with small children will appreciate an earlier window. If you’re open for lunch on NYE, consider hosting a Noon Year’s Eve celebration with a special kids menu and a balloon drop at noon. For your early dinner seatings (5:00-6:00), offer specials that appeal to families, including family-style serving and shareable small plates.

Comfort To-Go

According to Upserve, “in 2019, New Year’s Eve takeout orders increased by 36% compared to the week prior. Top items include pizza, burgers, desserts, and other comfort foods. Interestingly, these items closely align with the overall top menu trends of 2020.” And obviously, those numbers went way up in 2020, thanks to the pandemic. The numbers don’t lie, and the trend continues — a lot of folks are looking for takeout for NYE! Prepare for this reality by making sure you’ve got enough staff and plenty of to-go containers to cover those orders.

Create a plan in advance, offering a special to-go/delivery menu, designating specific staff members to handle to-go orders on New Year’s Eve, and encouraging guests to order in advance so that you can have a better idea of how to prepare. In addition to food, offer guests the opportunity to purchase bottles of Champagne as well as other wines and beer, as there’s obviously a huge demand for bubbles on NYE.

Start the Year Off Right

After a night of partying, your guests will appreciate a big New Year’s Day brunch. Start promoting New Year’s Day brunch now and take reservations in advance to get an idea of how busy you’ll be. Tap into some traditional New Year’s foods, like collard greens and black-eyed peas, lentils with cotechino, and noodles, and combine these with comforting brunch dishes for a craveworthy New Year’s Day menu; and don’t forget brunch cocktails like mimosas and Bloody Mary’s for folks who are looking for a little hair of the dog!