There are so many things to love about summer—long days, vacations, fun food—but for some restaurants, the warm weather can have a real impact on business during these months.
Beat the heat by developing enjoyable, creative experiences to help your guests cool down. Look for opportunities to emphasize your comfortable dining room and refreshing menu to entice crowds to chill out in your restaurant this season.
Chill Hour
Switch from Happy Hour to Chill Hour and play up the fact that you have a (literally) cool dining room where guests can relax with food and drink specials, including frozen cocktails and mocktails.
Get creative with your marketing around this concept, with fun contests on social media that encourage people to share their photos of how they keep cool for a chance to win a free meal. Since days are longer during the summer, guests tend to eat later, so nudge guests toward those earlier hours of service with limited-time offers and time-specific specials that are too good for guests to pass up.
I’m a Big Fan
Guests flock to outdoor dining during the warmer months, but that can present a challenge when it comes to keeping people cool and comfortable. Consider investing in hanging, oscillating fans or even subtle misting systems that can help reduce the temperature of your outdoor space and provide a refreshing breeze for your guests.
This might be a substantial investment, so it’s important to think about the cost-benefit analysis to determine if cooling your patio space will pay for itself. Depending on how many seats you have and how much of the year you are able to use your outdoor space, it could be a sound investment to help generate excitement on your patio.
Cool as a Cucumber
During the hottest months, guests crave crisp, light, cooling foods. Depending on your brand and existing menu, this could mean including chilled soups like gazpacho or creamy cucumber-yogurt soup, or fresh summer rolls with bean sprouts, carrots, and scallions. Lightly steamed vegetables or crudités with zippy dips are a great choice for shareable appetizers, while light but filling grain bowls are a smart option for main dishes.
Salad Days
This is prime time for your salad menu to shine. Augment your existing salad options to reflect the season with peak-season produce like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, peaches, corn, and watermelon from brands such as Peak Fresh Produce®. Dress your summer produce with tangy vinaigrettes from options like Village Garden® and add plenty of fresh herbs like mint, parsley, and cilantro to emphasize the freshness of each dish. Offer protein upgrades like quality-sourced beef, Bay Winds® Shrimp, or tofu to make these big, vibrant salads into a full meal.
Cool To-Go
With folks spending time poolside and going on family vacations, there’s a huge demand for convenient to-go options. Adapt your to-go menu around convenience, portability, and shareability. Tweak portion sizes (and pricing) of existing menu items to make them easier to grab, go, and share. Think about your menu critically to identify what items would be good for al fresco or poolside snacking and offer readymade meals that families can bring with them to the beach, so they don’t have to worry about cooking.
The heat is on to help consumers cool off this summer. With some slight adjustments and marketing about how chill your restaurant is, guests are likely to join you for refreshment and relaxation.
