Fun & Festive Promotions for Your Bar this Holiday Season

Winter can be a tough time for bars and restaurants. The cold weather and short days mean people are often unwilling to leave the warm comfort of their homes. So how can you convince both loyal patrons and new customers to brave the elements and make a visit to your establishment? One of the best ways is with an engaging promotion. Check out our list of winter promotions to help inspire you to run your own promotion this holiday season.

Ugly Sweater Party

Everybody loves an ugly sweater party — and most people have been to enough that they’ll have an ugly sweater waiting in the closet. Make use of these crimes against fashion and host an ugly sweater party at your bar or restaurant. Offer gift cards or free appetizers to whomever wears the ugliest and tackiest holiday-themed sweater. Don’t forget to promote the party on social media ahead of time with employees wearing their own ugly sweaters. During the ugly sweater party, be sure to take lots of photos to commemorate the event and use it as the perfect marketing material for next year’s party.

Holiday Movie Trivia Night

Holiday movies are some of the most widely watched and recognized movies in America — and chances are your customers have a wealth of knowledge on these movies. Decorate your bar with cheesy, over-the-top holiday decorations and offer food or drink specials to customers who are taking part in the trivia competition — of course, don’t forget to pick out a good prize for the winning team. Really want to make the most of this trivia event? In the weeks leading up to the trivia event, host viewings of the holiday movies you will be quizzing players on.

DIY Holiday Ornament Night

One of the latest trends in the bar scene is the idea of do-it-yourself craft nights for customers. You’ve probably heard of paint and sip nights, where customers can drink and create a painting with friends. Change up this idea for the wintertime and host a DIY Holiday Ornament Night. Buy some plain, undecorated ornaments in bulk ahead of time and some acrylic paints (and maybe even some glitter). Create a smaller menu for those who participate in the crafts session — perhaps a specific holiday-themed drink and a few different choices for appetizers. Keep it smaller and easy to handle since their hands will be occupied with the ornaments.

Help Give Back

Everybody loves to give back. The charitable spirit is never stronger than during the holidays. Work with a local food pantry or charity and help get your patrons involved. Whether it’s bringing in canned food, new toys or warm winter clothes, set up some sort of collection drive and promote it at your establishment. Don’t forget to offer some sort of incentive or token of your gratitude – a free drink or half-off appetizer should do the trick. At the end of your drive, invite everyone who participated back to your bar for a night of discounted food and drink.

Wintertime can be hard on many local bars and restaurants – but it doesn’t have to be. Take advantage of the holiday season and create a promotion that perfectly fits the spirit of your establishment. As a partner location with Accel Entertainment, we are always happy to help give you ideas for new and engaging promotion strategies so reach out to us at hello@accelentertainment.com.

Sources

https://www.buzztime.com/business/blog/holidays-promotions-restaurant/

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/1836/5-ways-to-promote-your-restaurant-for-the-holidays.html