Let’s make Father’s Day as big and memorable as Mother’s Day, even it there are no flowers! These celebrations offer terrific restaurant opportunities to pack the house and enhance your brand with creative promotions and hospitality. By designing a range of special menus, themed events, and unique experiences, you can appeal to a wide range of families and their friends – it’s time for a fresh take on Father’s Day restaurant marketing
In Australia and New Zealand, Father’s Day is on Sunday 1st September 2024 and Sunday 7th September 2025. In the USA it’s on Sunday 16th June 2024 and Sunday 15th June 2025.
Key Areas to Consider for Father’s Day Restaurant Marketing
Special Menus: Design a menu with hearty and popular dishes that dads love, such as steaks, burgers, and craft beers.
Themed Events: Host themed events like a beer tasting or BBQ. This can draw in customers looking for a unique experience.
Entertainment: Consider having live music, sports screenings, or other entertainment that dads would enjoy.
Group Bookings: Encourage group bookings by offering discounts for larger parties. This is especially appealing for families celebrating together.
Gift Packages: Offer gift cards or special packages that can be given as gifts. These can include dining experiences or merchandise. Promote these with a special Father’s Day Gift Guide that’s shared in email, socials and in a printed slip with the menu. It could include: – Vouchers/Gift Cards of different values – Event tickets to your next wine dinner or entertainment – Merchandise – your t-shirts, caps, mugs etc – Wine or beer – bottles or delivery – Gift pack of cookies or brownies – Gift box or basket of dad-related items – Catering pack for lunch at home or later
Social Media Campaigns: Use social media to highlight your Father’s Day events. Share enticing images of your special dishes and drinks.
Email Marketing: Send out targeted emails with details about your Father’s Day specials. Make sure to include offers and encourage early bookings.
Collaborations: Partner with local breweries, sports clubs, or other relevant businesses to create attractive Father’s Day packages.
Focusing on these key areas can help you effectively market your restaurant for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, ensuring a successful turnout and satisfied customers.
What Are the Marketing Differences Between Mother’s and Father’s Day?
1. Audience Targeting: Father’s Day: This holiday is aimed at families and individuals who want to celebrate dads with a fun and engaging experience. Use bold, strong imagery, including themes like grilling, sports, and hearty meals. Mother’s Day marketing usually has a more sentimental and nurturing tone.
2. Tone and Messaging: Father’s Day: highlight adventure, fun, and indulgence. Messages can be more playful and energetic. Use slogans like ‘Treat Dad’ or ‘Make Dad’s Day Special.’
3. Promotions and Offers: Father’s Day: Promote BBQs, beer tastings, and hearty meal options. Consider including activities like sports screenings or live music. Offer deals like ‘Dad’s Day Discount’ or ‘Free Pint for Dad.’
4. Social Media Campaigns: Father’s Day: use Facebook and Twitter to promote events and interactive activities. Share videos and posts about your Father’s Day specials. Encourage sharing with hashtags like #FathersDayFeast or #DadsDayOut.
5. Email Marketing: Father’s Day: use a more direct and fun tone in your emails. Highlight activities and special offers. Use subject lines like ‘Make Dad’s Day Unforgettable’ or ‘Join Us for a Father’s Day Feast.’
6. Collaborations Father’s Day: collaborate with local breweries, sports clubs, or outdoor activity centres to offer unique experiences for dads. Create packages like ‘BBQ and Beer Tasting’ or ‘Dinner and Game Night.”
By tailoring your marketing strategies to the unique characteristics and preferences of fathers and grandfathers, you can effectively engage your target audience and boost your restaurant’s appeal.
Extra Ideas for Father’s Day Restaurant Offers
Beer Pairing Dinners: Host a special dinner with each course paired with a different local craft beer.
Father’s Day Competitions: Organise competitions like darts or a pool tournament with small prizes.
Cooking Classes: Offer a grilling or cooking class for fathers and children to enjoy together.
Sports Packages: Create a package that includes a meal and local sports event tickets.
Whiskey Tasting: Host a whiskey-tasting night leading up to Father’s Day, featuring various brands.
Sports Trivia Night: Host a sports-themed trivia night with prizes for the winning teams.
Steak and Beer Specials: Offer a special steak and craft beer pairing menu throughout the week.
Brewery Tours: Partner with local breweries to offer tours and tasting sessions.
Barber Services: Offer complimentary barber services or grooming kits for dads who dine at your restaurant.
Social Media Contests: Where customers can share photos of their Father’s Day celebration at your restaurant to win prizes.
Tech Gadgets or Tool Raffle: Hold a raffle for tech gadgets like smartwatches, toolkits or headphones that appeal to men.
Father’s Day Breakfast Buffets: Offer a breakfast buffet with hearty options that dads love, such as bacon, sausages, and omelettes.
Father’s Day BBQ Kits: Provide BBQ kits for dads to take home, complete with marinated meats, sides, and grilling instructions.
Personalised Steak Knives: Offer personalised steak knives engraved with dads’ names as part of a special dining package that’s been booked well in advance – a good bonus for advanced bookings.
Encourage Bookings and Restaurant Visits Beyond Just One Day…
1. Pre-event Promotions: Similar to Mother’s Day, offer early booking discounts for meals during the week before Father’s Day. Week-long Menus: Feature a special Father’s Day menu that runs all week. Promote different dishes each day to keep things exciting.
2. Themed Events: Host beer and wine-tasting events leading to Father’s Day. Partner with local breweries to make it a special event. Sports Screenings: Show popular sports events throughout the week and offer special deals on food and drinks during the games.
3. Extended Celebrations: Organise BBQ events on Saturdays and Sundays if your concept allows. Offer hearty meals and family-friendly activities to attract more visitors. Group Discounts: Provide discounts for group bookings throughout the weekend to encourage larger family gatherings.
4. Loyalty Programs and Gift Cards: Give discount vouchers for future visits when they dine during the Father’s Day week. This could be a percentage off their next meal or a free drink. Gift Card Promotions: Promote gift cards with added value, such as ‘Spend $100 on a gift card, receive an additional $20,’ valid after Father’s Day.
5. Collaborations and Partnerships: Partner with breweries and sports clubs to offer unique weekly experiences and promotions. This can include combined discounts or special event tickets.
It’s Important Not to Look Patronising or Out of Touch
For Fathers: Avoid showing fathers solely as providers or disengaged from family life. Also, avoid overly macho or simplistic images – show their nurturing side and involvement in various aspects of parenting.
Avoid Gender Assumptions: Use terms like ‘parent’ to include all family dynamics and structures. Make sure the messages are genuine and not overly sentimental, cliched or humorous to the point of being trivial. Include imagery and messages showing fathers and mothers in affectionate and caring roles equally – both can enjoy a variety of activities and gifts. Also, be mindful of those who may find these holidays difficult, such as people who have lost parents, can’t see their kids, or have strained relationships. Some of your team may also have a difficult relationship with their parents.
Let’s make Father’s Day as big and memorable as Mother’s Day, even it there are no flowers! These celebrations offer terrific restaurant opportunities to pack the house and enhance your brand with creative promotions and hospitality. By designing a range of special menus, themed events, and unique experiences, you can appeal to a wide range of families and their friends – it’s time for a fresh take on Father’s Day restaurant marketing
In Australia and New Zealand, Father’s Day is on Sunday 1st September 2024 and Sunday 7th September 2025. In the USA it’s on Sunday 16th June 2024 and Sunday 15th June 2025.
Key Areas to Consider for Father’s Day Restaurant Marketing
Special Menus: Design a menu with hearty and popular dishes that dads love, such as steaks, burgers, and craft beers.
Themed Events: Host themed events like a beer tasting or BBQ. This can draw in customers looking for a unique experience.
Entertainment: Consider having live music, sports screenings, or other entertainment that dads would enjoy.
Group Bookings: Encourage group bookings by offering discounts for larger parties. This is especially appealing for families celebrating together.
Gift Packages: Offer gift cards or special packages that can be given as gifts. These can include dining experiences or merchandise. Promote these with a special Father’s Day Gift Guide that’s shared in email, socials and in a printed slip with the menu. It could include:
– Vouchers/Gift Cards of different values
– Event tickets to your next wine dinner or entertainment
– Merchandise – your t-shirts, caps, mugs etc
– Wine or beer – bottles or delivery
– Gift pack of cookies or brownies
– Gift box or basket of dad-related items
– Catering pack for lunch at home or later
Social Media Campaigns: Use social media to highlight your Father’s Day events. Share enticing images of your special dishes and drinks.
Email Marketing: Send out targeted emails with details about your Father’s Day specials. Make sure to include offers and encourage early bookings.
Collaborations: Partner with local breweries, sports clubs, or other relevant businesses to create attractive Father’s Day packages.
Focusing on these key areas can help you effectively market your restaurant for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, ensuring a successful turnout and satisfied customers.
What Are the Marketing Differences Between Mother’s and Father’s Day?
1. Audience Targeting:
Father’s Day: This holiday is aimed at families and individuals who want to celebrate dads with a fun and engaging experience. Use bold, strong imagery, including themes like grilling, sports, and hearty meals. Mother’s Day marketing usually has a more sentimental and nurturing tone.
2. Tone and Messaging:
Father’s Day: highlight adventure, fun, and indulgence. Messages can be more playful and energetic. Use slogans like ‘Treat Dad’ or ‘Make Dad’s Day Special.’
3. Promotions and Offers:
Father’s Day: Promote BBQs, beer tastings, and hearty meal options. Consider including activities like sports screenings or live music. Offer deals like ‘Dad’s Day Discount’ or ‘Free Pint for Dad.’
4. Social Media Campaigns:
Father’s Day: use Facebook and Twitter to promote events and interactive activities. Share videos and posts about your Father’s Day specials.
Encourage sharing with hashtags like #FathersDayFeast or #DadsDayOut.
5. Email Marketing:
Father’s Day: use a more direct and fun tone in your emails. Highlight activities and special offers. Use subject lines like ‘Make Dad’s Day Unforgettable’ or ‘Join Us for a Father’s Day Feast.’
6. Collaborations
Father’s Day: collaborate with local breweries, sports clubs, or outdoor activity centres to offer unique experiences for dads. Create packages like ‘BBQ and Beer Tasting’ or ‘Dinner and Game Night.”
By tailoring your marketing strategies to the unique characteristics and preferences of fathers and grandfathers, you can effectively engage your target audience and boost your restaurant’s appeal.
Extra Ideas for Father’s Day Restaurant Offers
Encourage Bookings and Restaurant Visits Beyond Just One Day…
1. Pre-event Promotions: Similar to Mother’s Day, offer early booking discounts for meals during the week before Father’s Day.
Week-long Menus: Feature a special Father’s Day menu that runs all week. Promote different dishes each day to keep things exciting.
2. Themed Events: Host beer and wine-tasting events leading to Father’s Day. Partner with local breweries to make it a special event.
Sports Screenings: Show popular sports events throughout the week and offer special deals on food and drinks during the games.
3. Extended Celebrations: Organise BBQ events on Saturdays and Sundays if your concept allows. Offer hearty meals and family-friendly activities to attract more visitors.
Group Discounts: Provide discounts for group bookings throughout the weekend to encourage larger family gatherings.
4. Loyalty Programs and Gift Cards: Give discount vouchers for future visits when they dine during the Father’s Day week. This could be a percentage off their next meal or a free drink.
Gift Card Promotions: Promote gift cards with added value, such as ‘Spend $100 on a gift card, receive an additional $20,’ valid after Father’s Day.
5. Collaborations and Partnerships: Partner with breweries and sports clubs to offer unique weekly experiences and promotions. This can include combined discounts or special event tickets.
It’s Important Not to Look Patronising or Out of Touch
For Fathers: Avoid showing fathers solely as providers or disengaged from family life. Also, avoid overly macho or simplistic images – show their nurturing side and involvement in various aspects of parenting.
Avoid Gender Assumptions: Use terms like ‘parent’ to include all family dynamics and structures. Make sure the messages are genuine and not overly sentimental, cliched or humorous to the point of being trivial. Include imagery and messages showing fathers and mothers in affectionate and caring roles equally – both can enjoy a variety of activities and gifts. Also, be mindful of those who may find these holidays difficult, such as people who have lost parents, can’t see their kids, or have strained relationships. Some of your team may also have a difficult relationship with their parents.
See also: Energise Your Mother’s Day Restaurant Marketing
12 Months of Restaurant Promotions and Special Events
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