seasonal - Dennis Food Service https://dennisfoodservice.com New England's Largest Independent Distributor Tue, 30 May 2023 15:25:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.4 Restaurant Holiday Promotion Ideas https://dennisfoodservice.com/restaurant-holiday-promotion-ideas-for-2022/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=restaurant-holiday-promotion-ideas-for-2022 Tue, 29 Nov 2022 17:37:04 +0000 https://dennisfoodservice.com/?p=1748739 Transform your restaurant into a winter wonderland with inspiration from these holiday promotion and marketing ideas.

Cait Carter

The holiday season breaks up the monotony of winter by adding festivity and cheer. Families look for ways to make the holidays spread further. They might take their kids Christmas shopping downtown or gather together for tree-lighting ceremonies. Restaurants can capitalize on seasonal festivities by getting in on the fun.

Transforming your restaurant into a winter wonderland can draw people into the warmth of your building. Instead of being one of many potential stops while people are out and about, you can become the go-to restaurant in your area for people who want to celebrate the season.

Theme everything for the holidays

Half the reason customers choose a restaurant is the ambiance. You can take that ambiance to a new level during the holiday season. Consider selecting a theme for your restaurant during the holiday season, and then keep everything on the theme.

Take special care to:

Make your menu festive, and your patrons feel special

You never know what people are going through during the holidays. Whether they’ve been uninvited from a family event, are celebrating the holidays alone, or are looking for a way to make their day a little more exciting, festive holiday menu specials, take-out options, and catering options can make your patrons feel special.

Give a gift with every purchase

It may seem counterintuitive to give something away when customers purchase from your restaurant. But the holidays are a time of giving. Providing your customers with a special holiday gift when they visit your restaurant may be just the thing to get them excited to come through the door.

One restaurant in Hampton made headlines in 2019 by giving a special present and a stocking to every child who visited on a specific day.

You can also spread holiday cheer by giving away special holiday swag with your restaurant’s branding. Starbucks, for example, is known for offering free reusable coffee cups every holiday season.

Put pep in their steps with staff incentives

Your restaurant staff has the power to make or break the customer experience. Offering special incentives for strong service during the holiday season can help your wait staff break out the good cheer.

Have some holiday treats for wait staff to enjoy on their breaks. Consider offering small incentives, such as a free dessert, to the person with the most positive reviews each night. Also, consider offering paid time off during the holiday season so that wait staff can spend time with their loved ones.

These small steps can go a long way toward brightening the smiles of your staff and improving the customer experience.

Design holiday desserts to go

Serving desserts is hard for restaurants. The profit margin on desserts is razor-thin. When customers extend their stay at a table to enjoy a dessert, it can reduce table turnovers and cost restaurants money.

Instead of cutting your losses, you can make this work in your favor by devising holiday-themed desserts that travel well and promoting your desserts on the go. This has several benefits, including:

  • Increasing dessert purchases from customers who are full but might want something later
  • Encouraging customers to enjoy their desserts away from the table, improving your table turnover time
  • Allowing you to prep and wrap numerous desserts (like Santa cookies) ahead of time so that you don’t have to worry about them in the middle of the dinner rush
  • Encouraging take-out diners — who often spend more money than in-person diners — to order desserts with higher profit margins

Host ho-ho-happy hour events

Happy hour can be hugely profitable for restaurants, attracting new customers while encouraging customers to stay a bit longer and consume more food and drinks.

The key to making happy hour profitable is to ensure you’re discounting foods with already-high profit margins so that you still profit on each item. You might offer seasonal drinks or specials at a discounted price during happy hour or have certain well-promoted happy hour events throughout the season.

Take happy hour events to the next level with careful marketing strategies. Find a unique holiday email template to advertise your holiday happy hours or post about your drink specials on social media.

Offer gift card promotions

Some of the best restaurant holiday promotions center around gift cards.

Gift card sales more than double during the holiday season. So it makes sense to offer special promotions for customers just coming in to buy a gift card.

Promotion ideas include:

  • Buy one, get one: Offer a gift card for a small amount of money with the purchase of a larger gift card. Customers will be happy to receive a $10 gift card from your restaurant but are likely to spend more than the gift card covers when they come in to use it.
  • Coupon booklets: Offer a free coupon booklet with the purchase of a gift card. These coupons, from free desserts to a percentage off on their meals, will encourage gift card recipients to return to your restaurant long after using the card.
  • Charity donations: If you provide a small donation to a local charity with every gift card promotion above a certain amount, you may encourage shoppers to buy higher-priced gift cards while also showcasing the good you do in the community, which can help customers feel more attached to your restaurant.

Partner with a local charity

The holidays are a season for giving. By partnering with a local charity, you can encourage more people to visit your restaurant while supporting your community.

Partnering with a charity has several benefits for your restaurant. It can:

  • Improve your restaurant’s image
  • Strengthen community involvement with your restaurant
  • Promote your restaurant
  • Draw in new customers and new staff members by aligning yourself with their views

There are several creative ways you can partner with charities. For example, you might close the restaurant to regular patrons for one night and serve alongside a charity instead. Or you might donate a portion of your profits on a given night during the holiday season. This is one of the most popular partnerships since the charity organization will be just as eager to promote the event as you are. Plus, you can draw in new customers.

Host a holiday contest

Contests can bring people into your restaurant in droves.

For example, you might host a holiday trivia night and give away a cooking class to the winning team. Or you might use social media platforms to promote online-only holiday contests for your restaurant.

You could even have a drawing contest and use the winning drawing to decorate your holiday email template. This is a great way to boost holiday sales and increase newsletter sign-ups over the holiday season.

Have gourmet gift boxes or other unique gifts for sale

Many patrons will enter your restaurant over the season looking for last-minute gift ideas, such as easy stocking stuffers or gift cards. You can help these patrons provide creative gifts while also boosting your bottom line if you have special holiday products available for sale. These products might include:

  • A gourmet gift box including special foods that your restaurant is known for
  • A recipe book with at-home versions of some of the most loved recipes from your establishment
  • A unique holiday mug with your restaurant’s logo on it
  • A cozy blanket in your restaurant’s colors

You could also include information about your restaurant’s loyalty program at the front of your restaurant or tuck loyalty cards into the gourmet gift boxes you sell. This can prompt customers to return to your restaurant long after the holiday season has ended.

Share the cheer everywhere

If you’re already planning to go all out for the season, show off what you’re doing. Consider:

  • Offering a behind-the-scenes look at how you decorate your restaurant for the season
  • Making how-to TikTok videos on creating special holiday drinks
  • Writing blog posts that share this year’s holiday theme or showcase holiday recipes
  • Sending holiday marketing emails that showcase your holiday specials and events
  • Creating unique holiday content on Instagram

Sharing your restaurant holiday promotion ideas on social media gives credibility to the fact that your restaurant is going above and beyond for the season. Not only can you gain social media followers and boost online engagement, but you can also increase the chances that your target audience will think of your restaurant when deciding where to eat next.

Go all out with restaurant holiday promotion

The holiday season can be a stressful time for restaurants. But if you go into the season with the right attitude, you can make it your most profitable — and fun — time of the year.

As part of your restaurant holiday marketing, get started by choosing a theme for your restaurant this holiday season. Consider ways to bring that theme alive online and in person. By getting ahead of the season and finding creative ways to advertise your restaurant’s holiday promotion efforts, you can become the go-to destination for patrons in your town looking for fun ways to celebrate the season.

Source: Cait Carter, Constant Contact (Start a Free Trial) via Operators-Edge.com

Cait Carter is a Freelance writer based out of Bangor, Maine. Cait is an experienced writer with a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in Communication. She started her career in journalism, where she wrote for the Bangor Daily News and had multiple pieces published in both their print and online newspapers. While she was getting her Master’s degree, she simultaneously worked at a University’s financial aid office, where she advised students and parents on personal finances. After graduating with her degree, she started freelance writing. She specializes in blog writing and writing product descriptions for ECommerce businesses, including Popov Leather, Orange Bridge Supply Company, and Amrita Health Foods, as well as for technical companies including Holocreators and CourseStorm. In addition to her expertise in blogging, product descriptions, and personal finance, she is interested in parenting, environmentalism, and video games. 

Hire Cait
]]> Bill Stops in for Fresh Baked Apple Pie https://dennisfoodservice.com/bill-stops-in-for-pie/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bill-stops-in-for-pie Mon, 09 Nov 2020 17:48:40 +0000 https://dennisfoodservice.com/?p=252941

Fresh baked pie is hands down the king (maybe not the king, but definitely within the royal family) of American comfort foods.

Regardless of the season there are sure to be many mouthwatering flavors that coincide with it. Mountains of peak-season fruit baked in a buttery crust, topped with whipped cream & ice cream – yum. Chef Pierre creates a wide range of fresh, authentic pies; making pie an accessible addition to any menu. Just tell them “Chef Pierre is in the kitchen.”

As my grandma used to say there’s nothing that a slice of pie can’t fix!

Chef Pierre Apple Hi-Pie  #12852

See More Pies

Follow Chef Tim on Twitter @chefdifference and on Instagram @chefdifference

See More from Chef Tim

 

]]> 8 Easy Ways to Prevent the Spread of Flu in Restaurants https://dennisfoodservice.com/prevent-flu-in-the-workplace/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=prevent-flu-in-the-workplace Sun, 25 Nov 2018 12:37:58 +0000 https://dennisfoodservice.com/?p=15459 Winter is rapidly approaching, and that means flu season is upon us. Usually, flu season is considered as being October through about February, which means that we’re cruising right into the flu danger zone. The flu, aside from just being downright unpleasant and exhausting for the person who’s sick, is also problematic for the workplace. With coworkers dropping like flies to illness, it can be a scramble to get the work done that needs to get done. So, before everyone starts getting sick and calling out from work, we’ve got some tips to help you prevent the spread of flu at your workplace.

1. Know the symptoms of the flu.

The flu can become pretty serious. You need to be able to recognize the symptoms so you know what you’re up against – there’s a difference between being sick or having a cold and having the flu. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness that comes on very suddenly.

Symptoms to watch out for are:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny nose
  • Muscle aches
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue

The flu and cold have similar symptoms because they’re both respiratory illnesses (although caused by different viruses.) This can make it hard to figure out which one ails you. A doctor may have to do tests to figure out which it is. Generally, cold symptoms are less severe than the flu. The flu can lead to serious health complications, and that’s why it’s important to do all you can to prevent the spread of it.

2. Stay home if you feel sick.

If you start to feel sick with some flu-like symptoms, stay home. You might want to tough it out and work through it, but it’s in everyone’s best interest for you to stay home so you don’t get anyone else sick. Really, it’s a courtesy to your co-workers to take a sick day, plus it’ll help you get the rest you need to recover. It’s important to get lots of rest and sleep if you’re sick. It helps you recover faster because your body can focus its strength on fighting off the illness.

You really should stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever goes away and stays away without medication. You can spread the flu for a full day after the symptoms resolve, so even if you’re feeling better it’s best to just take another day to make sure you won’t spread the flu.

3. Keep your distance from those who are sick.

Of course, you don’t want to be rude. But you also don’t want to get sick. Try to keep some space between you and anyone who’s showing flu-like symptoms. Coughs and sneezes travel a long way. According to the CDC, the flu virus spreads when those who are sick cough, sneeze, or talk and spray infected droplets onto unsuspecting innocents nearby.

4. Wash your hands frequently.

During flu season, it’s very important to wash your hands often. Use hot water and soap and scrub your hands for at least twenty seconds (you can sing the alphabet in your head to time yourself) to make sure that you’ve really cleaned your hands of germs. It’s especially important to wash your hands before you eat and after you cough or sneeze, or if you touch your nose, mouth, or eyes. Frequent hand-washing helps lower the amount of virus or germs that can spread through touching surfaces.

If it’s not possible to wash your hands with water and soap, use a hand sanitizer with a high alcohol content. Consider keeping a bottle somewhere at the workplace where it will be easily accessible. Clean hands are important, especially if you work in a place like a restaurant or retail store where there are a lot of people. (And if you work at a restaurant, hygiene is part of acing a health inspection.)

5. Cover your mouth and nose if you cough or sneeze.

If you cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue, then toss it. This will help prevent the spread of germs through the air and on hands. Sneezes and coughs spray farther than we think, so employ tissues to contain them. Be sure to wash your hands after sneezing or coughing. You can spread the flu for one day before you start to show symptoms.

6. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Basically, try not to touch your face. The eyes, nose, and mouth are easy ways for viruses and germs to enter your system – they can get transferred from your hands.

7. Keep your body’s defenses up.

Stay healthy. Being healthy will make it easier for your body to resist and fight off illness.

Some tips for keeping your body’s immune system strong:

  • Sleep a lot. Sleep is crucial to strengthen your immune system.
  • Eat healthily.
  • Drink lots of fluids.
  • Be active and get exercise.
  • Disinfect frequently-touched surfaces, such as phones, keyboards, and doorknobs.
  • Try to keep your stress level down – being stressed can negatively affect your immune system.

8. Consider getting a flu vaccine.

The CDC recommends getting a flu shot every year in order to get the most updated vaccine. Talk to your doctor about getting a flu shot to lower your chances of getting sick.

When there are a lot of people in a small area, such as an office or business, it’s all too easy for the flu to spread and wreak havoc. Do your part to help prevent the spread of the flu virus at your workplace. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands frequently. And if you start feeling sick or experiencing flu-like symptoms, stay home and get some rest. Your body – and your coworkers – will appreciate it.

Source: Katelyn Betts for InsuranceHub
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/workplace/employees.html

]]> 10 Tips for Managing Seasonal Restaurant & Foodservice Menus https://dennisfoodservice.com/10-tips-for-managing-seasonal-menus/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-tips-for-managing-seasonal-menus Wed, 17 Oct 2018 16:37:16 +0000 https://dennisfoodservice.com/?p=15016 Seasonal ingredients and menu items have become more popular along with the local food movement, which goes right to the heart of the kind of sustainability commitment that today’s customers are looking for. 

According to Datassential, “seasonal” appears on more than 42% of menus, representing four-year growth of 13.1% and a gain of 40% since 2007. Within this broader category, “seasonal fruit” appears on 14.7% of menus (for four-year growth, 9.8%, and a 44% increase since 2007) and “seasonal vegetables” occurs on 13.6% of menus (19.6% and 50%, respectively).

Although seasonal menuing does take a little more work in terms of sourcing and R&D—especially in high-volume settings—there are many relatively easy ways to do it:

1. Menu a seasonal salad or soup selection that can be “hand sold” via a table tent, menu clip-on, or menu board specialty, or by the server right at the table. This builds in sourcing flexibility, and it also helps promote what’s fresh and of-the-moment on the menu. And regulars will appreciate the change of pace.

2. Accessorize breakfast plates with a seasonal fruit cup, or turn imperfect or overripe fruits into a selection of housemade seasonal jams and preserves.

3. Look to side dishes, sauces, and garnishes for core menu favorites as a way to follow the seasons. That way, you don’t have to take that popular chicken dish off the menu but you can offer something seasonal. The accompaniments can change frequently to accommodate the micro-seasons of spring and summer, such as ramps and fiddleheads in April and various heirloom tomatoes in August.

4. Create appetizers and snacks that can feature an array of different seasonal ingredients, such as bruschetta, flatbread, or crudité-and-dip plates.

5. Don’t forget seasonal seafood opportunities, such as shad, crayfish, soft-shell crab, and various species of Pacific salmon, including King and sockeye.

6. Seasonally appropriate cooking styles are also an important part of a seasonal menuing strategy: hearty stews, pot pies, and braised meat dishes in cooler weather; and grilled meats, entrée salads, and other lighter fare in the summer.

7. Work holidays into the seasonal menu calendar, too, with items like Easter ham; Memorial Day salmon, new potatoes, and peas; Fourth of July barbecue favorites (cheeseburgers, potato salad, sausage on the grill); Thanksgiving pies.

8. Seasonal produce is great for vegetarian, vegan, and other “plant-forward” menu items, bringing them premium value and letting meat-avoiders know that they’re getting your full attention.

9. For beverages—including lattes, hot and cold chai tea, and frozen blended specialties—tap into iconic seasonal flavors like peach, pumpkin spice, and chocolate mint. Craft beers have also become more seasonal, so take advantage of that with a rotating tap selection.

10. Desserts are another good vehicle for seasonality. Try a Fresh Fruit Crisp of the Day (from strawberry rhubarb in the spring to plums in the late summer and persimmons or citrus fruits in the cooler weather).

Source: GreatMenusStartHere.com, Nestle Professional, Datassential SNAP reports: Seasonal; Seasonal Fruit; Seasonal Vegetables

]]> Episode 41 – BBQ Season & Google My Business https://dennisfoodservice.com/episode-41-bbq-season-google-my-business/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=episode-41-bbq-season-google-my-business Mon, 23 Apr 2018 14:17:21 +0000 https://dennisfoodservice.com/?p=12131 In this episode there’s info about our inventory additions for the week, Google advice to grow your business, and we’ve got BBQ on the brain!

Joining us for our discussion on how you can use Google to help grow traffic to your restaurant we’ve got a special guest, foodservice operator and social media guru, Katrina Petersen.

National Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day was April 20th. For this week’s foodie fact, we’re asking – When was Pineapple Upside-Down cake first popularized in American culture? The answer at the end of the podcast.

LISTEN ON ITUNES LISTEN ON CASTBOX

Links and product information mentioned in this episode include our website: www.DennisExpress.com and our barbecue page here: www.DennisExpress.com/bbq.

Subscribe to the Podcast – Subscribe Now (Subscribe with iTunes)

We look forward to your feedback, send an email to podcast@dennisexpress.com!

]]> Episode 20 – Seasonal Business Tips and Fresh Lobster Meat with Two Special Guests https://dennisfoodservice.com/episode-20-seasonal-business-tips-fresh-lobster-meat-two-special-guests/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=episode-20-seasonal-business-tips-fresh-lobster-meat-two-special-guests Thu, 29 Jun 2017 19:19:08 +0000 https://dennisfoodservice.com/?p=7591 It’s Thursday, June 29th, and this is Episode 20 of the Dennis Knows Food Podcast!

Today is National Almond Buttercrunch Day! This week’s almond-inspired foodie fact asks “What conditions do almond trees need to produce almonds?” The answer in this episode!

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

This is a rare week where we do not have any recently added inventory products to discuss, we’ll explain more about what that means in this episode. Instead, we’re taking the opportunity to discuss how the strong relationships between our team, our Account Executives and our customers can lead to delicious and profitable results.

In this unique episode of Dennis Knows Food we’re heading to the coast of Maine to talk business strategies and fresh lobster meat with a couple of special guests – a Dennis Account Executive and a seasonal businesses operator with saltwater in his veins!

Links and product information mentioned in this episode include our website at www.DennisExpress.com. And the lobster products page of our website at www.DennisExpress.com/lobster.

We look forward to your feedback – help us make future Podcasts more valuable!

Subscribe to the Podcast – Subscribe Now (Subscribe with iTunes)

]]> Spring Burger Inspiration https://dennisfoodservice.com/spring-burger-refresher-inspiration-healthier-seasonally-inspired-burgers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=spring-burger-refresher-inspiration-healthier-seasonally-inspired-burgers Wed, 12 Apr 2017 14:48:30 +0000 https://dennisfoodservice.com/?p=5961 Just as New Year’s healthy-eating resolutions fade, spring arrives and invites everyone to hop back on the better-eating bandwagon.

Whenever spring is right around the corner, that’s the time to revise menus away from winter comfort foods and focus on fresh greens and veggies to give those diners what they’re looking for. Here are a few ideas to help you add some spring zing to your offerings.

Make Way for Fresh, Seasonal Produce

  • Load up a burger with fresh, locally-grown veggies.
  • Char some fresh cauliflower or broccoli to make it deliciously sweet and crispy.
  • Try an herb salad featuring diced burger as the main protein. Use basil and parsley with chives, green onion and spinach, and dress it in a healthy vinaigrette.

Try These Tasty Burger Toppers

  • Arugula and radishes for some added crunch and color.
  • Charred or grilled romaine lettuce—add shaved parmesan with Caesar dressing or lemon vinaigrette.
  • For a topper or side, try a Thai cucumber salad: diced cucumbers with serrano Chile peppers in rice wine vinegar plus cilantro.
  • Thai green curry paste mixed with mayo makes for a unique topper or house condiment.

Variations on a Classic—Springtime “Slaw” Options

  • Shave some apples and mix with jicama and cilantro.
  • Serve white onion shavings with cilantro and lime juice.
  • Shave fennel and carrots and add chopped Kalamata olives.
  • Mix roasted onions and roasted carrots.
  • Try tapenade as a sweet-meets-salty condiment.

Creative Pickling is Still a Hot Trend

For fabulous pickled beets, start by shaving beets with a mandoline. Make the brine with:

  • Rice wine vinegar
  • Water
  • Salt
  • Sugar
  • Pepper flakes

Chill overnight and serve them crunchy, sweet and cold. Great as a burger topper or on the side.

Chimichurri Sauce

Mix cilantro, olive oil and red wine vinegar. Add pesto.

Salsa Verde—Italian Style

Mix Italian parsley plus capers, anchovies, lemon and red wine vinegar. Drizzle it onto burger like it’s a nice cut of steak.

A Few Fresh Gluten-Freee Ideas

  • Make lettuce leaf cups to serve as fresh and healthy burger carriers.
  • Bowls aren’t just for burritos. Try a burger bowl with diced burger, greens, brown rice, mushrooms and spinach.
  • Load up a tasty bun-less patty with fresh, grilled veggies.
  • Place burger patty on a fresh portobello mushroom or rice cake and pile on some fun toppings.
  • Try an arancini carrier. Just form risotto cheese into a ball and add breading. Then fry, and add parmesan.
  • Nod to southwestern fare and serve your burger with grits cakes and a slap of jalapeño jelly.
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