Valentine’s Day is big business in the hospitality industry. A huge number of Americans will brave the winter every February 14th to share a meal and drinks with their loved one, and they expect their night to be out of this world.
In the hunt for Valentine’s Day customers, how do you make your restaurant stand out from the crowd? Read on for some great tips—and why high-grade patio or outdoor bar enclosures might be the perfect answer.
Get Creative with Your Theme
Many restauranteurs opt for the obvious theme every Valentine’s Day: love; but customers get that every year, so you’re going to draw interest—and a crowd—with something a little more left-field for your decorations and Valentine’s Day menu. Think of specific romantic movies, maybe, or romantic destinations that can transport them away from the chill of winter.
Provide Entertainment
Want to know what people remember when it comes to a romantic night? Not just dinners, but experiences. Turn a simple meal into a memorable special day by adding some form of entertainment, and you’ll find diners will come back for more. It could be a live band, a selfie booth, or any kind of creative area—whatever it is, set some space aside so your guests can have fun.
Allow Them to Be Intimate
With so many diners to get through on one of the biggest nights of the year, the temptation can be to cram in as many tables as possible—but do you really want couples to be fighting for elbow room and privacy on what’s supposed to be their romantic date?
It may seem counterintuitive, but consider spreading out your seating plan even more than usual. Better yet—get yourself a durable winter-proof enclosure for your outdoor patio, add some heaters, and you’ve instantly got much more room to play with.
Make It a Family Night
For those diehard romantics with a family, having a proper Valentine’s Day dinner is a logistical nightmare. Often, to avoid dealing with babysitters and curfews, they’ll just have dinner at home.
While it can be a tricky thing to balance (consider one timeslot for families and another for couples), opening up your restaurant to whole families also opens up an entirely untapped market of very grateful parents—and will put your business permanently in their good books.
Create the Perfect Setting with a Stylish Patio Enclosure
Most of these tips have one major thing in common—they need enough space to work. If you want to avoid costly renovations, there’s only one way to create that space in time for Valentine’s Day—with a patio enclosure.
Taking only minutes to set up and stow away, a rugged-yet-beautiful clear vinyl curtain from Enclosure Guy is the perfect way to turn that unused outdoor space into a cozy area your customers can use all year round.
Boost your capacity, get creative, and make this Valentine’s Day a memorable one for your business. Use our Quick Quote tool now and get a free quote in seconds!