The holiday prep list

Simple steps for smooth service this season.

Restaurants don’t get “time off” for the holidays, they gear up. The busy season brings packed dining rooms and sky-high guest expectations, but with the right prep, you can turn it into your biggest win of the year.

We’ve rounded up proven ideas including that actually work—tips from real restaurants, time-saving technology, and fresh ways to make the holidays shine. Think less chaos, more connection, and a season that’s great for guests and even better for your business.

Lock in your holiday menu

Your menu is the star of the season. Guests crave a taste of tradition and a dash of festive fun, and your holiday spread should bring both to the table. Set your offerings early so your kitchen can plan, your staff can prep, and your guests can start celebrating.

Limited-time, holiday menus are an easy way to tap into the spirit. It doesn’t have to be a full overhaul, even a clever rename of a guest favorite can make an impact.

At ViewHouse, the Halloween cocktail menu, complete with smoky pours and punny names, captures the playful vibe of the season and lets everyone in on the fun.

Pro Tip:

Use photos, playful descriptions, or a short chef’s note to make each dish feel part of the story guests come back for year after year!

Set up smart ordering options

Guests are celebrating anywhere they can and they want restaurant-quality food to make it special. A variety of ordering options helps you meet them where they are and keep your food at the center of every celebration.

Ordering Events

Limited-time menus, up-front payment, and fixed pickup windows allow you to manage high-volume orders without overwhelming your kitchen or staff. Guests get convenience and certainty; you get guaranteed revenue.

Last year, HOBNOB took advantage of Ordering Events with their Thanksgiving “Meals to Go” and brought in more than $22,000 in sales with an average check size that is 4x their typical amount.

Try building your own Ordering Events around the moments guests love most:

Thanksgiving sides:

Restaurant-quality staples that save guests time in the kitchen.

Christmas morning brunch:

Pickup-ready family meals for an easy, festive morning.

New Year’s recovery:

Comfort food packages to kick off the year the cozy way.

Cookie & dessert orders:

Sweet, shareable treats for parties and gifting.

Catering

Holiday catering means bigger orders, higher margins, and more ways to get your food in front of new guests, from office parties to family feasts and everything in between.

"Since October 2024, Henri's Bakery & Deli has driven over $819,000 in catering sales. This is thanks in part to the fun, holiday themed treats they offer guests every year."

Joel Keller
Chief Operating Officer of Henri's Bakery & Deli

Get your website guest-ready

Before guests step through your doors, they stop by your website. Make sure it’s decked out in its holiday best and ready to impress.

Use pop-up announcements to catch attention and promote your next big event, preorder window, or limited-time menu.

Feature high-margin items front and center to drive more online orders

Invite guests to join your contact list for email or text updates, so you can stay connected long after their first visit.
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Showcase your events calendar to highlight upcoming promotions or celebrations.

Don't overlook the essentials. Be sure to update your holiday hours, menus, and contact information so guests always know when and how to find you.

Shameless plus! With Popmenu + Yext, website updates automatically sync across Google, Facebook, Yelp, and everywhere else guests are searching. Saving you time and keeping your info accurate. Consider it the gift of fewer to-dos this holiday season.

Promote your holiday happenings

Once your holiday menu and offers are ready, it’s time to let everyone know. Keep your marketing front and center across every channel so guests never miss a reason to celebrate with you.

Organic marketing/AIM

Your guests want to hear from you—especially during the holidays. Nearly half of consumers say they’d like updates from their favorite restaurants at least once a week.

Paid Ads

Get discovered as guests are scrolling, searching, and planning where to celebrate. Paid ads help you stay visible when they’re making those decisions, driving traffic straight to your website or online ordering page.

At El Toro, a single month of paid ads generated more than $5,000 in online order revenue—a 10x ROI that led them to expand campaigns to additional locations.

Proof that a targeted, well-timed ad campaign can make a big impact, especially when guests are actively looking for places to dine.

Not sure what to promote? Need inspiration? Start with what guests are already searching for:

Simplify guest communications

Before guests step through your The holidays bring full bellys, and full inboxes. Between calls, questions, requests and reviews, communication can quickly pile up. Guests deserve thoughtful, timely responses, but your staff only has so many hours in a day.

When the season gets hectic, automating communication helps your team stay focused on what matters most: creating great experiences and connecting with guests in person.doors, they stop by your website. Make sure it’s decked out in its holiday best and ready to impress.

Holiday phones are ringing…

Hand-in-hand with the special menus and events you’ve planned for the holiday season come questions from guests, and lots of them. Tech-savvy restaurants are leaning more on automated answering services to handle the influx of inquisitive guests to allow staff to focus on in-person diners.

Product peek:

Popmenu’s AI Answering automatically answers questions using information from your website, and texts diners a link to make a reservation or place an online order to ensure guests who call receive the best possible service without pulling your staff from in-person guests.

Turn phone calls into marketing opportunities.

“Hello, thank you for calling The Black Cat Bar & Grill. Join us this weekend for a holiday party and enjoy spiked cocoa and honey-baked ham. How may I help you today?”

With custom greetings and responses, you can highlight upcoming events, special offers, new dishes, and send links to revenue-driving actions like reservations, online ordering, and waitlisting.

Your online reviews deserve just as much attention as your in-person guests. Our reputation management tools keep reviews in one place so you can easily monitor feedback and respond faster.

With AI Auto Response, you can reply to new reviews instantly while showing guests their feedback matters. A personal touch at the busiest time of year goes a long way in turning first-time visitors into regulars.

Build Guest Loyalty into the New Year

The holidays bring a rush of new faces and your next wave of regulars. Once the celebrations wind down, reconnect with guests who ordered, dined, or discovered your restaurant and give them a reason to come back.

Simplify it with Popmenu Loyalty! Guests earn points with every online order and redeem rewards right at checkout. No extra setup, no manual tracking, just an easy way to keep the connection going into the new year.

Final thoughts

We’ve covered a lot in this guide, but just remember these three points to help you run a memorable and profitable holiday season at your restaurant:

Be intentional with your holiday planning to get the most out of guests during the season.

Use marketing to collect guest contact data and maximize your potential earnings.

Technology can automate and streamline on-premise operations to ensure a delightful experience for all.

automate streamline on-premise solutions

And, if you ever need an extra hand, Popmenu’s team of restaurant marketers is ready to help you build your strategy, create content and execute across channels. Learn more about our Boost team at

Popmenu Boost

About Popmenu.

Popmenu is the ultimate solution for restaurants looking to grow their digital presence and revenue. From SEO-driven websites, interactive menus, and direct online ordering to AI marketing and phone answering, Popmenu offers powerful tools that help restaurants increase business automatically. Popmenu serves 10,000+ restaurants in the US, UK and Canada.

The holiday prep list

Lock in your holiday menu

Pro Tip:

Set up smart ordering options

Ordering Events

Try building your own Ordering Events around the moments guests love most:

Thanksgiving sides:

Christmas morning brunch:

New Year’s recovery:

Cookie & dessert orders:

Catering

"Since October 2024, Henri's Bakery & Deli has driven over $819,000 in catering sales. This is thanks in part to the fun, holiday themed treats they offer guests every year."

Get your website guest-ready

Promote your holiday happenings

Organic marketing/AIM

Paid Ads

Not sure what to promote? Need inspiration? Start with what guests are already searching for:

Simplify guest communications

Holiday phones are ringing…

Product peek:

Turn phone calls into marketing opportunities.

Build Guest Loyalty into the New Year

Final thoughts

Be intentional with your holiday planning to get the most out of guests during the season.

Use marketing to collect guest contact data and maximize your potential earnings.

Technology can automate and streamline on-premise operations to ensure a delightful experience for all.

And, if you ever need an extra hand, Popmenu’s team of restaurant marketers is ready to help you build your strategy, create content and execute across channels. Learn more about our Boost team at

About Popmenu.

You don't have to grow it alone. Get a free demo today!

20-minute demo, no pressure!

The holiday prep list

Lock in your holiday menu

Pro Tip:

Set up smart ordering options

Ordering Events

Try building your own Ordering Events around the moments guests love most:

Thanksgiving sides:

Christmas morning brunch:

New Year’s recovery:

Cookie & dessert orders:

Catering

"Since October 2024, Henri's Bakery & Deli has driven over $819,000 in catering sales. This is thanks in part to the fun, holiday themed treats they offer guests every year."

Get your website guest-ready

Promote your holiday happenings

Organic marketing/AIM

Paid Ads

Not sure what to promote? Need inspiration? Start with what guests are already searching for:

Simplify guest communications

Holiday phones are ringing…

Product peek:

Turn phone calls into marketing opportunities.

Build Guest Loyalty into the New Year

Final thoughts

Be intentional with your holiday planning to get the most out of guests during the season.

Use marketing to collect guest contact data and maximize your potential earnings.

Technology can automate and streamline on-premise operations to ensure a delightful experience for all.

And, if you ever need an extra hand, Popmenu’s team of restaurant marketers is ready to help you build your strategy, create content and execute across channels. Learn more about our Boost team at

About Popmenu.

Follow us on social for more great updates!

You don't have to grow it alone. Get a free demo today!

20-minute demo, no pressure!