Maximize Your Restaurant’s 4th of July Sales

Now that the pandemic is finally under control, summer travel is underway, and people are able to get out and be social. Many consumers are ready to spend money and participate in the activities they missed the most during the pandemic, especially dining out with friends and family. With consumer spending up 11.3 percent Q1 of 2021 and the 4th of July holiday weekend just around the corner, Americans have the desire, time, and money to eat out over their long holiday weekend. Knowing this, restaurant owners have a great opportunity to make the most of the Independence Day spending “boom” through timely holiday promotions. 

Be Patriotic! 

Create some seasonal buzz around your restaurant by offering a 4th of July menu on a new landing page, and spotlighting “red, white, and blue” meals, drinks, and more. The National Retail Federation estimates that each person will spend $80.54 on food this Independence Day. As more people are vaccinated and eager to gather with family and friends again, restaurants have an opportunity to promote their menus for either dine-in or carry out. By offering fun promotions and deals relating to 4th of July cookouts and holiday-themed meals, customers are much more likely to remember your restaurant when it comes time to dine.

Develop a Seasonal Digital Marketing Campaign

Restaurant owners can use a digital marketing campaign to communicate Independence Day deals and specials to their customers. Tactics for success can include segmenting your audience to provide a targeted and personalized message through email and social media. Using SEO-friendly keywords to boost your patriotic messages is also important so that your restaurant’s website ranks higher in search engines and diners can find you online. Be sure to include an enticing Call to Action, such as a BOGO coupon, to keep diners engaged and coming back to your restaurant. 

Get Social

Restaurants need to leverage social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook leading up to the 4th of July weekend to increase awareness of patriotic menus and meals, holiday promotions, and more. Restaurants should think outside of the box – put flags around the property, hold a contest over social media, engage followers with 4th of July focused questions and content, the possibilities are endless. For example, a restaurant could post on social media that the most patriotic-looking guest receives a free appetizer with their lunch or dinner. Contests can be a great tool for lead generation, customer engagement, social media posts, and sales. 

Implement SEO Strategies 

With 90 percent of guests researching a restaurant online before they dine, ensuring your restaurant can be found in their online search is crucial. Having an effective SEO strategy around the 4th of July is just as important. Restaurants should update their websites to reflect the 4th of July holiday and include detailed information like 4th of July menus and/or special pricing as well as customer reviews and ratings. 

Consider a Small Advertising Campaign 

Google, Facebook, and Instagram offer affordable ways to reach customers searching for 4th of July meal specials in their neighborhood. With a small paid campaign that targets specific demographics and locations, restaurant owners can easily reach their target audience by appearing on their social feeds as a sponsored post. There are affordable sponsored posting plans for nearly any budget, plus today’s leading platforms make advertisements easy to implement and offer tracking tools to measure success.

This 4th of July weekend is sure to go in (and out) with a bang as people travel, spend money, and gather for the first time in more than a year. Following these digital marketing tactics allows restaurant owners to showcase their staff’s patriotism while promoting their 4th of July food and beverage specials.