Traditional gatherings may look different this year, but your customers still need a reason to celebrate. Make these adjustments to your holiday dessert offerings in 2020.
Be prepared for the next wave of COVID.
As temperatures cool and cases rise, many states are starting to reduce or close down indoor dining completely. That means relying on a combination of outdoor dining, takeout and/or delivery until your city slows the spread.
Get a handle on these systems and tools:
- Online ordering for on-premise, takeout, or delivery orders. Start with your cloud-based POS system and level up with tools like GoParrot or Lunchbox.
- An efficient system for curbside pickup.
- An in-house delivery program to keep your employees busy and profits away from third-party bullies.
- A way to contact your customers with news and special offers, whether it’s email or text message marketing.
- A renewed focus on sanitation. Check out the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe Dining Commitment for a program that allows operators to showcase their ongoing commitment to the health and safety of their employees and guests.
Need specific software recommendations for your business? Let me know!
Incorporate holiday flavors and designs into your menu
Introduce flavors like sweet potato, apple pie, pecan, cranberry, peppermint, hot chocolate and gingerbread into your menu this season.
Create festive shapes and designs like donuts in the shape of turkeys and snowflake cookies.
Add take and bake pastries, cookie tins, advent calendars, hot chocolate bombs, and even virtual baking classes into the mix.
Remember to cover all the holidays from Thanksgiving, to Hanukkah, to Christmas, and even a non-denominational Winter Wonderland. Tap the guides below for menu inspiration:
Whenever you do change your menu, update it everywhere online. You can do this manually on social media (the Instagram Highlights feature is great for this!), Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor, OpenTable and the like, or you can use a menu and listings management software like Marqii, Yext, SinglePlatform or MomentFeed.
Adjust packaging as needed
Based on your new seasonal offerings, you may need to invest in new packaging:
- Single serve containers are great for corporate catering (whether employees are on-site or receive a work-from-home treat), or even social catering with intimate gatherings of loved ones.
- Family-style dessert trays can include a few of your best sellers. Consider partnering with a local restaurant for a complete meal kit with a single pickup location.
- DIY bake and decorate kits may require special containers for frostings, toppings and dough.
- Freezer-safe packaging, if shipping nationally. Some bakery and donut shops are handling orders and shipping in-house, like Mr. Holmes Bakehouse and Cereal Killer Sweets, while others have opted to join the Goldbelly online marketplace to assist with discovery, order logistics, and customer service. In either case, the packaging falls on you.
Communicate any changes to operating hours
Much like menu changes, if you’re modifying days/hours around Thanksgiving or Christmas, update all online channels like social media, your website, email newsletters, Google My Business, Yelp, yp, etc. You can do this manually or through the listings services mentioned above.
Remember, Google needs to see consistent information across digital platforms to help you show up more in search results.
Need help with SEO and all things online marketing? Here’s a good place to get started.
Be sympathetic to employees
The National Restaurant Association says it well:
“These are hard times and your employees are likely to share some bad news from their personal life with you. Instead of reacting with platitudes that everything will be okay, set the tone with transparency and empathy. If they’re telling you their babysitter just quit or that their partner lost their job, empathize with them, tell them you’re glad they are here, and ask how you can help.”
For those who need more support, here’s a collection of free mental health resources for the restaurant industry.
How are you preparing for the holiday season during COVID times?
Comment below or send me a message at info@donutdigest.com to discuss your unique situation.
You may also be interested in…
- Your restaurant may close again. Here’s how to prepare for it. >> read more <<
- What donut shops & pizzerias can learn from each other right now >> read more <<
- QR codes for restaurants >> read more <<
- Catering in the midst of a pandemic >> read more <<
