We know the holidays are a busy time for many businesses - especially the foodservice industry. With so many dining options from which your target customers can choose, you'll need a way to stand out from other establishments in your area. By using holiday displays in a way that fits your restaurant’s existing, unique decor, you can expect more walk-ins, increased bookings for events and parties, and festive date nights.
From fine dining to small fast-food spots, there's a reason why restaurants everywhere love getting into the holiday spirit. When November draws to a close and the pumpkins disappear, you need more than just the seasonal menu refresh. Planning a holiday display that creates a welcoming atmosphere will enhance the dining experience for your customers, and you’ll be amazed at how much Christmas trees, lights, wreaths, and holiday figures can impact your business.
Keep reading to learn how you, your staff, and your customers can benefit from decorating your bar or restaurant for the holidays.
Christmas Decor Elevates Customer Perception
According to the Journal of Service Management, holiday decor makes your customers see things differently. When they know you’ve taken the time to embrace the season, all the festive visual stimulation you’ve displayed enhances your customers' dining experience. From the perceived quality of your food to the perceived value of your pricing, they’re more likely to enjoy their time in your decorated restaurant. Even your lighting and general ambiance will seem to get a boost.
Customers Spend More Per Transaction
There are many reasons why sales go up during the holidays, but did you know holiday decor is one of them? That’s what a study published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Service discovered. According to the study, sales in restaurants decorated for Christmas were significantly higher compared to non-decorated restaurants. Makes sense to us, as customers who enjoy their environment will want to stay longer to admire the decor around them. Not to mention they’ll feel a greater urge to treat themselves for the season. And guess what that means? Increased average transaction value. So you’ll see lots of patrons ordering pricier items, additional drinks, and more indulgent desserts.
And thanks to the next key benefit, they might also leave a bigger tip.
Your Staff Will Provide Better Customer Service
According to a study published by the Journal of Marketing, "The ability of the physical environment to influence behaviors and to create an image is particularly apparent for service businesses such as hotels, restaurants, professional offices, banks, retail stores, and hospitals."
This means that it's not just your customers who will feel the Christmas spirit — your staff will, too. Working through the holidays can be tough for anyone, so it’s essential to create an environment that will allow your employees to enjoy coming to work, especially in areas of the country where winter months mean freezing temperatures. A festive holiday display will automatically put your employees in a better mood and, in many ways, it will make them feel like they’re part of a celebration.
When your employees feel good about where they work, they're apt to provide better customer service throughout the season. It’s like an extra special Christmas gift to each customer that walks through your doors.
Customer Satisfaction Increases
When it comes to restaurants and bars, eye-catching holiday displays equate to a more satisfied customer. In fact, the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism confirmed that customers experienced higher levels of pleasure and excitement at restaurants decorated for the holidays than at undecorated ones. It’s a simple and effective way to get your customers fuller, happier, and excited to share their experience. As we all know, happy customers mean positive online reviews for your business. So get ready for that Yelp score to go up!
Word of Mouth Increases
When your customers love their dining experience, they'll want to come back again and again - but it doesn't stop there. According to the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, customers are also more likely to share their experience at a restaurant or bar decorated for the holidays with friends or family. This means that there is a greater chance your customers will recommend your bar or restaurant to friends or colleagues looking for a fun new location for their annual holiday party. That's just what happened for one Rent-A-Christmas customer, The Chelsea Bell Bar & Grill in NYC.
Positive Experiences Leads to Increased Social Media Reach
Every modern restaurant or bar owner knows just how important the impact of social media is for a bar or restaurant. In fact, a case study published in the Journal of International Food & Agribusiness Marketing confirmed its impact on both the brand image and ‘purchase intention of customers.’ This means that everything from the food to the everyday decor must resonate with your target customer to help you stand out and gain more online followers. It should not be a surprise then that this same logic also applies to your holiday decorations. By displaying your best Christmastime flair, customers are more likely to share their experience at your bar or restaurant to their social accounts. In doing so, they’ll entice even more people to come and give it a try.
You can even take holiday decorating and social media a step further and start an online campaign. To do this, set up a special photo op area and have your customers tag to your restaurant, or use a hashtag you create and promote. You can even incentivize your customers so they get a discount the next time they dine.
Serve Your Customers Some Holiday Cheer This Holiday Season
The weeks between Thanksgiving and the New Year are among the most important for restaurants, with some reporting as much as 50% of the year's revenue being made in just those few weeks. So, make sure this holiday season is fun, and profitable, by going all out with your restaurant's holiday display. It makes everyone happy, enhances the dining experience, and helps you gain more repeat customers. And when you pair these decorations with seasonal food and drink, lots of Christmas music, and enthusiastic staff, you’ve got the perfect recipe for a special — and very profitable — holiday season.
Ready to experience the revenue impact of professional holiday decorating for your foodservice business?
Transform your restaurant into a winter wonderland with Rent-A-Christmas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is professional Christmas decorating and how do I choose a partner?
You may be surprised to learn that there is an entire industry of professional Christmas decorators across the globe. However, not all holiday decorators are equal. When considering a professional holiday display partner, you want to make sure the company has access to a wide range of products to help you achieve your desired look while integrating seamlessly into your existing decor. After all, you likely didn't design your restaurant with holiday decor in mind.
As the modern professional Christmas decorators, Rent-A-Christmas has experienced Christmas Display Designers on staff who will help you navigate the thousands of commercial products that are available in market. What's more, Rent-A-Christmas Display Designers and Account Executives know exactly what it takes to create the perfect holiday display for your restaurant. To cap it all off, we employ modern technology and tools to help our project managers, site engineers, and installers execute your display to perfection. After the season ends, we take it all down and store it in our professionally-maintained storage facilities to make sure your display looks great year-over-year.
How much should I spend on a holiday display?
This is somewhat of a tricky question as it depends greatly on the type of restaurant or bar you operate and the amount of space you have to decorate. For a moderate professional holiday display, you can expect to spend at least $5,000 - $10,000, inclusive of decor and professional installation. Some restaurants opt to spend even more, with some displays costing north of $20,000. While you might have some sticker shock - you can expect a return on this investment through increased customer loyalty, customer transaction spend, and increased holiday party bookings. Reports from some Rent-A-Christmas restaurant clients indicate that professional holiday displays will even increase attendance for annual holiday parties because more employees will want to take pictures with all the decor for a night they are sure to remember.
When should I start planning my Christmas display?
Another tricky question but the best advice we can offer is to start planning your holiday display as early in the year as possible. Many Rent-A-Christmas clients begin planning their displays in Q1 and Q2 as it can take 3-6 months to plan the perfect display, but if you are late to the game, we can always create a smaller display for year 1 and expand on it for later years. We know you don't operate your restaurant thinking about Christmas, but have no fear - we do!
How do I get started with my professional holiday display?
This is an easy one! Just get in touch with Rent-A-Christmas and we can begin brainstorming ideas to help you maximize your holiday impact. We can even help promote your holiday display by creating content to drive traffic to your website and restaurant on The Yule Blog - the world's most comprehensive Christmas blog - for free! Yeah, we do that.