Holidays

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by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: March 2025

Program for Unique Holidays: March 2025

by David Klemt

Restaurant or bar owner sitting at the bar, working on a schedule or calendar

AI-generated image.

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your March 2025 holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

To provide a handful of examples, March boasts National Cold Cuts Day, Mario Day, and Make Up Your Own Holiday Day. Those are all things you can get creative and program around, and celebrate with your guests.

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our February 2025 holidays list, click here.

March 3: National Cold Cuts Day

If you’re a deli, are partners with a deli, or otherwise serve menu items featuring cold cuts, this holiday should certainly be on your radar.

Whether you choose to feature all the cold cuts available, focus on one specifically, or offer LTO sandwiches or other items, this is a holiday worth building a promotion around.

March 5: National Absinthe Day

Some people choose to celebrate “Cinco de Marcho” on this day, “training” their kidneys for St. Patrick’s Day. Well, allow me to propose an alternative: National Absinthe Day.

While there are also clear versions, absinthe is usually green. It’s interesting, and loaded with lore. And this holiday doesn’t necessarily encourage dangerous levels of alcohol consumption.

March 7: National Cereal Day

From breakfast shots to breakfast cereal-flavored shots and cocktails, this is a simple holiday for programming beverage promotions.

And on the food side, think about how much fun your culinary team can have reimagining famous cereals as new menu items.

March 10: Mario Day

People tend to associate Mario with a few powerups: Super Mushrooms, Fire Flowers, Super Leaves, and Starman stars. So, if we extrapolate and apply these powerups to F&B, operators and their teams can craft food and drinks that feature mushrooms, edible flowers, leaves, and star shapes.

And that’s to say nothing of the suits Mario can don, enemies he bests, and other associations with Mario.

March 13: World Kidney Day

I mention kidneys toward the top of this holiday roundup. Well, operators can celebrate World Kidney Day by offering healthy, zero-alcohol beverages. Going further, they can highlight food items that are free of ultra-processed ingredients, and low in sodium, potassium, and phosphorous. Instead, promote dishes that feature lean proteins and healthy fats.

March 15: National Corn Dog Day

On its own, a standard corn dog, one can argue, isn’t that unique. So…let’s change that. If you have corn dogs on your menu, or you have the capability of adding them as an LTO, think about how far you and your culinary team can go with it.

Elote treatment to the exterior? Awesome. Panko or cornflake crust? Yes, please. Going sweet and savory with a dusting of sugar, and accompanied with ketchup and mustard? I’ll try it.

March 21: National Countdown Day

For several reasons, a lot of people seem to like a countdown. Operators can leverage this by creating a countdown that ends later on National Countdown Day.

A special food item, unique drink, or LTO menu revealed when the countdown reaches zero are just a few ideas.

March 22: National Goof Off Day

I’m always a fan of giving guests an “excuse” to blow off work, errands, and other responsibilities. Not every day, of course, but once in a while.

This year, National Goof Off Day falls on a Saturday, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to encourage guests to goof off at your restaurant or bar.

March 26: Make Up Your Own Holiday Day

Hey, have you ever thought about a holiday celebrating your business? National [insert your bar, restaurant, cafe, nightclub, hotel] Day? Well, this is the perfect time to launch just such a holiday, or anything else you can dream up.

March 30: National Virtual Vacation Day

If National Goof Off Day doesn’t work with you, your brand, and your guests, perhaps this holiday does. While one way to celebrate this day is to use VR for a “vacation,” another is to simply embrace a holiday mindset. With nearly a month to plan, I’m sure you can come up with a promotion that helps transport guests to a vacation destination via your business.

Image: Microsoft Designer

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Program for Unique Holidays: February 2025

Program for Unique Holidays: February 2025

by David Klemt

Restaurant or bar owner sitting at the bar, working on a schedule or calendar

AI-generated image.

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your February 2025 holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

To provide a handful of examples, February boasts National Pizza Day, National Cheddar Day, and National Retro Day. Those are all things you can get creative and program around, and celebrate with your guests.

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our January 2025 holidays list, click here.

February 7: Rose Day

Rose presents interesting flavor and scent profiles. It can also be difficult to perfect; too little and it likely won’t register, too much and it will overpower. Notably, it doesn’t take much for rose to go in either direction. However, if your kitchen and bar teams are up to the task, rose dishes and drinks can be quite intriguing for your guests.

Of course, you can also go a different direction and celebrate Rose Day as Rosé Day with all manner of wine, spirits, and beers.

February 8: National Kite Flying Day

As one would expect, there are several drinks with “kite” in the name. Cocktails (including zero-proof versions), beers, and wines. Further, there’s the similar paper airplane, so you can feature the Paper Plane, as well.

February 9: National Pizza Day

Is programming around pizza unusual, unexpected, or unique? On its face, no, of course not.

However, restaurant and bar operators can make National Pizza Day an unusual food holiday by featuring unique ingredients, and interesting pizza styles.

February 10: National Cream Cheese Brownie Day

Much like pizza, most brownies aren’t considered unique. That said, your culinary team’s interpretation can become a signature dessert (or appetizer

February 13: National Cheddar Day

Is everything better (or “beddar”) with cheddar? No, not everything. But there sure are a lot of menu items that are great with this hard cheese.

I’m confident that you and your kitchen team can find plenty of ways to feature cheddar on an LTO menu.

February 14: Start of Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Education Week

This week is dedicated to Alzheimer’s and dementia awareness and education, along with raising funds for charitable organizations looking for a cure. If you think you can organize a charity drive, be it for one day or the entire week, go for it.

One way to execute is to donate proceeds from an LTO item or menu. If you have signature drink or dish, that item can lead the charge for raising charitable donations. This important week has a hashtag, so be sure to include it to spread the word: #AlzheimersDementiaCareEducationWeek.

February 20: National Comfy Day

Sure, operators can go for comfy dress to celebrate this holiday. It can be “cute” to have staff show up in comfy gear, or encourage guests to do so.

Or, operators can go a different direction: focusing on the comfort foods on their menus. Whether they’re traditional or creative takes on comfort classics, a comfort food LTO menu is perfect for February 20.

February 24: National Tortilla Chip Day

Who doesn’t love a tortilla chip, particularly when it’s carrying an array of delicious toppings? You know what to do: highlight your nachos (if you have them on your menu), and get creative with the presentation (we like to go sky high), proteins, and other ingredients.

February 27: National Retro Day

It seems like the phrase, “Everything old is new again,” is always relevant. National Retro Day is one of the best times to dive into vintage F&B recipe books and select classics that work with your theme and resonate with guests. Grasshoppers, anyone?

February 28: National Floral Design Day

Edible flowers are visually appealing, and can also enhance the dining and drinking experience. You know what to do!

Image: Microsoft Designer

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Program for Unique Holidays: January 2025

Program for Unique Holidays: January 2025

by David Klemt

Restaurant or bar owner sitting at the bar, working on a schedule or calendar

AI-generated image.

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your January 2025 holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

To provide a handful of examples, January boasts celebrations of birds, tempura, a French comfort dish, and gift cards. Those are all things you can get creative and program around, and celebrate with your guests.

It’s also Dry January, which is embraced by a vast array of people: non-drinkers, the “sober curious,” the newish “zebra stripe” consumers, the health conscious… Whatever their motivation, these guests still need an amazing experience at your bar or restaurant. And you may recall that Whistlepig launched Dank January last year, releasing the limited-edition Dank & Dry Old Fashioned Cocktail. This was a non-alcoholic bottled cocktail made with rye “non-whiskey,” and enhanced with non-psychoactive terpenes. If you visit their site, they may have something planned for 2025.

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our December 2024 holidays list, click here.

January 5: National Bird Day

The Jungle Bird. Grey Goose. Famous Grouse. Redbreast. Eagle Rare. Wild Turkey. Kentucky Owl. Chicken wings. Duck fat. Use this holiday, which falls on a Sunday this year, to feature your bird-themed drinks and foods.

January 7: National Tempura Day

When it comes to comfort foods, battering and frying are winning partnership. If you can batter and fry it, put it on your menu, and promote it.

January 9: National Cassoulet Day

Did you know that less than one percent of restaurants have cassoulet, a warm and comforting French dish, on their menus in the US? Seems like an opportunity for a savvy operator and kitchen team to fill a gap.

January 11: National Milk Day

This is the day to promote your bar team and their skill crafting milk cocktails. The Coquito, Bourbon Milk Punch, the Grasshopper, the Mudslide… National Milk Day is easy and fun to celebrate.

January 12: National Mocktail Week Begins

If it hasn’t yet achieved ubiquity, Dry January has certainly reached proliferation. This week, National Mocktail Week (which runs through January 18), is the time to show that you’ve crafted a carefully considered zero-proof drink menu. Remember, some sober guests find the term “mocktail” disrespectful, so consider using a different term.

January 17: National Bootlegger’s Day

This is the holiday to celebrate brands or cocktails that have survived prohibition, were created during prohibition, or produce or feature moonshine.

January 20: National Use Your Gift Card Day

Are gift cards an element of your marketing and branding strategy? Do you see them as a viable revenue channel? If so, this is the day to encourage people to come in and redeem them. Send a targeted email campaign, and include a link to your restaurant’s reservation system.

January 21: Squirrel Appreciation Day

Did you know that it’s believed squirrels plant three billion oak trees every year? Well, you do now.

I’m sure you’ve gotten ahead of me already regarding what I’m going to recommend you do to celebrate this holiday: put the classic Pink Squirrel on your menu. And why not? This iconic cocktail has been around since the 1940s, and may inspire an upcoming Drink Donnybrook.

January 24: National Beer Can Appreciation Day

Creative beer can design goes hand in hand with craft beer brewing. In fact, the approval of can designs in the US is quite an important process.

A lot of thought goes into beer can design and particularly eye-catching labels deserve more than a passing glance. Feature the most creative and attention-grabbing beers on your menu on National Beer Can Appreciation Day. You should definitely feature them on your social media channels.

January 30: National Croissant Day

The humble but delicious, flaky croissant is a tasty canvas. Sure, you can just offer croissants, but what about going harder and offering an array of croissant sandwiches or desserts? Bacon, egg, and cheese. Plant-based sausage, plant-based egg, and plant-based cheese. Nutella…croissants are light, flaky, butter, and fun.

Image: Microsoft Designer

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Program for Unique Holidays: December 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: December 2024

by David Klemt

Restaurant or bar owner sitting at the bar, working on a schedule or calendar

AI-generated image.

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your December holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

To provide a handful of examples, December boasts celebrations of flavored vodka, mountains, a famous fruit salad, and iced cookies. Those are all things you can get creative and program around, and celebrate with your guests.

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our November 2024 holidays list, click here.

December 6: National Bartender Day

Short of scheduling bartenders off (should they want the day off, of course), what else can you do for your bar team to celebrate them?

Driving traffic to your bar and encouraging generous tips could be nice. Hit your social channels and suggest your followers come visit their favorite bartenders.

December 7: National Rhubarb Vodka Day

Tart when raw, sweeter when cooked, rhubarb most often delivers a bright flavor profile. Producers of rhubarb vodkas sometimes focus solely on the vegetable, others combine it with lemons and other ingredients to create complex, balanced expressions.

Two products to look into come from Mammoth Distilling and Chase Spirits Co. Of course, if you don’t mind missing the holiday this year, you can produce your own, and it only takes about a month to achieve the maximum effect.

December 9: National Pastry Day

Is your kitchen team skilled in the art of pastries? In fact, do you have a pastry chef on the team? If so, this is the day (and remaining month) to let them flex their creative pastry skills for starters, mains, and desserts.

December 11: International Mountain Day

This holiday is meant to celebrate not just mountains but the role they play in our lives. For example, the bounty of botanical ingredients we can find in mountainous regions. And, of course, the effects mountains can have on distillation and aging.

On this holiday, look to your back bar and kitchen. Whiskeys like Stranahan’s and TINCUP leverage the mountains, as do gins like Rainier Mountain Fresh Gin and the aptly named Mountain Gin. There are also tequilas like Mijenta and Teremana. On the kitchen side, look into local suppliers who forage in mountainous areas for items you can feature in dishes.

December 12: National Ambrosia Day

You know it. You love it…or maybe not. It’s a classic: ambrosia, the fruit salad that either activates your nostalgia or makes you recoil.

There are a few ways to approach this holiday. One, you can reproduce a family recipe for ambrosia, if you have one. Two, you can look up an old

December 16: National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day

I think this is one of those holidays that’s self-explanatory. Look at your menus and ask yourself, “What if I covered that in chocolate?”

December 21: National Coquito Day

Look, I get it: eggnog is a classic. Sure, there are people who like eggnog, and seek it out in December. However, there’s also the coquito, which is, in my opinion, a far better drink.

You can learn more about the coquito in an article I wrote about it a couple of years ago. And after you read that one, read about the carajillo, another cocktail that shines in December (and the rest of the winter months).

December 23: National Pfeffernüsse Day

Cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper, anise, mace, cloves, and sugar come together in a tidy package called pfeffernüsse. This iced cookie is perfect for the season, and if your kitchen has baking and dessert skills, they should be able to produce these fantastic cookies. Pfeffernüsse, as you may imagine, work well as a dessert and with after-dinner drinks.

December 28: National Card Playing Day

It’s very likely that the card- and board-game playing guests who frequent your restaurant, bar or hotel got some new games this month. If your concept encourages guests to gather and play such games, this is an excellent holiday for them to visit your spot and try out their gifts (while eating and drinking with friends and family).

December 30: National Bacon Day

It’s bacon. Go HAM and feature bacon everything, including drink garnishes.

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Program for Unique Holidays: November 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: November 2024

by David Klemt

Restaurant or bar owner sitting at the bar, working on a schedule or calendar

I don’t know why but AI seems to think anyone who owns a restaurant or bar has a beard. AI-generated image.

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your November holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

To provide a handful of examples, November boasts celebrations of the bold and pungent, Gose beer style, stuffing, and metal. Those are all things you can get creative and program around, and celebrate with your guests.

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our October 2024 holidays list, click here.

November 8: Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day

This is the day to shine a spotlight on menu items that are heavy on aromatics, intense flavors, and presentations that demand attention.

November 9: Chaos Never Dies Day

If your bar or restaurant has a chill, relaxing vibe, this may be a great holiday for you and your guests. Chaos Never Dies Day is about mindfulness, relaxation, de-stressing, and, if healthy, socializing with friends and family.

Encourage your guests to visit your venue, silence their phones, and escape for a while.

November 10: Area Code Day

Area Code Day is an excellent time to celebrate your community. Showcase the local producers and collaborators with whom you partner, for example.

November 11: National Metal Day

Does your bar play metal? Do you feature live metal bands? Would you say your overall theme and ambiance is metal? Have I got a holiday for you…

November 15: National Philanthropy Day

Organize food, coat, or clothing drives. Highlight a charitable organization that your bar, restaurant, or hotel supports. This is one of the best days of the year for you and your guests to get involved with organizations that improve the community.

November 17: International Happy Gose Day

Several centuries old, Gose comes to us from Germany. Generally speaking, this wheat beer is tart, sour, spicy, and salty. Of course, craft brewers love to make styles their own, so there are Goses out there with other dominant characteristics.

Fans of this style of beer will tell you that it pairs well with everything. However, when developing your Gose promotion, keep grilled meats, seafood, roasted root vegetables, and tangy, powerful cheeses in mind.

November 21: National Stuffing Day

We all know that person whose main food focus on Thanksgiving (American, Canadian, or otherwise) is stuffing (or dressing, depending on preparation and pedantry). Sure, the other dishes are great, but they may just stab someone in the hand with their fork if they get between them and stuffing. In fact, we may be that person.

In the lead-up to Thanksgiving, task your kitchen with creating an irresistible stuffing (or dressing), and preparing it in multiple ways: waffled, sandwich, etc. Who knows? It may just lead to Thanksgiving Eve takeout orders.

November 22: National Farm-City Week

People celebrate this week to honor the farmers who help make American Thanksgiving possible. Of course, farmers deserve recognition for more than just one holiday.

This is a fantastic time of year to call attention to the farms and farmers with whom your restaurant partners.

November 29: Sinkie Day

Okay, so this one could be interesting. With all the prep and formality that can go into some people’s Thanksgiving celebrations, Sinkie Day offers welcome casualness. In simple terms, it’s about grabbing a bite while standing over a sink. Basically, rejecting a dining table, and eating anywhere else.

One spin you and your restaurant team can put on Sinkie Day is to highlight the items on your menu that are transported and eaten just about anywhere easily.

November 30: National Mason Jar Day

Cocktails, their alcohol-free counterparts, soft drinks like teas and sodas, kombucha, desserts, even salads… There’s a lot a creative bar or restaurant team can do with menu items, mason jars, and presentations.

Image: Microsoft Designer

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Program for Unique Holidays: October 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: October 2024

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your October holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

To provide a handful of examples, October boasts celebrations of the cheeseburger, the double cheeseburger, cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, beer, and guacamole. Those are fantastic F&B holidays sure to appeal to your guests. However, you can still celebrate some “out there” holidays to get people’s attention and draw them to your business.

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our September 2024 holidays list, click here.

October 1: The New National Taco Day

That’s right; National Taco Day has changed! You can read my article addressing this change here for more details, but what you need to know is that from today onward, National Taco Day will always fall on a Taco Tuesday.

October 2: Walk Your Dog Week

If your venue is dog friendly, and you operate in at least a decently walkable city or town, this is a great week to invite your guests to pop in for a dog treat, a bite, and a drink with their best friends.

October 4: Plaidurday

This day is dedicated to plaid. Plaid shirts, plaid pants, plaid shoes, plaid hats, plaid coats, plaid scarves, kilts featuring a tartan… If it’s plaid, encourage your guests to come by your place while they’re wearing it.

October 11: It’s My Party Day

Okay, this is an odd one. Really, it’s all about nostalgia. Technically, it’s about people revisiting their sweet sixteen parties, which is incredibly specific. Personally, I’d tap into your understanding of your guests and come up with a nostalgic theme that will appeal to them. After all, October is all about dressing up and themed parties.

October 12: National Motorcycle Ride Day

If your venue is motorcycle friendly, encourage your guests who ride to organize a ride, with a stop at your business to relax and refuel.

October 15: National Chicken Cacciatore Day

Recently, we addressed the importance of putting your spin on classic comfort foods. Chicken cacciatore, a recipe that’s about 600 years old, certainly falls into this category; it’s a classic comfort food, and your kitchen team can certainly put their own take on it.

October 21: Apple Day

We also addressed applejack, America’s first native spirit, just yesterday. Sure, you can do caramel apples or apple pie to celebrate this day, but I think you should bring your bar team into the mix, and create an LTO menu featuring applejack cocktails.

October 24: National Food Day

It sounds like this holiday is incredibly open ended, doesn’t it? A blank slate for any cuisine or food item you want to program a holiday promotion to leverage.

However, it’s specifically focused on featuring natural foods. For tips on how to build a natural, farm-to-table menu, check out KRG Hospitality chef consultant Nathen Dubé’s article here.

October 25: Chucky, the Notorious Killer Doll Day

I’ve included this because, wow, is it specific. It’s also a great day to play the Child’s Play movies and Chucky television show, within the confines of the proper licenses, of course.

October 30: National Candy Corn Day

Candy corn sucks, and if you agree (which means you’re correct), you’ll use this day to campaign against this food crime against nature.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

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Program for Unique Holidays: Sept. 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: September 2024

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your September holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

To provide a handful of examples, September boasts celebrations of the cheeseburger, the double cheeseburger, cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, beer, and guacamole. Those are fantastic F&B holidays sure to appeal to your guests. However, you can still celebrate some “out there” holidays to get people’s attention and draw them to your business.

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our August 2024 holidays list, click here.

September 4: Eat an Extra Dessert Day

You know what’s better than selling one dessert? Selling multiple desserts.

One approach that may perform well for you, depending on your concept and menu, is to create new, smaller versions of desserts so people won’t be too stuffed to enjoy more than one treat.

September 8: National Ampersand Day

Ah, the ampersand. This is perhaps my favorite logogram, since it means “and,” and it looks cool when stylized. Since this symbol represents “and,” this is the perfect day to feature a menu of food-and-drink pairings or shot-and-beer pairings. I recommend a tiered LTO menu, with a few options for each level: Beam & Bud Light, Woodford & Guinness, etc.

September 9: National Wiener Schnitzel Day

This dish comes to us from Vienna. It’s so good and comforting that it’s one of Austria’s national dishes. Germans, of course, love wiener schnitzel as well.

To leverage this holiday, consider making a traditional version made with veal cutlets, served with French fries, mashed potatoes, or Hasselback potatoes. If you want to build an LTO menu, though, look to other versions of this dish. For example, there’s a non-breaded wiener schnitzel variant served with a cream sauce called rahmschnitzel. One can also argue that Japanese tonkatsu (pork, not veal), Danish skinkeschnitzel (made with pork rather than veal), and American chicken-fried steak will work for this holiday.

September 14: National Eat a Hoagie Day

The humble hoagie is an institution. Depending on where you operate, these iconic sandwiches may be known as heroes, grinders, submarines, subs, po’boys, bombers, or torpedoes. However, if your guests know them as hoagies, you better come correct. Hell hath no fury like a Philadelphian presented with a hoagie with mustard on it, for example.

September 15: National Crème de Menthe Day

Crème de menthe enjoys a deep history, which you can read about here. The main takeaways are the two most-famous cocktails that feature this legend among liqueurs: the Grasshopper, and the Stinger. Both classics are great for an LTO menu celebrating the final days of summer.

September 17: National Table Shuffleboard Day

Does your bar, restaurant, or eatertainment concept feature table shuffleboard? If it does, you’re poised to leverage this holiday.

One of the most effective approaches is to organize a tournament. Of course, you can also feature other contests, like Closest to the Edge.

September 21: Escapology Day

Okay, this one is a bit specific. If your restaurant or bar is located in the same market as an escape room (or several, as is the case for a city like Las Vegas), consider partnering with them if it makes sense to do so. You and your team can recommend your guests check out a particular escape room. Conversely, the escape room can recommend your restaurant or bar for post-escape food and drinks. To solidify the partnership, both businesses can offer a discount or other benefit to each other’s guests.

Really, we want you to think about local businesses that can serve as strong partners.

September 23: National Great American Pot Pie Day

Two weeks ago we tackled comfort foods. In particular, transforming traditional comfort foods into soups. This holiday is the perfect time to make an LTO soup (or, if it performs well, a permanent menu item, or recurring LTO from fall through winter) out of one of the best-known comfort classics, the pot pie.

September 24: Innergize Day

Summer is coming to a close. Traditionally, this means vacation and relaxation time is over as people return to offices, and children return to school.

Innergize Day is about relaxing and disconnecting. It’s quite likely your concept can facilitate relaxation, escaping devices, and slowing down.

September 25: Better Breakfast Day

Is your concept open for the early morning daypart? Do you serve brunch? More importantly, is your concept committed to serving healthy food and drinks, or are you interested in updating your menu to feature healthier items?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, this could be the day for you. Use social media and other marketing channels to promote your healthy menu. Create items like healthy breakfast bowls and smoothies if it’s time for an update, and promote your new, healthier menu.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

Bar Nightclub Pub Brewery Marketing Agency Team

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Program for Unique Holidays: August 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: August 2024

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your August holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our July 2024 holidays list, click here.

August 3: National Mustard Day

Condiments offer the perfect finishing touch to the dishes we present to guests. Given their importance, we should celebrate them whenever we get the chance.

For some, nothing but mustard belongs on a hot dog. And there are even those out there who claim it’s the only condiment that belongs on a burger.

August 6: National Night Out Day

Traditionally, this holiday aims at encouraging communities to set up neighborhood watches. However, some communities also use this day to simply foster a sense of togetherness, organizing cookouts, block parties, and concerts.

This is a great day to establish your bar or restaurant as part of the community, particularly if your business is family friendly.

August 7: Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day

This is certainly one of the more obscure holidays I’ve encountered. To put a spin on this day to leverage it for a bar or restaurant, I suggest engaging your kitchen and bar teams to come up with an over-the-top presentation for one food item, and one drink. Make it Instagram-worthy and it’ll spread like wildfire on social media, making it a clever marketing exercise.

August 11: Play in the Sand Day

This is another holiday during which operators will benefit from tapping into the creativity of their kitchen and bar teams. The back of house, for example, can look into creating a sand pudding dessert. As for the bar team, the Blood and Sand is a classic whiskey cocktail that teams with the theme.

August 12: Afternoon Tea Week

An entire week dedicated to afternoon tea! In 2024, this holiday runs to August 18. Afternoon Tea Week is a fantastic way to boost traffic and revenue during the lunch daypart. Further, operators have two shots at brunch to cap this weeklong holiday.

Engage the bar team to have them create an LTO menu of tea-based cocktails, including zero-alcohol to full-ABV options.

August 14: World Calligraphy Day

If you have someone on your team with particularly fantastic handwriting, a sandwich board, and chalk (or markers for acrylic boards), you’re all set to celebrate this holiday. Not only can these signs lure passersby into a restaurant or bar, people like to spread them on social media. The same goes for restaurants and bars with chalkboard menus, making them useful marketing tools.

August 20: National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day

You’ve probably eaten a slice of pecan pie. But what about chocolate pecan pie? It’s possible many of your guests haven’t tried this lesser-known dessert. I bet your kitchen team can change that…

August 22: Burger Day

On its face, Burger Day isn’t particularly unique. However, any holiday can be made unique with a clever and creative promotion.

While it’s the ideal day for promoting your signature burger (or burgers), it will also work as a traffic-boosting LTO. For example, if you don’t have a smashburger on your menu, consider creating one for Burger Day. As another example, if you don’t have sliders, this is the time to offer them. Track the sales of your Burger Day LTOs to consider making them repeat promotions, or adding them to the standard menu permanently.

August 27: National Just Because Day

Sometimes operators are handed the perfect day to create and execute any promotion they can imagine. This is one of those days.

August 30: National Beach Day

Drinks with umbrellas, tropical shirts and beachwear, summery drinks, classic cookout dishes, refreshing desserts… Even bars and restaurants that don’t have an outdoor area can be transformed into a beachy scene.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

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Program for Unique Holidays: July 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: July 2024

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your July holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our June 2024 holidays list, click here.

July 7: National Dive Bar Day

Alright, dive and neighborhood bar operators—this is the day to really ensure you and your bar team shine. Show the community why your bar is one of the cornerstones of the neighborhood. This is an opportunity to pull out the stops to impress your regulars and reinforce their love of your bar, and to attract new neighbors to hang out at your place on a regular basis.

July 8: National SCUD Day

Let’s clarify this at the start: SCUD stands for “Savor the Comic and Unplug the Drama.” The intent is for people to relax, unplug, and enjoy some humor, or at least take a light-hearted approach to life. Now, if you happen to feature stand-up comedy or operate a comedy club, this holiday should be all the way in your wheelhouse.

July 9: Cow Appreciation Day

The humble cow provides a lot for us. In addition to all manner of food items, cows even help us make some very smooth vodkas. Given how much cows give, operators can make entire prix fixe menus dedicated to them: from appetizer to dessert, the cow can fill out an entire meal, including drinks.

However, you can take another approach to this holiday. Vegan restaurants, for example, can highlight alternatives to cow products by creating dishes, drinks, and prix fixe menus.

July 11: National Mojito Day

Here’s an easy one. After you’ve ensured that your bar team makes an excellent Mojito, create an LTO menu. Feature the traditional build, a high-end version, and a creative variant or two.

July 13: Embrace Your Geekness Day

How the times have changed, for the better in this instance. Not long ago, “geek” was a real insult. Now, we can’t wait as individuals to geek out with others over our hobbies, interests, and other passions.

Does your bar have an overall theme that can be amplified for maximum geekiness? Do you feature board games, card games, or even video games? Is it common for clubs to meet up at your place? Have you noticed something that several of your patrons seem to enjoy talking about and geeking out over? Lean as far into that as you can and create an amazing experience.

July 15: National Be a Dork Day

Maybe you don’t like the word “geek.” Perhaps, to you, being a dork is more about being a bit (or very) silly, and leaning into being “uncool” (which is actually cool).

At any rate, if you’re not into the idea of Embrace Your Geekness Day—or you want to showcase the difference between geeks and dorks—National Be a Dork Day may work well for you.

July 21: National Junk Food Day

We all have differing ideas about junk food. For some, junk food refers to candy and dessert foods, specifically. To others, it’s anything that isn’t considered a healthy food.

The approach I recommend is giving people an excuse to eat and drink whatever they want on this day, or taking a cheat day. Further, you can certainly create a cocktail menu that captures the flavors of people’s favorite candy bars, candies, etc. Or, build over-the-top burgers, come up with a signature food challenge, or create a signature pizza that features compelling and unique toppings.

July 22: National Mango Day

Mango Margaritas, Mango Mezcalritas, mango IPA, mango ale, mango salsa, mango-habanero-glazed short ribs… If you can mango it, put it on an LTO menu.

July 27: National Take Your Pants for a Walk Day

Are you in a walkable city? This is really just a more interesting way of saying, “Walk to our bar/restaurant to earn your treat and time out with friends.”

July 31: National Avocado Day

Don’t be avoca-don’t—be an avoca-do. If your dishes and drinks can feature avocado in some way, have your kitchen and bar teams lean into it. For example, this would be a fantastic day to impress with a signature guacamole, made table-side.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

KRG Hospitality marketing support. Restaurant. Bar. Cafe. Lounge. Hotel. Resort.

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Program for Unique Holidays: June 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: June 2024

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your June holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our May 2024 holidays list, click here.

June 6: National Gardening Exercise Day

Does your bar, restaurant, or hotel have an herb garden? If so, this is an excellent day to let your guests know about it, and highlight which drinks and dishes feature ingredients from said garden.

June 8: National Rosé Day

Your first instinct may be to feature your still and sparkling rosé wines on this day. However, there are also rosé spirits out there, like vodka and gin. Use this day to make your guests aware of your rosé program. Oh, and June 8 also happens to be World Gin Day, another reason to offer an LTO menu that features rosé gin.

However, you don’t have to stop the festivities on June 8. The next day is Day of La Rioja, and this Spanish province is world-renowned for its winemaking. In fact, there are more than 600 wineries in La Rioja, and some produce rosado or rosato, a.k.a. rosé.

June 10: National Herbs & Spices Day

If your kitchen makes its own spice blends, shout about them to the rooftop on June 10. And if you don’t yet make your own blends but would like to, here’s a tip from Chef Brian Duffy: make ten pounds of it, not just a quart, and store it in a clearly labeled flat tray. You’ll go through it faster than you anticipate if it’s a hit.

June 15: World Tapas Day

Really, who doesn’t love a small plate and sharing with friends? I know I’ve built a meal out of tapas on more than one occasion. Review your menu, get creative, and build your own brand-authentic and concept-specific tapas menu for June 15.

June 16: Turkey Lovers’ Day

This day lands close to the midway point leading to Thanksgiving. So, create a turkey-heavy LTO menu. Turkey tacos, turkey barbacoa burrito bowls, a full-on turkey dinner, turkey breasts…

June 16: World Sustainable Gastronomy Day

I tend to avoid doubling up on holidays but this one is important, so I’m breaking my own “rule.” Leading up to June 16, review your menu and operations to identify what you’re doing that’s producing sustainable dishes. Taking this a step farther, find out where you can improve to be more sustainable, and implement those initiatives by June 16.

June 21: National Take Back the Lunch Break Day

Do you offer pickup or delivery? And are you open for lunch? How fast are your kitchen times? These are all important operational elements to consider, particularly if you want to attract the lunch crowd. Should you feel that your lunch daypart operations are dialed in, lure in guests with intriguing lunch-time promotions.

June 22: National Onion Ring Day

Not only is this the perfect day to boast about your onion rings, it’s an excellent excuse to review their presentation and come up with something impactful and memorable. Consider an array of accompaniments, size and height, and playing with your batter.

June 27: International Pineapple Day

Ah, the pineapple, the international symbol of hospitality. If there was ever a day to go absolutely bonkers with a pineapple-forward F&B LTO menu, this is it!

June 29: National Waffle Iron Day

Who doesn’t love a waffle, particularly a build-your-own waffle? I think you know what to do on this holiday.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

KRG Hospitality. Bar Consultant. Nightclub. Lounge. Mixology. Cocktails.

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by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: May 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: May 2024

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your May holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our April 2024 holidays list, click here.

May 1: Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

If your concept is one that attracts motorcyclists already, or one that can handle motorcyclists to show up en masse without alienating other guests, your venue can celebrate Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month any or every day in May.

Encourage your guests to ride safely, look out for motorcycles when they’re driving, and organize group rides that stop by your bar or restaurant. Responsibly, of course.

May 4: Beer Pong Day

Let’s face it—beer pong is a classic bar game. Importantly, it’s a classic bar game that anyone can learn to play (to varying degrees of skill), and it’s simple to organize a tournament.

Should your bar or restaurant have the room and the following to support a beer pong tournament, this holiday could do very well for you and your team.

May 6: National Beverage Day

I mean…look how open-ended this holiday is. Is your bar or restaurant known for a particular drink? More than one particular drink? Perfect! Now’s the time to really brag about that and bring people through your doors.

May 11: National Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day

Part of being a great operator is being an excellent neighbor and member of the community. One selfless act you and your team can participate in is to organize a food drive, acting as the central hub for donations and partnering with a food pantry, shelter, or other charitable organization.

May 17: National Pizza Party Day

Sure, the pizza party has become a corporate trope. That doesn’t mean that if you operate a pizzeria your business shouldn’t be the one that companies, families, and groups of friends call when it’s pizza party time.

May 19: World Baking Day

How are your kitchen team’s baking skills? This is the holiday to shine a light on them and create a baked well LTO.

May 20: World Bee Day

Not only are there some interesting cocktails with the word “bee” in their name, there are also plenty that call for honey as an ingredient.

However, as I pointed out on Earth Day, there are also vegan honey alternatives that can be used for F&B items. So, this could be the day to use those and make your guests aware of them.

May 21: International Tea Day

Tea is, obviously, an excellent drink on its own. However, tea can really shine as the base or mixer for an array of cocktails. Try creating an LTO menu of full-, low-, and no-ABV cocktails for your guests to try.

May 22: National Craft Distillery Day

Do you have a craft distillery in your market? In your state? This holiday is the perfect time to work on developing a relationship with them and crafting an LTO menu with their products.

May 30: National Mint Julep Day

Ah, the Mint Julep. It’s not just for the Kentucky Derby. It’s a classic for a reason, and one of those reasons is how refreshing it is on a hot day. Plus, there are several variants you can adjust to create an LTO menu.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

Bar Nightclub Pub Brewery Marketing Agency Team

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by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: April 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: April 2024

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your April holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our March 2024 holidays list, click here.

April 5: Walk to Work Day

Operators who with bars and restaurants in walkable areas should leverage this holiday. People who walk to work should reward themselves by walking to a bar or restaurant for dinner and a drink after work. Of course, operators open for breakfast and dinner should encourage guests to walk in for a treat to start their day, and another treat (or two) to end it.

April 6: New Beer’s Eve

As the name implies, we celebrate this holiday the day before another holiday in the US: National Beer Day.

Operators who really want to help New Beer’s Eve gain a loyal following among their guests can bring in new beers for their guests to try on this holiday.

April 8: National Empanada Day

How would you rate your empanadas? How would your guests rate your empanadas? If you and your team are proud of your emapanadas, this is their time to shine.

April 10: Golfer’s Day

If you have Golden Tee in your bar, or you operate an eatertainment concept that revolves around golf, this is the perfect holiday to celebrate golfers. Of course, this also holds true if you operate a bar or restaurant within a community that loves golf.

You’re already (hopefully) your guests’ third spot; become their 19th hole on Golfer’s Day as well.

April 12: World Licorice Day

Sambuca, ouzo, xtabentún, absinthe… World Licorice Day is a great holiday for showcasing the licorice-flavored spirits in your inventory on your menu.

April 17: Blah Blah Blah Day

So, this day encourages people to try or start something that friends and family have been telling them do repeatedly. I would interpret this holiday as one during which to encourage your guests to try a new dish or drink rather than just ordering their usual again.

April 21: National Tea Day

Not only does tea make an excellent mixer for an array of cocktails, it really shines as the base for non-alcohol drinks. The depth of flavors that tea delivers really makes on impact on the palate and the guest experience.

National Tea Day is the perfect time to dial in your tea-based cocktails, be they low-, full-, or zero-ABV.

April 23: German Beer Day

Do you have German beers on your menu? I’m going to give you one guess as to what you should do with those beers on German Beer Day.

However, I have another thought, as well. There’s nothing that says you can’t come up with a creative LTO menu that introduces American or Canadian craft beers that taste similar to a German counterpart…

April 26: National Pretzel Day

Sure, you could just offer bowls of pretzels to guests on this holiday, providing a snack that goes with their beer.

Or, you could activate your kitchen team, make large pretzels in-house, and put pretzel charcuterie boards on an LTO menu. They may just prove to be a hit among you guests worthy of repeat appearances.

April 30: National Bubble Tea Day

Gee, if only there were a holiday that celebrates bubble tea, one that operators with bubble tea on their menu could build an LTO around. Oh, look! There is one!

Operators and their bar teams can also interpret this holiday a little differently. Tea cocktails and zero-proof drinks given the Flavour Blaster treatment? That could be rad…

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

Bar Nightclub Pub Brewery Marketing Agency Team

The Rémy Sidecar cocktail in landscape orientation
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

6 Sips for National Cocktail Day

6 Sophisticated Sips for National Cocktail Day

by David Klemt

The Rémy Sidecar cocktail in landscape orientation

Our friends at Cointreau, Mount Gay, Rémy Martin, St-Rémy Signature, Belle de Brillet, and METAXA want us to share some recipes with you.

And why do these purveyors of fine spirits want you to have these drink recipes? To inspire you and your team to craft a sophisticated National Cocktail Day menu, of course.

Now, you and your team are likely very familiar with Cointreau, Mount Gay, and Rémy Martin. After all, each are among the most well-known liqueurs, rums, and Cognacs on the planet.

However, you may be less familiar with some of the other spirits below. So, I’m going to provide a brief overview. Naturally, I’ll also encourage you to contact your reps so they can taste you and your team on each.

Let’s kick things of with METAXA. If your guests like brandy, they’re probably going to love METAXA. In particular, METAXA 7 Star is a Greek spirit that consists of Muscat wine, wine distillates, and Mediterranean aromatics and botanicals, aged in oak barrels. This is a truly unique spirit; your guests have likely never tasted anything quite like it.

Now, let’s look at Belle de Brillet. This is a French liqueur made with fine Brillet Cognac eau-de-vie and Poire Williams (Williams pears). Really, this is an elegant way to enjoy terroir via two fruits: pears and grapes. From what I can find, it takes 20 Williams pears to produce each bottle of Belle de Brillet.

That brings us to St-Rémy Signature. Also from France, St-Rémy Signature is the marriage of tradition and modern production techniques. For example, Signature undergoes a double-maturation process, unlike many fine brandies. When it comes to terroir, Signature takes people on a tour, as it’s made with dozens of grapes from all over France.

Whether you decide to create an LTO menu with the recipes below or put your spins on these drinks, your guests will thank you for helping them celebrate National Cocktail Day.

Cheers!

The Rémy Sidecar cocktail

The Rémy Sidecar

Fill a shaker with ice, then add first three ingredients. Shake well. Strain into a coupette, and garnish with a lemon peel.

The Original Margarita by Cointreau

The Original Margarita by Cointreau

  • 1 oz. Cointreau
  • 2 oz. Blanco tequila
  • 1 oz. Fresh lime juice
  • Lime wheel to garnish

Prepare a glass by rimming it with salt. Add all ingredients except for garnish to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well, then strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with lime wheel.

Mount Gay Orange Eclipse cocktail

Mount Gay Orange Eclipse

  • 2 oz. Mount Gay Eclipse
  • 1 oz. Fresh blood orange juice
  • 0.6 oz. Sweet vermouth
  • 4 dashes of Angostura Bitters
  • Orange peel to garnish

Prepare a coupe by filling it with ice and setting it aside. Alternatively, keep some coupes in a fridge to have chilled glassware on hand. Fill a shaker with ice, then add first four ingredients. Shake until well chilled, then strain into prepared coupe. Garnish with orange peel.

METAXA Greek Spritz cocktail

METAXA Greek Spritz

  • 1.4 oz METAXA 7 Stars
  • 1.4 oz Prosecco (or other sparkling wine)
  • 0.7 oz Splash of tonic
  • 3 Dashes of peach bitters or fresh peach juice
  • Peach wedge to garnish

Pour METAXA 7 Stars into a wine glass. Add ice, tonic, and bitters or juice to glass, then stir. Top with Prosecco or other sparkling wine. Garnish with peach wedge.

Belle de Brillet Belle Pamplemousse cocktail

Belle de Brillet Belle Pamplemousse

  • 1.75 oz. Belle de Brillet
  • 0.5 oz. Fresh lemon juice (optional)
  • 3.5 oz. Grapefruit soda
  • 1 oz. Prosecco
  • Slice of grapefruit to garnish

Add ice to a glass, then add all liquid ingredients. Stir, then garnish with grapefruit slice.

St-Rémy Signature Rose cocktail

St-Rémy Signature Rose

  • 1 oz. St-Rémy Signature
  • 0.7 oz. Fresh lemon juice
  • 0.3 oz. Grenadine syrup
  • 0.3 oz. Hibiscus syrup
  • 1 Egg white
  • Edible flower to garnish

Add ice and first five ingredients to a shaker. Shake well, then strain into a stemmed or footed glass. Garnish with an edible flower.

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor KRG Hospitality received compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this post.

Images provided by LaFORCE

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Program for Unique Holidays: March 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: March 2024

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your March holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our February 2024 holidays list, click here.

March 5: Cinco de Marcho

Supposedly, this holiday is meant to “train the livers” of people planning on getting slightly wild on March 17. They have 12 days to get ready to party.

Well, we at KRG Hospitality think this sounds a bit irresponsible. We don’t want any operators or their teams to run into any legal trouble. So, I recommend offering a spin on the Coronarita as a nearly two-week-long LTO.

Build a Margarita with Irish whiskey, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and agave syrup. Serve it in a salt-rimmed pint glass, schooner, or mason jar. Invert a Harp Lager, Smithwick’s Pale Ale, or Guinness Blonde Lager in the glass.

March 7: National Crown Roast of Pork Day

Here’s a fun one based on a culinary classic. Put simply, a crown roast is anywhere from a dozen to nearly two dozen pork rib chops. When arranged in a circle, they look like a crown.

It’s old school, and it’s certainly a shareable dish. Dress this LTO up with a wine pairing, or dress it down with a bucket of beers.

March 8: National Proofreading Day

Your menu is a billboard. It’s a crucial marketing and branding tool. So, it can be embarrassing when there are typos and other issues on your menu.

If you don’t want to proofread it yourself, or you just want to engage your guests, put a “bounty” on misspellings and grammatical errors on your menu. Watch how quickly any mistakes are found, if any exist.

March 14: National Potato Chip Day

Housemade potato chips are among the best appetizers and sides. If your kitchen team is up for it, consider housemade chips as an LTO side. Think about making them a permanent (or semi-permanent) addition to your menu if all goes well.

March 18: National Sloppy Joe Day

So, it’s March 18. Some people may have gotten after it pretty hard for St. Patrick’s Day. They need comfort food.

If your kitchen team can make delicious Sloppy Joe’s from scratch (maybe served with housemade potato chips), they may be just what the doctor ordered.

March 19: National Poultry Day

Does your restaurant or bar serve dishes featuring poultry? Guess what you should do on this day…

March 21: World Vermouth Day

The days of low-quality vermouth are gone. For a few years not at least, people have discovered that premium vermouth makes a great cocktail base. This holds particularly true for low-ABV drinks, like reverse cocktails.

March 22: National Goof Off Day

This year, National Goof Off Day falls on a Friday. Really, that timing couldn’t be much better.

Encourage your guests to set aside their responsibilities—as long as it won’t get them fired—and goof off at your bar.

March 29: Smoke and Mirrors Day

When a cocktail is served with smoke, people take notice. Often times, when one is served, people watching the show want one of their own.

This is the perfect holiday to show off your smoking cocktails. To really embrace the holiday, smoke and serve them in a glass and chrome smoker box. By the way, these boxes work well when it comes to smoking food items, too.

March 31: National Tater Day

Much like poultry day, I bet you can figure out what to do on National Tater Day. Celebrate the potato! Tater tot nachos? Done. Sriracha French fries? Awesome. Fully loaded potato skins and baked potatoes? Classics.

Get creative. The humble potato is a fantastic canvas for enticing dishes.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

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Program for Unique Holidays: February 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: February 2024

by David Klemt

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Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your February holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our January 2024 holidays list, click here.

February 3: Ice Cream for Breakfast Day

I think we can all agree that life is too short to not indulge ourselves and have a treat occasionally. French toast, pancakes, crepes… All of these breakfast foods and more pair quite well with ice cream.

This holiday is even better if your back-of-house team can make ice cream from scratch.

February 4: National Homemade Soup Day

One of the most comforting foods on the planet, particularly during the winter, is a warm cup or bowl of homemade soup.

Of course, as an operator, you’ll want to consider rephrasing this holiday as “Housemade” or “Scratch-made” soup.

February 5: Start of Pride in Food Service Week

Pride in Food Service Week runs from February 5 to 9. The purpose is to celebrate foodservice professionals. For some, this means leaving a larger tip than normal. Some operators use this five-day holiday to host special events that highlight their team’s skills. I also recommend using this time to come up with ways you can honor your team, and improve their lives and careers.

February 11: National Peppermint Patty Day

Back in November of last year I wrote about how peppermint was overtaking pumpkin spice as the preferred flavor. Well, this is the perfect day to feature peppermint via a variety of F&B items on your menu, from cocktails and high-quality non-alcohol LTO beverages to tempting desserts.

February 13: National Cheddar Day

Cheddar is the most-popular cheese in the UK and one of the most-popular in the US. If you can slather it in Cheddar, create an LTO menu, feature it, and promote it.

February 16: National Almond Day

This is definitely the holiday to feature dishes with almonds, from appetizers and entrees to desserts. And, of course, there are drinks made with Disaronno, Baileys Almande, Cîroc Amaretto, and other liqueurs and spirits that can help your bar team serve up almond-flavored cocktails.

February 22: National Margarita Day

Nope, this is not an “out there” holiday. However, it is a fantastic time to showcase your signature Margaritas, alongside a classic build, of course.

February 23: National Skip the Straw Day

If you have been trying to be a more sustainable business, reducing and eliminating waste is key. I’m not saying you have to focus solely on replacing plastic straws. Instead, think about serving drinks without straws.

However, make sure you do have straws on hand for those guests who need them.

February 24: National Tortilla Chip Day

Nachos, nachos, nachos. Nachos piled high, nachos prepared in the traditional method, your bar or restaurant’s signature nachos… Time to create a promotion around the humble tortilla chip!

February 26: National Pistachio Day

Have you ever had a Pistachio Martini? How about a Pistachio Espresso Martini, Pistachio Sour, or Pistachio Fizz?

If you haven’t, odds are many of your guests haven’t, either. Could be a great idea for an LTO menu featuring pistachio, huh?

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

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Program for Unique Holidays: January 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: January 2024

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you kick off the new year with your January holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our December 2023 holidays list, click here.

January 2: Thank God It’s Monday Day

We all know the Monday trope: It’s the day of the week to fear, inspiring the Sunday Scaries.

Well, this month encourages people to change how they look at the start of the workweek. Your venue can play a role, offering F&B promotions and entertainment programming that puts people in good spirits on a Monday.

January 3: National Fruitcake Toss Day

Another trope? Fruitcake somehow becoming a rock star during the end-of-year holiday season. I suppose this divisive dessert gets the “rock” part right…

If you have the space, you can hold a fruitcake tossing competition. Nobody’s going to eat the fruitcakes they were given, so they may as extract some joy from them.

January 9: National Cassoulet Day

This French dish is warm and comforting. And according to Tastewise, social conversations were up 20 percent in 2023.

However, less than one percent of restaurants have cassoulet on their menus in the US. Could be an excellent opportunity for savvy operator and kitchen team.

January 13: National Peach Melba Day

Each December, Pantone announces the next year’s Color of the Year. At this point, it’s a tradition.

For 2024, that color is Peach Fuzz. So, it makes sense to put peach dishes and drinks on your menu. The Peach Melba is a dessert consisting of peach wedges resting in raspberry sauce, accompanied by vanilla ice cream. However, there’s no reason your kitchen team can’t make this their own by getting creative with ice cream flavors and other accompaniments.

January 14: Start of National Mocktail Week

This is an excellent way to help guests celebrate Dry January. However, it’s important to note that some sober guests find the term “mocktail” disrespectful. I can see their point: the word has “mock” in it. So, perhaps call your celebration Alcohol-free Week, Non-alcohol Week, or Zero-ABV Week.

Either way, this is the time to dial in your zero-proof menu.

January 15: National Strawberry Ice Cream Day

Celebrating this holiday with the Peach Melba is a great way to get the most out of promoting your guests’ favorite new dessert. All you have to do is serve your Peach Melba with, you guessed it, strawberry ice cream instead of the standard vanilla.

January 20: National Cheese Lover’s Day

Getting creative to celebrate this holiday will take some effort. However, if you nail it, this promotion can be recurring and become a sought-after experience.

Wine, beer, and spirits pair with a vast array of cheeses. You can create an entire tasting experience, pairing specific cheeses with a curated selection of wines, beers, whiskeys, or other spirits. Check out this guide for pairing ideas.

January 20: National Use Your Gift Card Day

I don’t usually double up on holidays for this monthly KRG Hospitality feature, but here we are.

If your business offers gift cards, this is the day to encourage people to come in and redeem them. Send a targeted email campaign, include a link to your reservation system, and you’ll have an excellent way to track how many gift cards you can expect to show up for redemption.

January 25: Clashing Clothes Day

Why should October and December get all the dress-up fun? There’s no reason your guests have to pull out all the stops for Ugly Christmas Sweater gatherings and then wait another year to do it again.

If you pull this off well and make it a “thing,” you and your team can own Clashing Clothes Day and make it an annual promotion.

January 30: National Croissant Day

The humble but delicious, flaky croissant is a tasty canvas. Sure, you can just offer croissants, but what about going harder and offering an array of croissant sandwiches or desserts?

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

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Banfi and One Warm Coat Launch Partnership

Banfi and One Warm Coat Launch Partnership

by David Klemt

A rack of winter coats

Wine producer and importer Banfi Vintners is partnering with non-profit One Warm Coat to help people in need and encourage others to host coat drives.

For anyone unfamiliar, One Warm Coat is a national 501 (c)(3) nonprofit operating throughout the US. Established in 1992, the nonprofit has helped organize nearly 50,000 coat drives. More than 5,500 of these drives took place during the 2022 to 2023 season, providing in excess of 550,000 coats.

So far, with their partners, they’ve collected and distributed close to eight million coats. These partners include Land’s End, J.Crew, Todd Snyder, Duluth Trading Co., and now Banfi.

To launch their partnership, Banfi seeded the program with a donation that will provide 50,000 coats. In announcing this partnership, Banfi and One Warm Coat hope to encourage others to give back, host coat drives, and help those in need within their communities.

Canadian operators and their teams can find One Warm Coat partners by clicking here and searching their city. I found partners in and around Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton.

In addition to helping provide people in need with coats, sustainability is key to One Warm Coat’s mission. To date, the organization has helped keep 19.4 million pounds of clothing out of landfills.

Charity Navigator, which rates the trustworthiness of charities, gives One Warm Coat a score of 98 percent.

To learn more, please review the press release below.

BANFI VINTNERS PARTNERS WITH ONE WARM COAT TO SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITY

Italian wine producer and importer offers support to individuals in need through seasonal coat drive

NEW YORK, NY—Banfi, producer and importer of fine wines, proudly announces its partnership with national non-profit organization, One Warm Coat. Banfi kicked off the program with a donation that will warm 50,000 people in need. 

 “One Warm Coat is thrilled to team up with Banfi this holiday season to share warmth with those in need across the country while promoting volunteerism and environmental sustainability,” shares Beth Amodio, President and CEO, One Warm Coat. 

In addition, the partnership with One Warm Coat allows Banfi to spread the word and encourage coat drives at various retail and restaurant accounts across the country, extending the program’s reach and multiplying the number of donations collected. One example can be found not too far from Banfi’s NY headquarters; based in upstate New York, Banfi’s distributor partner, Empire Merchants North has made it a key focus to promote the brand’s initiative on their website and social channels to bolster the partnership and encourage dozens of retailers to support the cause. 

“Empire Merchants North proudly joined Banfi’s One Warm Coat program to extend our commitment beyond beverages. Embracing social responsibility, we believe in making a positive impact by contributing to the well-being of our community, aligning seamlessly with Banfi’s philanthropic mission. Our enthusiastic employees joyfully embraced this initiative, embodying our shared commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need,” shares President and CEO of Empire Merchants North Eric Pfeil. 

“One of our favorite aspects of working with One Warm Coat is its ability to support the local community. The donations stay in the community where they’re collected, so it’s truly heartening to see the widespread response in the market,” shares Banfi President and CEO Cristina Mariani-May.

About Banfi Wines

Banfi, producer and importer of fine wines, was founded in 1919 and is today woman-owned and operated by third-generation family proprietor Cristina Mariani-May. Banfi is the sole U.S. importer of the Mariani family’s internationally renowned wine estates in Italy: Castello Banfi of Montalcino, Tuscany, and Banfi Piemonte of Strevi, Piedmont. Castello Banfi is credited with pioneering a new era in Brunello and bringing the wine world’s attention to Montalcino, while Banfi Piemonte produces the family’s sparkling wines. Banfi’s wide range of wines offers affordable luxury and includes the flagship Brunello di Montalcino, Super Tuscans, Tuscan Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Sparkling and more varieties.

About One Warm Coat

One Warm Coat is a national cloud-based 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides free coats to individuals in need. Since 1992, One Warm Coat has facilitated 49,000 coat drives across the country, collecting 8 million coats that have been distributed through more than 1,500 nonprofit partners.  Individuals and organizations can get involved by donating coats, holding coat drives, and making financial donations. One Warm Coat believes in each person’s right to shelter from the elements and is committed to sharing warmth, without discrimination, one coat at a time.

Image: Markus Spiske on Unsplash

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Program for Unique Holidays: December 2023

Program for Unique Holidays: December 2023

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your December holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our November 2023 holidays list, click here.

December 2: Global Fat Bike Day

For the unfamiliar, “fat bikes” are offroad bicycles with larger-than-normal tires. They’re fantastic for navigating sandy, snowy, muddy, and rocky terrain. Why? Because riders can run lower tire pressures to overcome obstacles smoothly.

Of course, plenty of riders also like to bop around town on fat bikes. So, whether you operate in a snowy area or you just happen to be in a market with a bunch of fat-bike riders, this would be the holiday to encourage them to group up and roll to your bar or restaurant.

December 4: National Dice Day

There’s a lot we can do with dice. One of the simplest ways to celebrate this holiday is to craft a food and/or beverage menu with numbered items/specials. Guests roll the dice and they’re served whatever they roll.

December 9: National Pastry Day

Hey, it’s holiday season—people are snacking a bit more than they would normally. Pastry, whether sweet or savory, is surely tempting and can make a holiday meal memorable.

December 11: National Noodle Ring Day

Do you know what a noodle ring is? More importantly, if you’re not the chef, does your kitchen team know about noodle rings?

They’re exactly what they sound like, and from everything I can find, they’re hundreds of years old. The premise is simple: a noodle dish is placed in a mold, then it’s baked. Bang—noodle ring.

Clearly, the noodle ring is a canvas for creativity and comfort food. So, see what your kitchen can come up with for National Noodle Ring Day, particularly if noodle dishes are already on your menu.

December 16: National Chocolate Covered Anything Day

Do you have food items that would taste and look great covered in chocolate? Guess what you should do on this day…

December 19: National Emo Day

You may have heard of the When We Were Young festival that took place in Las Vegas this year in October. The first version of this emo music festival was held in California in 2017.

A lot of people enjoy nostalgia, and during the holidays they get even more nostalgic. You can either hire a DJ for an emo set, hire a local emo band or two, or put together an emo playlist if you think it would draw guests through your doors.

December 20: Games Day

Board games, card games, tabletop games, video games, arcade games, bar games… If your bar or restaurant is set up for people to play games, design a promotion around it. After all, people are gathering for the holidays. Tempt them to gather at your place.

December 21: National Coquito Day

Ah, the Coquito. I’ll risk the pitchforks and say eggnog is not the move: the Coquito is the best winter cocktail. And the best version comes from bartender Giuseppe González.

You’ll find his recipe below, and you should give him a follow and thank him for being gracious enough to share it every year in December.

December 29: Tick Tock Day

No, not TikTok. This holiday is about accomplishing outstanding goals before the end of the year.

However, operators and their teams can take a different approach to this holiday. Are there any bottles you want to finally get rid of to make space in your inventory? Some rare drams guests can finish off? Create a promotion around them.

December 31: National Champagne Day

Sure, some people may know this day as New Year’s Eve. But really, this is National Champagne Day.

Luckily, it’s not difficult to create promotions around Champers. Whether focusing on dosage, grape varietals, vintage, color, or cocktails, there’s a lot to do with Champagne, and it’s not challenging to shine a spotlight on it on this day.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

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Program for Unique Holidays: November 2023

Program for Unique Holidays: November 2023

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your November holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our October 2023 holidays list, click here.

November 3: National Jersey Day

This is an easy one. MLB, the NBA, NHL, NFL, NCAA Football… All of these and more are in regular season play at the moment.

Establish your bar as the place to watch and play fantasy sports to develop a loyal guest base. One way to really get your guests engaged is to get them to wear their jerseys, and this holiday is the “official” day for them to do so.

November 5: Zero Tasking Day

Sure, multi-tasking and the people who claim to have mastery over it are impressive. But you know what’s even more impressive? Taking the time to nothing but relax.

You know what’s an excellent place to check out, relax, and indulge? Your restaurant, bar, or nightclub.

November 6: National Nacho Day

No, nachos aren’t the world’s most unique food. However, your approach and presentation can certainly help you stand out from other operators.

Go highest. Go largest. Go most unusual ingredients. Go most premium toppings. Just go wild.

November 11: National Metal Day

Anyone who knows me knows that metal holds a special place in my life. In fact, I recently hit the Pearl Theater inside the Palms for the Dethklok + BABY METAL “BABYKLOK” tour stop in Las Vegas.

This is the day for you to encourage the metalheads among your guests to show up to your bar or restaurant. Create an LTO featuring metal spirit brands, like Slipknot Iowa Whiskey and Metallica’s Blackened Whiskey.

November 14: National Pickle Day

If your kitchen can pickle it, this is the holiday to have them create an LTO menu showing off their skills.

November 16: National Use Less Stuff Day

Sustainability and ethical business practices aren’t just trendy anymore. Many of today’s guests want to know they’re supporting businesses that have a plan to address waste.

If you’ve been developing a sustainability plan, this is the day to launch it. Look at your operations, look at your menu, and see where you can make small but impactful changes.

November 20: National Absurdity Day

Do you have an “absurd” idea for a promotion, menu item, design feature, or branding exercise? Tighten up that idea and execute it on National Absurdity Day.

You can also check out one of our KRG Concepts, Absurd! Kitchen Co., for a turn-key restaurant concept.

November 22: DrinksGiving

As operators know, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving has traditionally been the busiest bar night of the year. Whether you call it Thanksgiving Eve or DrinksGiving, this is your opportunity to pull out all the stops.

November 25: National Small Business Day

This is the perfect holiday to highlight all the small, craft, and independent F&B brands you work with at your restaurant or bar. Feature local artisans, spirits and beer producers, farmers, and more on your menu to help them and you generate more business.

November 30: National Mason Jar Day

I don’t know what it is but drinking from a mason jar, whether there’s a delicious cocktail, moonshine, or a soft drink inside it, is just a cool experience.

Of course, you can also get creative with starter, side, and dessert presentations inside mason jars.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

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Program for Unique Holidays: October 2023

Program for Unique Holidays: October 2023

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your October holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our September 2023 holidays list, click here.

October 4: National Golf Lover’s Day

There’s a lot of focus on the growth of pickleball in the US and Canada. However, there’s another sport that has been experiencing sizable growth: golf.

Owing in part to the explosive popularity of concepts like TopGolf and Drive Shack, more people have been getting into golf. The past few years has seen “0ff-course” golfers convert to off-and-on-course golfers. If you have golf simulators, Golden Tee, or operate a sports bar or golf-focused concept, this is your holiday!

October 5: National Get Funky Day

Funky rums, funky agate spirits… If there was ever a day to introduce your guests to the funky spirits in your inventory, it’s National Get Funky Day.

October 6: Inbox Zero Day

We can all use a reason to unplug and take a personal day. Hey, the start of October is a great reason to encourage your guests to make their emails as read and spend that personal day at your restaurant or bar.

October 11: Southern Food Heritage Day

Chicken-fried steak. Biscuits and gravy. Southern barbecue. BBQ pulled pork. Fried catfish. There are a nearly endless number of incredible Southern food menu items you can showcase and put your stamp on during this holiday.

October 14: National Motorcycle Ride Day

Yes, I’m including this holiday because I’ve gotten into motorcycles over the past couple of years. However, my motives aren’t entirely selfish. Becoming a go-to spot for groups of guests on bikes can be lucrative.

Just make your menu has plenty of low- and no-alcohol options.

October 16: National Liqueur Day

Not only are there a multitude of liqueurs that pair well with fall flavors, they’re perfect for creating low-ABV sips. Reverse cocktails are a great way to appeal to guests looking for easy-drinking, sessionable sips. And they just happen to be excellent for creating LTO cocktail menus.

October 20: International Chefs Day

If there was ever a day to let your chef and his brigade show off, here it is. Let them create a seasonal prix fixe or LTO menu that shows your guests why your team is the best in the area.

October 21: Apple Day

When temperatures drop and we finally find ourselves in the fall, the pumpkin spice descends upon us. The past couple of years, those menu items haven’t even had the courtesy of waiting for summer to end before making their first appearances.

Well, pumpkin spice isn’t the only fall flavor people want when the weather gets cooler. Sure, PSLs are popular, but you should also be highlighting apple on your food and drink menus.

October 22: National Make a Dog’s Day

There are a couple of ways to make a dog’s day. You and your team can help organize an adoption event and help dogs find their forever homes. (Don’t worry, I’m not going to be “funny” and say furever homes instead.)

If your bar or restaurant has a clean outdoor area, you can also encourage guests to bring them dogs. Have plenty of water and dog-friendly treats available to make their day.

October 30: Mischief Night

Also known as Devil’s Night, particularly in Detroit, Mischief Night is all about cutting loose. Well, most bars are the perfect place for people to cut loose and unwind.

Of course, we don’t want people to vandalize the bar or set fire to anything, so make sure you’re encouraging guests to party and not be malicious toward one another or the community.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

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Program for Unique Holidays: September ’23

Program for Unique Holidays: September 2023

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your September holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our August 2023 holidays list, click here.

September 4: Eat an Extra Dessert Day

Do you know what’s better than one dessert? Okay, yes, I know that you know I’m going to say two desserts.

On this holiday, highlight your desserts and encourage your guests to indulge, treating themselves to at least two.

September 5: Be Late for Something Day

Look, none of us are perfect. We’ve all been late for something, and each of us will be late for something in the future.

There’s no reason your guests can’t be late for something on September 5, taking the time to enjoy another bite or another drink (responsibly, of course).

September 8: National Ampersand Day

Pairings. Combos. Flights. LTOs. Restaurants and bars practically run on the word “and,” or the humble ampersand. Celebrate the ampersand by creating an LTO menu of enticing pairings and combos.

September 14: National Eat a Hoagie Day

If I have to tell you what to feature on this day…just wow. One word of caution, however: Make sure you’re making authentic hoagies, not just any sandwich.

September 15: National Cheese Toast Day

Whether you and your guests call it rarebit, cheese on toast, a toasted cheese sandwich, or a grilled cheese, this is the day to put your cheese toast in the spotlight. Bonus: This is also National Grenache Day, so come up with a toasted cheese sandwich that pairs well with this wine varietal.

September 16: National Guacamole Day

Sure, you can serve a guacamole you order from your food supplier. Or you can create your own signature guacamole (or guacamoles) and prepare it table- or bar-side.

As an example, when I make guacamole I like to add a bit of orange or grapefruit juice, along with lime juice. Nothing groundbreaking, but it adds a nice bit of zip.

September 22: Car Free Day

Encourage your staff and guests—if feasible, of course—to forego their cars, trucks, and SUVs and use alternative methods of travel to your venue. Bicycles, skateboards, EVs, scooters, motorcycles (lower emissions than cars), walking…anything but a traditional automobile.

September 25: Better Breakfast Day

Do you know where the people in your community can get a better breakfast? I really hope you said, “My restaurant/bar!”

September 27: National Crush a Can Day

I’m sure you have more than just a few “crushable” or sessionable beverages on your menu. Whether beer, canned cocktail, canned wine, or other canned RTD, this is the day to make your guests aware of your crushable menu items.

September 30: National Hot Mulled Cider Day

With summer over, cold-weather drinks will be the order of the day. So, get your hot mulled cider dialed in and feature it on your menu.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

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Drink Donnybrook: Let’s Talk Mai Tai

Drink Donnybrook: Let’s Talk Mai Tai

by David Klemt

Bartender serving a tiki cocktail

Is there a Mai Tai in there? Maybe…?

There are two big drink holidays coming up in August for your programming pleasure, and the best part is that they both play incredibly well with one another.

One of these holidays you can create a promotion around is National Rum Day, August 16. This year, this spirit-forward holiday falls on a Wednesday. Hey, who couldn’t use a rum drink on Hump Day?

The other is more specific, celebrating a particular drink: August 30, also known as Mai Tai Day. Hey, what do you know—this cocktail holiday also falls on a Wednesday in 2023! It’s almost like these two festive days are exactly two weeks apart or something…

As you’re likely already deducing, these days are related: rum is the base for a Mai Tai. So, creating an LTO around this classic tiki drink gives operators the opportunity to celebrate for two weeks straight, or at least for two weekends. That means it’s also an excellent way to bid August farewell and prepare for the fall.

Controversy!

Scandal! Strife! Squabble! Other words that are synonymous with controversy!

Not only has there been a bit of a debate regarding the creator of the Mai Tai, there has been debate about the day we celebrate this classic cocktail.

Oh, and there’s been plenty of debate over specs. And there will likely be bickering over the correct build forever.

But back to the day we celebrate the Mai Tai. If you Google “National Mai Tai Day” or “Mai Tai Day,” you’ll likely see there’s debate over the correct date.

For a while at least, there were people claiming that National Mai Tai Day is June 30. Well, two crucial sources say that’s flat-out wrong: Trader Vic’s and the City of Oakland, California.

Some people may shrug at that first source, given that there’s still some debate over the drink’s inventor. However, in 2009, Rebecca Kaplan, an at-large councilmember of the city of Oakland, declared August 30 to be Mai Tai Day officially.

Fighting Words

Want to make some cocktail history and bartender nerds heads explode? Just say that Donn Beach, also known as “Don the Beachcomber,” is the father of the Mai Tai.

That should all but guarantee a donnybrook with whomever you target with that statement.

However, unlike the Martini, Piña Colada, and Whiskey Sour, we have a (mostly) definitive answer to the question of who created the Mai Tai.

While there are some who say that Don the Beachcomber created the Mai Tai in 1933, it would be more accurate to say that he created the predecessor of the Mai Tai. Cocktail historians who back Trader Vic as the inventor of this classic would agree.

You see, Don the Beachcomber created a drink called the QB Cooler, and historians say, perhaps generously, that Trader Vic was riffing on Don’s drink when he invented the Mai Tai in 1944. Now, if you really want to kick the donnybrook up a notch, perhaps turn it into a slugfest, see who thinks the Mai Tai tastes like the QB Cooler and which think they taste completely different. Fun times.

Then there’s this: It’s possible we don’t know the exact original recipe for the Mai Tai. Famously—or infamously, if we want to be dramatic—it’s said that Trader Vic never shared his actual specs with anyone. One could argue, then, that nobody has ever had the “real” version if they didn’t drink one made for them by Trader Vic himself. He’ll have passed 30 years ago in October of 2024, so I’m not sure how many people in the industry currently can say Trader Vic made them a Mai Tai personally.

Authentic or Abomination?

Did you read the caption underneath the image at the top of this article? If not, wow—thanks.

If so, you’ll recall that I ask if the drink in the tiki mug in the image contains a Mai Tai. And I answer my own question indicating that, at best, I can only say “maybe.”

Sure, it’s being served in a tiki drinkware, so one could argue that there’s a tiki drink in there. The Mai Tai, as we know, is a tiki classic. The drink is also garnished with mint, which is correct.

But then we look at the rest of the garnish: a raspberry and what appears to be desiccated orange. Oh, and a Mai Tai should be served in a double rocks glass.

Of course, bartenders around the world serve cocktails in drinkware that deviates from the “right” vessel. However, the proper garnish is mint and a lime wheel…to the best of our knowledge.

Ultimately, guests decide with their dollars whether they believe a bar makes them the “right” Mai Tai. You and your bar team will need to dial in a signature version if you want your bar to be known for its Mai Tai, and perhaps come up with a great riff or two.

The Original…Maybe

The original recipe, cocktail historians and drink nerds believe, is:

  • 1 oz. Light rum
  • 1 oz. Dark rum
  • Fresh lime juice (keep half of the squeezed lime’s shell)
  • 0.5 oz. Orange curaçao
  • 0.25 oz. Orgeat
  • 0.25 oz. Simple syrup
  • 1 cup Crushed ice
  • Fresh mint sprig to garnish
  • Lime wheel to garnish

Fill a shaker with crushed ice and add the light rum, lime juice, curaçao, simple, and orgeat. In other words, hold back the dark rum! Shake for a few seconds and pour the contents into a double rocks glass. If you want to be fancy, add fresh crushed ice to the double rocks glass and strain the shaker into it. Float the dark rum, then garnish and serve.

Technically, a bartender should use J. Wray & Nephew rum…but a bottle, if one can be found, goes for at least $50,000 last I checked. Bartenders should also refrain from adding pineapple juice, orange juice, or grapefruit juice. And they shouldn’t garnish with cherries or pineapple wedges. But, here we are; all of those things and more happen.

Oh, there are also tequila, mezcal, amaro, and whiskey versions, plus riffs made with avocado and variants that call for an array of bitters. What you do with this information is up to you and your bar team.

Image: Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels

KRG Hospitality. Bar Consultant. Nightclub. Lounge. Mixology. Cocktails.

"Think about things differently" neon sign
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: August 2023

Program for Unique Holidays: August 2023

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your August holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our July 2023 holidays list, click here.

August 4: International Beer Day

In and of itself, International Beer Day isn’t a unique or obscure holiday. However, with the vast array of brewers, beer styles, and beers on offer around the world, it can be a day to highlight unique and obscure beers.

This is one of the best holidays for you to make your guests aware of your more exclusive or lesser-known beer selections.

August 5: National Jamaican Patty Day

If your kitchen has the capability to make delicious pastries, this is a fantastic holiday. A Jamaican patty consists of layered, flaky crust wrapped around jerk chicken, beef, pork, or vegetables mixed with spices. These are delicious, great with a refreshing drink, and perfect for sharing. Oh, and you and your kitchen can decide how hot or mild to make the spices. Just make sure the flavors are authentic and that you honor the culture.

August 7: British Columbia Day, Heritage Day, Natal Day, New Brunswick Day, Ontario Civic Holiday, Saskatchewan Day, and Terry Fox Day

In order, these are holidays celebrated in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Depending on the province, this is either a  guaranteed three-day holiday or a Monday that businesses can choose to give their employees off. That means for the most part, there’s plenty of opportunity to leverage a long weekend in seven provinces throughout Canada, perfect for highlighting food and drink promotions.

This also means that operators across America can feature F&B specials that celebrate their neighbors to the north. Get creative!

August 11: Play in the Sand Day

Should you be a beach- or lakefront property or otherwise located on sand, this is your time to shine. Set up games like cornhole, giant Jenga, and giant Connect Four, create an LTO menu that encourages groups to come socialize at your bar or restaurant, and celebrate in the sand.

August 16: National Rum Day

Again, this isn’t an unknown holiday. However, you can ensure you stand out on National Rum Day by getting your hands on unique bottles, such as funky rum styles and high-age-stagement expressions.

August 17: National Nonprofit Day

Do you, your guests, and your team support any nonprofits? If so, this is an excellent way to bring people together and raise some money for worthy causes. Further, National Nonprofit Day provides you with an opportunity to show your community that you care and give back.

August 22: National Bao Day

Much like National Jamaican Patty Day, National Bao Day gives you and your kitchen the opportunity to create fun foods that will excite and delight your guests. Just ensure your kitchen staff is up to the task of creating these delicious, steamed buns.

August 27: National Just Because Day

Have an idea for a promotion that doesn’t quite fit with anything on the calendar? This is the perfect day to let it rip!

August 29: National Lemon Juice Day

Lemon juice is a key ingredient for an incredible number of cocktails. So, shine a light on all the heavy lifting this citrus does in drinks! One way to accomplish this is by creating an LTO of your guests’ favorite drinks that feature lemon juice.

August 31: Eat Outside Day

Have outside seating? Have the capability of bringing food trucks into your parking lot or just outside your business? I think you know where I’m going with this, and what to do.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

KRG Hospitality Start-Up Restaurant Bar Hotel Consulting Consultant Solutions Plans Services

"Think about things differently" neon sign
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: July 2023

Program for Unique Holidays: July 2023

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your July holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our June 2023 holidays list, click here.

July 5: Workaholics Day

Great bars and restaurants offer escapes from the drudgery and negativity of the rest of the world. On this day, encourage those who can step away from work to actually do so.

Barring getting workaholics to play hooky, come up with an LTO menu that’ll inspire them to at least pop by to unwind after a hard day’s work.

July 6: World Kissing Day

There are quite a few cocktails with “kiss” in the title, and these are the drinks you should use to program for this holiday.

The Kiss cocktail, for example, is a gin cocktail with Dubonnet, sweet vermouth, and Luxardo maraschino liqueur. The Widow’s Kiss consists of apple brandy, Yellow Chartreuse, Bénédictine, and Angostura bitters. In other words, it’s not difficult to celebrate this holiday through your drink menu.

July 7: Dive Bar Day

It’s difficult to beat a dive or neighborhood bar when you’re looking for a great time with friends. If you’re a dive or neighborhood bar operator, this is your day.

July 11: National Cheer Up the Lonely Day

Look, the past few years have isolated far too many of us. People are lonely, and this isolation isn’t doing anyone’s mental health any favors.

Bars and restaurants are cornerstones of their communities, so this is an excellent day to encourage people to come in, grab a bite and a drink, and try to make some new friends.

July 13: National French Fry Day

When a French fry is done right, when it’s hot with a crunchy exterior and creamy interior, it’s a perfect food. If you think your team makes amazing French fries, brag about it on social and prove it to your guests.

Better yet, this is a great day to show off your French fry skills with signature loaded versions.

July 14: National Nude Day

Unless you’re running an incredibly niche concept with excellent community and guest support, please don’t celebrate National Nude Day with nudity.

Instead, draw guests in through an enticing LTO menu. You can, for example, highlight your bar team’s prowess for creating the Naked & Famous cocktail, a mezcal cocktail made with Aperol and Yellow Chartreuse. Of course, there’s also the Porn Star Martini, along with other cocktails with names that imply nudity.

July 20: National Moon Day

It may seem like this holiday is related to the previous one, but please behave. You and your guests can celebrate Earth’s sole natural satellite via cocktails.

Not only are there drinks like the Moon cocktail (made with gin and sherry), you can also offer blue, purple, and black cocktails served with large ice cubes.

July 25: Culinarians Day

Are you proud of your kitchen team? Proud of the culinarians that are working hard to make your restaurant a success? This is the day to highlight the mastery of their craft and your signature menu items.

Alternatively, if you can afford to do so, you can also go dark on this day to give your culinary team a break.

July 28: National Get Gnarly Day

If you have some “out there” menu items, this is the day to highlight them. Do you have a food challenge? Promote it! Have some “interesting” bottles in your inventory? Promote them!

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

KRG Hospitality menu development. Restaurant. Bar. Cafe. Lounge. Hotel. Resort. Food. Drinks.

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