A Different 4th of July
This 4th of July is looking a lot different than last years. With the widespread administering of the COVID-19 vaccine throughout the United States, regulations are being lifted and less restricting. It looks like we are back to having hot dogs, fireworks and a sense of normalcy! At UBMe we are especially excited to see restaurants opening back up to full capacity and having the opportunity to celebrate the 4th of July this year with everyone!
We have compiled a list of fun and unique activities and events that your restaurant can conduct to bring in new customers this weekend and host the ultimate 4th of July weekend!
Pups on the Patio
Have you noticed an increased amount of pups dining outdoors lately? ‘Pups on the Patio’ is an up and coming trend for restaurants that offer outdoor dining. People LOVE dining out with their pups, so make sure to offer this on a specific night of the week. It’s also a great idea to instruct staff to offer to take photos of customers and their pooches for your social media – who doesn’t like to be photographed?
Hot Dog Eating Contest Viewing Party
ESPN hosts a hotdog eating contest every year and believe it or not, SO many people tune in! It would be a great time to host a viewing party while providing customers with hot dogs – maybe even host your own Hot Dog Eating contest!
Fireworks!
No, we don’t mean have actual fireworks go off in the restaurant. This weekend is the perfect time to host a firework watching! Find out when your town or city is having fireworks go off and keep your restaurant open past that time. There’s nothing more enjoyable than having a great meal while watching a firework show. If your community does not have local fireworks, put A Capitol Fourth on TV and let viewers enjoy viewing the display at our Nation’s Capitol!
Host a Picnic/BBQ
Does your restaurant have a great outdoor area? Put some picnic blankets or tablecloths out, condiments in little baskets and have festive decorations displayed! A little goes a long way, and people love feeling like they’re a part of a celebration. Throwing an old-fashioned picnic can be the perfect way to get the community involved! Provide some hot dogs for the kiddos and you have yourself a family-friendly event!
Patriotic-Themed Foods
What’s your restaurant known for? Can any aspect of it be red, white or blue? Throwing some themed-food into the mix is sure to steal the show! Not to mention, it photographs really well and you will definitely get customers posting about it.
4th of July Photos
With everyone’s Instagram feeds falling short during the pandemic, we all need a reason to post! By providing some cute and fun photo ops for people to enjoy, you’re giving your customers a way to promote your restaurant! Tell customers to tag your restaurant in their photos, or have your restaurant’s name featured prominently. You can even come up with your own restaurant hashtag!
Games to Keep Customers Hanging Out, Eating and Drinking
Who doesn’t love to play games? Ladder golf, disc golf, beanbags or horseshoes are some fun, inexpensive games you can invest in to get customers channeling their inner kid again. The longer people stay, the more food and drinks they’re going to buy, so this is a win-win strategy!
Tastings
Give your customers a ‘taste’ of what they’re missing out on! Featuring a wine, beer or cocktail tasting is a great way to entice your customers to buy more and stay longer!
Live Band or Music
Nothing gets a party started like great music! If you don’t want to bring in some local talent, put on a great playlist, grab a speaker and you’re all set and ready to party! If your customers love the atmosphere, they’re sure to stay longer and provide more service to your restaurant.
Enhancing Your Restaurant Service for Busier Times to Come
While the summer is sure to be a busy time for restaurants, it’ll only continue to get busier with capacities increasing! It is critical that your restaurant is kept up-to-date on technology and that includes having top online ordering and printing of orders. At UBMe, we provide free online ordering to restaurants. In addition, we have partnered with Star Micronics to provide automatic printing of orders to restaurant kitchens. The combination of these two technologies saves restaurants significant time AND money. It is important to have the right systems in place at your restaurant, and by utilizing UBMe and Star Micronics, you will see results you are not disappointed in!
Happy 4th!
We hope you found these tips helpful and are excited to host an epic 4th of July weekend! There are many ways to host a wonderful party and we are so excited to see what you come up with! If you took any of these ideas and have a great turn-out, tag us on Instagram, we’d love to see what you come up with! Take care, stay safe and Happy 4th of July!