10 Date Night Promotion Ideas To Drive Couples to Your Restaurant

By Raubi Perilli

      Dec 29, 2021     Solutions    

Your restaurant needs to stand out to attract new customers and keep existing customers coming back for more. One way to do that is by offering date night promotions that make customers think of your restaurant every time they need to plan a romantic night out.  

Marketing your restaurant as a place to have a date night is something a lot of businesses think about around Valentine’s Day. But, it's something you can think about all year.  

Customers need places to celebrate anniversaries and date nights year around.  

Date night promotions are a way to go deep with restaurant marketing and get customers to think of you when they have a specific night they want to plan. It can keep your restaurant sales funnel filled by turning your business into a place that offers food in addition to a special, romantic experience.  

Here are a few ways to attract more date nights to your restaurant.

10 Romantic Date Night Restaurant Promotion Ideas

Use these date night restaurant promotion ideas to make customers think about your business anytime they need to plan a romantic night out.

#1) Build a date night page on your website.

Customers won’t plan a date night at your restaurant if they don’t know you have the ability to host one. Let them know by first creating a “date night” page on your website. Create a landing page that shows why your restaurant is a good place to celebrate a romantic night and use long-tail keywords that can attract search traffic when customers search for phrases like:  

  • Romantic restaurants
  • Date night spots
  • Anniversary dinners
  • Proposal spots
  • Restaurants with sunset views

#2) Get added to local “best of” lists.

Another way to help customers discover your restaurant as a great date night spot is by getting it to appear in local “best of” lists. Do your own search for “best date night spots” in your city. Reach out to publications and blogs to try and get your location added to their list. Check out the Local Area Site in your city and get your restaurant added to romantic restaurant round-ups.

#3) Create a couple’s special.

Update your menu to include a special offering that appeals to couples. Add a dinner-for-two option that gives customers an appetizer, two dinners, and a dessert. Take it one step further and create a tasting menu that includes multiple courses. If you run a more casual restaurant, offer a two-for-one menu item that is perfect for couples on date night.

#4) Partner with another business.

See how you can make a romantic night extend beyond your restaurant. Look to other nearby businesses to partner and offer a special package for couples or date nights. For example, partner with a massage studio so customers can get dinner and a discount on a couples massage. Or, partner with a flower shop so customers can order flowers to sit on the table during their night out.

#5) Add events to local calendars.

As you build out special deals or events for couples, add it to local events calendars. People aren’t only looking for romantic nights during Valentine’s Day. Reach customers who are looking to celebrate special occasions all year by adding your events to Local Area Site event calendars. Add your business, and promote your event in your local community for free.

#6) Help couples celebrate special occasions.

When customers come to your restaurant to celebrate a date night, make it an extra special night for them. Place candles on the table or offer a free dessert when it’s an anniversary or special occasion. To find out if couples have anything to celebrate, ask when taking reservations. Train your team to ask on the phone or add a select field on online reservations.  

Related: 7 Effective Low-Cost Marketing Ideas for Restaurants

#7) Use your customer data to send targeted messages.

Use what you know about your customers to send them messages about date night promotions at your restaurant. When you collect customer contact information, ask for an anniversary date. When the date of the anniversary is approaching, send an email or text inviting the customer to schedule a special dinner.  

Related: Best Email Marketing Ideas to Increase Your Sales  

#8) Invite a local influencer to experience date night for themselves.

Let customers see how special a date night at your restaurant is. Highlight it by using local influencer marketing. Invite a local social media influencer or blogger to come in and try your date night specials and ask them to share their experience with their followers.  

Related: Instagram Marketing for Restaurants: 10 Tips for Reaching More Customers

#9) Create a memorable photo op.

Another way to use social media to spread the word about your date night spot is by creating a romantic photo op. Allow couples to capture a memory from their special night out while also giving them a reason to highlight your restaurant on social media. Create a special backdrop or food display that customers will want to photograph and share.

#10) Get reviews.

Reviews work double time as you promote your restaurant as a date night spot. For one, customers like to see a decent amount of reviews before visiting a restaurant. Additionally, reviews with words like "date night," "great sunset spot," and "romantic" can help your restaurant show up when customers search on Google. Encourage customers to leave reviews after their night out.  

Read More: How to Get Customer Reviews and Why Every Business Must Have Them

Drive More Date Night Customers to Your Restaurant

Put these date night promotion ideas in place so customers think of you first when planning a romantic night out. Then, consider how you can do it for other experiences.  

When thinking about how to attract more customers to your restaurant, put yourself in their shoes. What kind of nights are they planning? What would make your restaurant stand out over others? How can you offer a targeted, elevated experience to make customers choose you over another restaurant?  

If you need help with creating special new promotions and marketing campaigns for your restaurant, MyArea Network is here to help. Schedule your free call today to see how we can use our local marketing strategies to make nearby customers think of you first when planning an evening out. 

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