How to Make the Most of Valentine’s Day

Create a Special Menu

Many guests will be looking for a fine dining experience for their Valentine’s Day meal, which provides pub owners with a great upgrade opportunity. As guests are often willing to spend a little extra on Valentine’s Day, pub owners can afford to offer more premium dishes which they might not usually get away with. These dishes should showcase the pub so that guests are left eager to revisit and try the regular menu. Pub owners could simply update the specials board with Valentine’s Day themed dishes and add-on plates. Or perhaps activate the new dishes with a set menu, at a set price, to guarantee spend per head.

Perfect a Premium Drinks List

Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion for pub owners to up sell on their drinks list. Sparkling wine, such as Prosecco, Cava or Champagne is likely to be a popular choice for  guests; according to the Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA), the UK’s sparkling wine trade has enjoyed rapid growth in the last five years with volume sales up 89% and up 206% by value. Pubs could extend this upgrade opportunity for the whole of February by selecting a Valentine’s Day inspired ‘wine of the month’.

Although fizz is usually associated with special occasions, it is clear from recent trends that this is now a drink enjoyed all year round. Therefore, pub owners could consider ways to enhance the premium serve e.g Prosecco Cocktails, or discover opportunities in other key categories, such as gin.

Discount Vs Added Value Promotions

Discount deals have long been used for driving business to a brand. When planned carefully, discount offers can be a great way to drive footfall into a pub. However, if used too often, guests will begin expect a discount each time they visit which can devalue the overall pub offer. Money-off deals tend to work better during slower trading periods when pubs are generally quieter e.g. mid-week, or January (using Christmas bounce back vouchers).

On Valentine’s Day, pubs are more likely to experience greater footfall without having to offer a discount. Therefore, a value-adding promotion, such as gifting, is a great way to give guests something extra special and create a USP.

Plan a Valentine’s Day Campaign

Planning an integrated marketing campaign can help pub owners combine the use of digital and traditional media, to effectively deliver their Valentine’s Day offer. Pub owners could start by listing the communication channels they already use e.g. posters, flyers, A-boards, website, social media, email.  Then, think about the Valentine’s Day message they want to communicate and ensure the message, tone of voice, and visual representation is consistent across all channels.