Valentine's Day is on the near horizon, and the number of Aussies celebrating it, is on the rise! Whether your customers are planning a romantic dinner on the 14th or a Galentine's Day celebration on the 13th, it's crucial to ensure your venue is ready to accommodate them. With these days falling on a Tuesday and Wednesday, you should anticipate busy weekends on either side as couples and friends gather for drinks or meals.

Whether you are in Sydney, Geelong or Perth, POS preparation and your restaurant in general should be ready for the romantic period that is coming. As always, we’ve got your back, so we’ve created some tips to help your venue navigate this Valentine’s Day and ensure your POS is ready.

Set Menus

A reported 68% of Aussies have stated that as a result of the cost of living pressures, they’re focusing more on the quality, rather than the quantity, of their dining experiences. Special occasions such as Valentine’s Day may see some people torn. They want to celebrate but they want it to be cost effective. This is your opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Preparing a set course menu themed to Valentines day can help your kitchen cope, minimise wastage and ensure the front of house experience is smooth as silk. This will help you reduce costs which can be passed on to patrons, PLUS you can theme the menu making it that little bit more special.

What we are saying is: Your venue can deliver an elevated experience for your customers and you can boost profits by introducing set menus for Valentine’s Day.

So how can you optimise your set menu?

• Choose dishes with shorter preparation times, ensuring a smooth service during peak hours.
• Maximise revenue by including highly profitable and eye-catching dishes that captivate customers.
• Dive into past years' reports to resurrect fan favourites, drawing customers in.
• Add a touch of romance by offering complimentary champagne on arrival, making every guest feel like royalty.

Once you have your set menu planned, you will want to make sure you have added these items in your POS system to help streamline the payment experience during your restaurants service.

Reservations

With customers seeking to book in advance, you want to ensure that this experience for them is seamless. If you're looking to implement a top reservation platform into your venue, Bepoz integrates with all industry leaders to provide a smooth customer journey:

• ResDiary
• SevenRooms
• OpenTable
• Now Book It
• Ivvy

By integrating one of the above reservation systems with your POS system, you can reduce the risk of no-shows, saving you from financial losses. You can easily set up deposits to discourage last-minute cancellations and even send out email and text reminders to ensure customer attendance.

As customers increasingly seek personalised experiences, reservation systems can help you deliver this level of detail. Start collecting customer data to target customers with tailored remarketing, helping turn first-time diners into loyal regulars.

Check Inventory

Get ready for Valentine’s Day week ahead of time and ensure your kitchen has everything it needs. There's nothing worse than your kitchen running out of an ingredient during service, requiring someone to rush off last minute to buy more stock.

Plan ahead and utilise your Bepoz POS reports to monitor your inventory. A good point-of-sale system will enable you to review your sales from the previous year so you can accurately restock your shelves, providing a more precise prediction of your venue's needs.

Gift Vouchers

Gift vouchers offer a fantastic opportunity to boost your profits and are particularly appealing for last-minute gift shoppers. In situations where diners have procrastinated their planning and find themselves without a reservation, promoting your vouchers for sale can be an excellent solution. This allows these customers to conveniently gift their loved ones with the flexibility to enjoy your restaurant at their leisure – even if it is not on February 14^th.

By offering vouchers for sale, you not only cater to the immediate needs of spontaneous shoppers but also cultivate potential future business through the recipients of these thoughtful gifts.

Promotions and Offers

Implementing promotions and special offers can significantly impact your customers' decision-making process, enticing them to choose your venue over others. In today's climate of rising living costs, customers are becoming increasingly mindful of their expenditures. Therefore, it's imperative to convey to your customers that you're offering them exceptional value, compelling them to dine with you.

Strategic planning is key. Take a close look at your inventory and identify any items that have been challenging to sell. You can leverage these items to craft enticing offers for your customers. For instance, offering a complimentary glass of champagne or a free dessert has become a common and effective practice in the industry. By strategically implementing such promotions, you not only enhance the perceived value of dining at your establishment but also create memorable experiences that keep customers coming back for more.

Offer a Special Dining Experience at Home

While your venue may have limited seating capacity, you can extend your service beyond your doors to reach customers who prefer to dine at home or enjoy a picnic outdoors. This presents an opportunity for your venue to offer more than just takeaway options, allowing customers at home to experience the ambiance of your establishment.

Consider implementing the following options to enhance the at-home dining experience:

• Create a special Valentine’s Day curated playlist that you can provide to your customers at home, allowing them to enjoy the same music played at your venue.
• Include complimentary candles to help set the scene at home and replicate the ambiance of your venue.
• Offer these customers a promotional deal, expressing your regret at not seeing them in person. For their next visit, they can enjoy a complimentary drink when dining in.

These small gestures can make a significant difference to your customers and contribute to building a positive reputation for your venue. Ensure that you are equipped to handle online orders by integrating your POS system with a third party like Deliverect streamlining the process for managing online orders seamlessly from multiple platforms.

Let Bepoz be your partner in creating magical moments this Valentine's Day. If your current POS system lacks any features mentioned, consider Bepoz as the solution to transform your business! Contact our team today!