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Attributed to James Taft, UK Country Manager, Quandoo for Restaurants

Christmas can’t come soon enough for restaurants. Despite the challenges of rising costs and labour shortages this year, the festive season brings an opportunity to boost your revenue and kick off 2025 on a positive note.

To make the most of it, restaurants need an understanding of changing diner behaviour and customer expectations. Only then can they implement effective strategies.

Here are four cost-effective suggestions to help venues thrive during the festive period:

Look good online. The internet is often the first port of call for people looking for somewhere to dine out. While data from our Dining Out Trends Report shows that the majority of reservations are made less than a day in advance, Christmas is the exception: people are searching for options weeks ahead, so now is the time to work on boosting your online presence.

Make sure that your website and any other touchpoints are up-to-date and reflect consistent opening hours and menus. Quality photography can help to sell the experience and give diners a glimpse into what they can expect.

Marketplaces can also heighten visibility amongst new customers. There you can showcase any seasonal promotions and menus, and feature images of the venue in its full, festive glory.

Make reservations easy. Once diners have found you via a website, third-party platform, search engine, social media, or even Google Maps, an online reservation system presents a quick and easy method of managing bookings.

These systems help restaurants keep track of all types of reservations – online, phone, and in-person. This can be a challenge at the best of times, but even more so during the festive period, when your restaurant is busier for longer. Many platforms provide a real-time view of occupancy, with the ability to modify or remove existing bookings. Far more efficient than pen and paper!

Mitigate no-shows. The last thing you want during peak-time service is a table of eight not turning up. Implementing credit card capture or deposits for Christmas bookings can deter no-shows, as our Dining Out Trends Report confirms.

It’s a strategy that needs to be approached with caution: diners are 28% more likely to make a reservation when card details are not requested.

Venues need to consider what strategies work best for them and their customers. An alternative could be a 3-step confirmation process with automated email and SMS, followed up with a phone call if needed.

Allow flexibility. Our report also shows that cancellations frequently happen at the last minute, with over half taking place on the day of the booking. While not ideal, this is better than a no-show, so make it as easy as possible for customers to let you know if their plans have changed.

With live availability visible on online marketplaces, new diners can quickly book those spots if cancellations do happen, increasing your chances of re-selling tables and securing last-minute reservations.

Finally, being able to pivot and seat groups of varying sizes, which tend to be larger at Christmas, will help maximise revenue opportunities. Planning a layout that allows you to easily combine or separate tables as needed will mean you can accommodate a large booking, as well as smaller groups of walk-ins.

It’s not too late – and definitely not too early – to get your venue ready for Christmas. Making a few preparations now will help seize the opportunity and ensure the season runs smoothly for your restaurant, your team and your customers.