restaurants

How to Add the Spirit of the Holidays to Your Dining Menu

Shaping Your Holiday Menu

There are always ways to add a few new items to your menu. It’s the holidays, and therefore people are expecting something a little different than what you always provide. You can incorporate a view of your favorite holiday flavors into the menus in order to “wow” your guests. This hopefully will also encourage a few people to try your restaurant for the first time because they like what they see on the menu.

Once you create new holiday flavors for the fall and winter, they may be so popular that you decide to incorporate various other holidays into your menu throughout the year. It can be something of a change so that people can explore what your chefs can do as opposed to ordering the same thing with each and every time they come to the restaurant. It may be just what you need in order to develop a higher level of customer loyalty.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is one of the most common flavors throughout the holidays. It starts with Halloween and goes all the way through Christmas. You may want to create a pumpkin pie or use the pumpkin in various other ways – such as creating ravioli, risotto, or something else. Pumpkin can also be used in bread, sauces, and plenty of other things – it’s simply a matter of getting creative.

Egg Nog

You probably aren’t going to cook with eggnog that much. This doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate it into your drink menu. You may be able to make a milkshake, a martini, or something else with it. You can also go with the traditional and mix it with some Southern comfort and sprinkle a little nutmeg on top so that people can enjoy a drink that reminds them of home.

Spices of the Season

Various spices of the season can be brought into your menu as well. Have your chef play around with some of the different spices, ranging from nutmeg to cinnamon. If you always create a dry rub for your chicken, try using a few of the different seasonal spices and see how it turns out. It can be just enough to make a difference on your menu that people will appreciate because you are getting in the holiday spirit.

The Dessert Menu

The dessert menu is where you may be able to have the best luck when it comes to incorporating some of the holiday flavors. For example, if you serve cheesecake on your menu, you may be able to offer a seasonal cheesecake flavor – ranging from pumpkin to eggnog to holiday mint. You may also decide to bake holiday cookies, or create a dessert that coordinates well with the cuisine that you offer throughout your everyday menu.