SPECIAL OCCASION, EVENT AND HOLIDAY PLANNING GUIDE FOR Operators
SPECIAL OCCASION PLANNING AND PROMOTIONS TIMELINE AND CHECKLIST
6 Weeks Out
- □ Review SDLY sales, orders and labor needs for the event
- □ Collect any time off requests and availability updates from your staff
- □ Discuss menu items and formats with your Food Fanatics® Chef
- □ Discuss product availability with your sales rep
- □ Discuss menu profitability
- □ Finalize menu and packaging needs
- □ Identify any special occasion plating and serveware needs
- □ Determine a marketing budget for the event or occasion
TOOLS TO HELP YOU MAKE IT EASY
Check out our Core Essentials Equipment Guide to see what you can add to your next shipment
Book a free 1:1 appointment with a Restaurant Operations Consultant
5 Weeks Out
- □ Plan a social media promotion strategy to drive customer orders
- □ Hold a photo shoot to gather at least 10 images of your offerings
- □ Determine marketing collateral and digital image creation
- □ Create partnerships for cross-promotion
- □ Bring in product to begin testing and training
- □ Determine available ordering methods and cut-off dates
- □ Determine any incentives or rewards associated with special events
- □ Talk to the landlord about creating designated curbside/pickup spots
TOOLS TO HELP YOU MAKE IT EASY
Check out our keys to an effective social media campaign here
Contact US Foods Menu for branded image support
Implement Digital Training through ExpandShare to ensure consistency
Book a free 1:1 appointment with a Restaurant Operations Consultant
4 Weeks Out
- □ Launch the social media campaign on Facebook, Instagram and Google
- □ Add a special event or menu splash page to your website
- □ Add items to POS and any online ordering platforms
- □ Make any needed adjustments to your reservation platform
- □ Provide FOH training for call-in orders and upsell opportunities
TOOLS TO HELP YOU MAKE IT EASY
Upgrade your website with BentoBox
Toast POS makes adding new items easy
Make Reservation Management a breeze with Resy
Get training videos from Expandshare
3 Weeks Out
- □ Continue social media campaign strategy
- □ Begin using printed marketing collateral
- □ Send an email blast or SMS text message to your database
- □ Begin to order product based on pre-orders
- □ Provide BOH training on food safety and food packaging standards
TOOLS TO HELP YOU MAKE IT EASY
Contact a ChowNow Restaurant Success Manager to help build an email or SMSl campaign
Get training videos from Expandshare
2 Weeks Out
- □ Continue social media campaign strategy
- □ Begin to write thank you cards for all orders
- □ Provide FOH training on special occasion workflow and expo
1 Week Out
- □ Continue social campaign strategy
- □ Post on Facebook and Instagram daily with a sense of urgency
- □ Send a reminder email to database
- □ Check inventory levels of needed products and place order
TOOLS TO HELP YOU MAKE IT EASY
Contact a ChowNow Restaurant Success Manager to help build an email or SMSl campaign
Day Before
- □ Ensure you are fully staffed and stocked with all products
DAY OF
- □ Post on social channels to move last-minute inventory
- □ Place a test order on your POS/online ordering/third-party platforms
- □ Review your daily order summary and print production prep sheet
- □ Provide BOH Pre-shift refresh training on critical temp checks and packaging
- □ Provide FOH Pre-shift refresh training on curbside/pick up process
TOOLS TO HELP YOU MAKE IT EASY
DAY After
- □ Share thank you post on social channels
- □ Share tagged content from customers on social channels
- □ Remove event content from website, if not automated