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Many pubs are family-friendly, sociable, welcoming locations, and many of them offer restaurant-quality food... and there's no time of year more suited to family-friendly sociability than Christmas.
It's no surprise that more and more guests are opting to go to pubs for their Christmas meals - bookings for Christmas day lunches are up 12% on last year alone. For operators, Christmas Day offers potential and pitfalls unlike any other day of the year. Guests are merry and in high spirits, but their expectations are high too.
Think outside the (gift) box
Many pubs are doing interesting, innovative things with their Christmas offerings. For instance, Whiting and Hammond installed heated Tiki huts, staffed by a dedicated butler. It's an ingenious way to make use of outdoor space all year long, and there's nothing more Christmassy than spending long evenings chatting with your friends, wrapped in a blanket and drinking mulled wine under the stars. This has made a visit to one of their sites very memorable!
God rest ye, merry gentlemen
To succeed, operators need to make sure they, and their teams, understand exactly why guests are coming to them for Christmas. It's not just about the food- although obviously, that also needs to be done well. It's about relaxing. Christmas guests need the experience to be effortless. No washing up and cooking is only the start; they want to focus solely on enjoying the company of their loved ones, whilst the professionals deal with everything else. With both expectations and emotions running high, it doesn't take much to accidently turn a guest into a Grinch. Your brand guidelines and operational framework need to be watertight, to ensure as smooth a service as possible.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
On Christmas day, there's no such thing as too much good cheer. Team members need to be feeling as festive as the guests, warm and welcoming, chatting to them with ease and building a genuine rapport with them. Guests want to feel as comfortable when dining out as they would in their own home. They want and expect all of this, as well as no rushing around their kitchen trying to find the cranberry sauce!
With efficiency behind the scenes, and enthusiasm in front of the guests, every guest will leave you as jolly and cheerful as Saint Nick himself. This will make a great impression on many people, ready for the year ahead.
