An old Irish proverb states that “hindsight is the best insight to foresight.” Restaurant and bar operators would be well advised, then, to lend an ear to industry veterans offering tips in advance of St. Patrick’s Day.
After all, March 17 offers the opportunity for big profits – assuming operators plan accordingly.
“St. Patrick’s Day is essentially Black Friday for bars and restaurants,” said Joe Hannon, GM, inventory and sales at Restaurant 365. “Staffing needs to be dialed in. Service must be seamless.
“This isn’t the day for new hires to learn on the fly. Crowds will arrive in waves,” Hannon told The Food Institute.
While St. Patrick’s Day shifts can be intense for employees, there also must be an element of fun. Otherwise, an establishment’s vibe won’t feel festive.
“From theme décor and table toppers promoting deals to uniforms or details like providing customers with green sunglasses or wigs … a little effort can go a long way,” said Zech Francis, SVP global marketing at BeatBox Beverages.
Mastering the Menu
The biggest mistake many venues make on St. Patrick’s Day is assuming a full house equals a profitable day. That’s a short-sighted approach.
“In reality, volume-driven days often lead to low-margin sales, kitchen bottlenecks, and staff burnout,” noted Kaveh Vahdat, president of RiseOpp. “Operators should shift focus from crowd size to check size. That means building high-margin, limited-time food offerings.”
To make March 17 as profitable as possible, bars and restaurants should consider creating a holiday menu highlighted by classic Irish dishes and seasonal drinks, Hannon noted.
“Take traditional Irish dishes and modernize them – think corned beef tacos, or shepherd’s pie sliders. These options are easy to share and could bring a new level of excitement.”
Promoting the Vibes of March
Industry insiders feel it’s imperative to lean into cost-effective marketing strategies this time of year to drive both awareness and sales.
Email marketing and social media campaigns should tease establishments’ special offerings by utilizing enticing visuals. The marketing campaigns should also offer exclusive deals and tap into local partnerships and influencers to expand reach.
The campaigns could even feature a QR code that links to a holiday menu. Additionally:
“Everybody loves freebies, so try handing out St. Patrick’s Day-themed items such as beer koozies at community events (ahead of time). Customize them with the date of your event and they’ll serve as gifts and branding tools,” said Shelley Grieshop, a member of the marketing team at Totally Promotional.
Preparing Employees
Quick, friendly service is always important during holiday business, but so is maintaining staff morale. As a result, experts like Hannon suggest that managers check in regularly with employees during St. Patrick’s Day shifts and encourage short breaks when possible.
In other words, keep employees’ energy levels high.
“Schedule staff in shorter shifts to maintain their energy and efficiency,” said Andrea Abbondanza, the CEO of SEO for Restaurants.
“It’s important to have 30 percent more staff on deck than a typical weekend to ensure smooth operations.”
6 Additional Tips for St. Patrick’s Day
Industry experts feel the following, often overlooked steps can help establishments make March 17 a success:
- Use data from past years to estimate demand
- Update recipe costs
- Offer LTO cocktails (like an Irish Coffee Martini)
- Play high-energy music to encourage interaction
- Schedule a manager, or floater, during peak hours
- Create an employee contest for upselling
With such high consumer demand on St. Patrick’s Day, “the goal isn’t just to survive the rush, but to create a seamless experience that brings customers back long after the holiday,” Hannon said.
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