Marketing for restaurant delivery is a tricky mix of strategy and timing. Throw in a need for creativity (who’s going to come up with weekly topics and track what’s relevant) and it can be tough for restaurant owners and operators to find time in their busy schedules to find ways to promote their eatery.

But the fact is, marketing remains one of the most important tasks on your to-do list because it’s the easiest way to keep your diners engaged and your restaurant top of mind.

For instance, pairing promotions with a boosted social media presence can help generate business and put guests in seats. Or, as this case may be in modern times, directing them toward your online ordering platform so they can score some delivery.

Restaurant delivery is on the rise. More than 18 million orders were placed on Grubhub in 2022, and online ordering is growing 300% faster than in-house dining. By 2024, online food delivery service is projected to be a $32 billion industry. It pays to master your digital ordering strategy now.

Capitalizing on consumer trends can help drive diners to your restaurant.

National holidays with the most orders

It’s all about national holidays – and we don’t just mean Christmas and Fourth of July. National food holidays and unofficial top restaurant delivery days like mega sporting events and primetime for restaurants looking to amplify off-premise orders. 

Take a look at the national holidays that bring the most orders to restaurants and learn how you can promote them to capture more hungry diners.

1. New Year’s Day

Nothing lulls regrets from the previous year more than a good hearty meal, according to Grubhub diners. Over 660,000 orders were placed on Grubhub on New Year’s Day in 2022. It can pay to double down on delivery in the new year as many customers don’t want to leave their house on the day off to get a meal. And having a delivery partner like Grubhub can help take the stress of coordinating deliveries off your plate.

The holiday season is a great time to roll out a seasonal menu that incorporates festive favorites. Perfecting a seasonal menu can help make your restaurant stand out as customers tend to appreciate flavors that correspond with the time of year. Consider creating a New Year’s Day brunch menu that can cure any hangover – incorporating comforting favorites like french toast, pancakes, fresh fruit and home fries. 

2. Mother’s Day

For decades, Mother’s Day has been the most popular day for people to dine out. The holiday gives a perfect excuse to ditch the home cooking and take mom out for a nice meal. However, in recent years families don’t need to leave their house in order to get a five-star meal for the guest of honor. 

Over 616,000 diners decided to get a restaurant meal for mom in 2022. Families are eager to celebrate the ladies in their lives with delicious food that nobody in the house has to cook themselves.

Read our Mother’s Day guide to see the plethora of ways to play into that excitement, including Mother’s Day restaurant specials and promo ideas like tucking kid-friendly extras such as stickers and coloring sheets into delivery bags. Don’t forget to use social media and your email list to let people know what you’ve got planned for the holiday.

3. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on the third Monday of January. This federal holiday honors Dr. King’s legacy of social justice and equity. MLK Day is also a National Day of Service that encourages Americans to volunteer to improve their communities in honor of Dr. King.

While this holiday brings thousands of orders to restaurants, it’s also a time for restaurants to show their care for their communities. Restaurants can take part in the MLK Day of Service by giving back. Patrons tend to support businesses that align with their values, and this National Day of Service is a great opportunity to show what your restaurant stands for. 

Consider hosting a food drive by highlighting that your restaurant is a place where people can drop off their food items. Take lead by donating restaurant meals to local food banks. There are many creative ways to give back to your community, and taking initiative on this National Day of Service can make your restaurant stand out.

4. Presidents Day

Every third Monday in February Americans celebrate Presidents Day to honor those who have served as president in our 246-year history. Whether diners get the day off or not, many spend the day ordering from their favorite restaurants. In fact, over 550,000 customers placed orders on Grubhub last Presidents Day.

Looking for a unique promotion to run on Presidents Day? Try giving a percentage off different president’s favorite foods on your menu. Did you know John Adams started his mornings with hard cider? Or that Thomas Jefferson’s favorite food was mac and cheese? While you may not serve James Garfield’s favorite dish squirrel stew, you can highlight the dishes you do have that past presidents have enjoyed.

5. Labor Day

Labor Day is when we all say goodbye to summer and start looking forward to the crisp breath of fall. Many people are taking a minute to indulge in a last-minute burst of warm weather by barbecuing poolside or taking a picnic to the park or the beach.

Tailor your Labor Day promotions to what customers are already feeling. A farewell to summer celebration allows for tons of great prompt ideas on social media. Imagine brightly colored graphics, snapshots from the restaurant’s summer events, and a few strategic mentions of your Labor Day delivery deals like offering 15% off with a themed code like BYESUMMER.

Make the most of the biggest restaurant delivery days with Grubhub

Partnering with Grubhub gives restaurant owners and operators just like you access to a wide array of tools and educational resources designed to help you maximize engagement, traction and profits.

Grubhub’s promotion and loyalty tools guide you through the process of targeting your ideal customer, using smart marketing and plug-and-play promotions that have seen other Grubhub partners generate an average of 72% more new customers.

With Grubhub Marketplace, your restaurant gets in front of local diners who otherwise may never have heard of your food or who may have forgotten how delicious your menu truly is. Seasonal promotions are an excuse to remind everyone that you’re there, you have something incredible to offer and that they can sample it again at a discount.

What’s the best food delivery service for your restaurant?

Curious which food delivery service is the best? With so many food delivery apps on the market, there are endless potential partners for you to consider. But not all restaurant delivery services offer the same access to potential diners or the same tools to help you scale your business and achieve your goals.

Using the best food delivery service available can help you tap into promotional opportunities like major holidays. 

Here are a few things to consider as you decide which food delivery platform is right for you.

Brand name and customer reach in your area

It’s no use joining a third-party delivery service if it won’t get you in front of the diners that truly matter. With nearly 163 million Americans eating out each week – 64% of the country’s adults – it’s crucial to reach as many potential guests as possible.

Grubhub Marketplace is the largest marketplace of its kind, connecting restaurants with more than 33 million diners eager to find the source of their next delivery order. In fact, 9 out of 10 independent restaurant operators surveyed who use Grubhub agree Grubhub increases the volume of takeout and delivery orders – higher than the competitor average.

To gauge how Grubhub is doing in your area, visit Marketplace and check out nearby restaurants already using Grubhub to see their success for yourself.

Restaurant fees and profit margins

You’re joining a third-party food delivery service to help bolster your profits, not hurt them. Some delivery partners are primarily interested in their own bottom line, but Grubhub believes in joint success, empowering restaurants so we can all share in a more bountiful future.

Grubhub Marketplace offers restaurants three different levels of membership, ranging from Basic to Premium. You control what you pay and which marketing tools you access so you can tailor your investment to the needs of your restaurant.

In addition to reaching your share of those 33+ million diners on Grubhub, you also get a dedicated Account Advisor and access to delivery services so you’re not navigating success on your own.

Your customers, your data

It’s hard to take your online delivery and takeout services up a notch unless you have access to key data points used in strategic decision making. 

Direct not only helps you launch your own online ordering site, it also helps generate diner data you can use to fuel your marketing efforts. And it’s all free, with no commissions ever. Just promote your unique food service delivery link and watch as the customers and data roll in.

Delivery boundaries

One way to save on delivery fees is to use your own in-house team. Though this approach won’t work for everyone, restaurants that do have the bandwidth to oversee self-delivery can add that to other delivery service options including Grubhub delivery, supplemental delivery and pickup.

Grubhub delivery is a proven system, too. Nearly 9 out of 10 independent restaurant owners who use Grubhub agree that Grubhub streamlines takeout and delivery order processing, and 77% of consumers surveyed who use Grubhub highly rate Grubhub’s delivery speed.

Make the most of major delivery days with Grubhub

Top restaurant delivery days hold major promise for restaurants looking for ways to broaden their customer base and increase revenue, but sometimes it takes a strong partner to make those goals a reality.

Partnering with a third-party delivery app gives you access to tools, knowledge and built-in audience. At Grubhub, that means joining a platform that’s already a proven success. Now it’s your turn.
To experience the power of Grubhub firsthand, sign up today and get ready for your next round of holiday delivery promotions.