September can be a quiet month for restaurants as customers transition out of summer vacation and into the busier fall season. If your order volume tends to drop during this time of year, it’s an opportunity to try out new deals and promotions — and September food holidays are the perfect place to start. With a few new specials and some creative marketing, you can use food holidays to boost orders and spice up your marketing calendar.

Top September food holidays to promote

The month of September is packed with national food holidays, including National Cheese Pizza Day on September 5, National White Chocolate Day on September 22, and National Pecan Cookie Day on September 21. Condiments count, too — September is also National Honey Month. There are food holidays for every establishment, whether you run a barbecue restaurant or a coffee shop.

As you choose which days to celebrate, take time to look through the October holidays and November holidays. Spreading your promotions over a few months can create a tradition that builds a sense of excitement and anticipation among customers.

September 2: National Bacon Day

Start September on the right foot with this fun food holiday, which taps into the widespread love of bacon. If you’re short on time, keep it simple with promotions that focus on existing dishes that contain bacon. You might serve a BLT and a drink for $10 at lunch, for example, or offer a buy-one-get-one free deal on your bacon-wrapped asparagus appetizer.

Want to get creative? Jazz up your happy-hour menu with a few bacon-heavy snacks. A dish of candied bacon pairs perfectly with practically any beer; bacon-wrapped dates or bacon-wrapped steak bites also make a delicious after-work snack.

September 3: National Baby Back Ribs Day

Tempt customers to try your baby back ribs with special deals on September 3. Create a prix fixe menu that includes a half or full rack of ribs, a side, and a dessert — meat eaters won’t be able to resist a good deal.

As you’re marketing your restaurant’s promotion for this food holiday, focus on capturing mouth-watering photos and videos. A gorgeous, slow-motion shot of barbecue sauce sliding down a rack of ribs is all it takes to capture people’s attention and convince them to order from your restaurant.

September 10: National Hot Dog Day

If you run a family restaurant, National Hot Dog Day is a natural addition to your marketing calendar. Get families in the door by offering wallet-friendly promotions:

• Buy one hot dog, get one free
• $5 for a hot dog and a drink
• Kids get a free hot dog with the purchase of an adult meal

Affordable, kid-friendly food is a great way to introduce your menu to a wider range of people in the community.

September 12: National Chocolate Milkshake Day

The beginning of September is a busy time, and a National Chocolate Milkshake Day promotion can encourage your customers to indulge in something sweet. Try a “treat yourself” campaign that focuses on the joy of a cool chocolate dessert; this is particularly effective for busy parents and professionals in search of a small treat to get them through the week.

You can also run promotions including:

• Customizable milkshakes with mix-ins
• Two-for-one date-night event
• $1 off all chocolate milkshakes

September 13: National Peanut Day

Peanuts don’t get much love in the restaurant industry, but National Peanut Day is an opportunity to change that. To celebrate, design marketing campaigns that showcase menu items that contain peanuts. A Thai restaurant might highlight pad Thai topped with crushed peanuts; a bakery might make a special batch of cookies with peanuts and chocolate chips. Make sure to promote your peanut-heavy dishes on social media to get them on customers’ radar.

September 16: National Guacamole Day

If any menu item deserves its own food day, it’s guacamole. This creamy, flavorful spread serves as a dip, a sandwich spread, and a condiment — and more importantly, it has a devoted following of fans. Give them something to celebrate on National Guacamole Day with limited-time offerings such as:

• Gourmet guacamole topped with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and cotija cheese
• Discounted guacamole and chips prepared tableside
• Free side of guacamole with the purchase of any entrée

Get your customers involved by creating a holiday hashtag and encouraging them to share snapshots of their guacamole on Instagram or Facebook.

September 18: National Cheeseburger Day

What’s better than National Burger Day and National Cheese Day? National Cheeseburger Day! Go all out on this food holiday with over-the-top celebrations:

• Name-that-burger contest for the new gourmet cheeseburger on your menu
• Custom cheeseburgers featuring bacon, multiple cheeses, macaroni and cheese, or even a fried egg
• Outdoor barbecue party with live music, beer, and cheeseburgers served hot off the grill

September 19: National Butterscotch Pudding Day

Capture the vintage appeal of butterscotch pudding by featuring it on your September dessert menu. Take a traditional approach with simple dishes of pudding topped with whipped cream, or go British with a hot, baked butterscotch toffee pudding. No matter which option you choose, your marketing campaign should lean into the warm, cozy vibes of butterscotch — it’s the ideal way to kick off the fall season.

September 25: National Quesadilla Day

Quesadillas bridge the gap between summer and fall. If your restaurant is located in a hot climate, lean into the late-summer feeling with a promotion that includes a quesadilla and a frozen margarita for a fixed price. If you’re in a cooler area, create marketing materials that focus on the hot, melted cheese and the warming effect of spicy toppings. You can even switch things up with an autumnal quesadilla filled with butternut squash and goat cheese or apple, pear, and chicken.

September 26: National Pancake Day

If you’re searching for a food day that focuses on breakfast items, National Pancake Day fits the bill. This holiday is your chance to take this classic food to the next level with specials including:

• $5 pancake breakfast
• Dessert pancakes topped with whipped cream, candy pieces, caramel sauce, or sprinkles
• Pancakes shaped like the town mascot, animals, or the first letter of the customer’s name

The best part? Pancakes are delicious at every meal, so you can run the promotion all day.

September 29: National Coffee Day

Show your appreciation for regular customers — and bring new people into your restaurant — with deals for National Coffee Day. The key is to tailor your promotions to your audience. If the majority of customers stop in on the way to work, offer a buy-three-get-one free coupon that encourages them to pick up drinks for their colleagues. If your restaurant attracts remote workers, try a $5 coffee-and-pastry promotion.

September 30: National Mulled Cider Day

Bid farewell to September and welcome the crisp days of October by celebrating National Mulled Cider Day. This food day is particularly meaningful if you live in an area with apple orchards; use locally grown fruit or buy cider from nearby farms. Serve it with apple cider donuts for an enticing fall treat.

Do you have a bar? Add spiked cider to the drink menu to get customers excited about your seasonal cocktails.

Why these holidays are important

Restaurant owners are always looking for ways to attract more customers, especially during slow periods. That’s why September food holidays are such a great addition to your marketing calendar — they sit right between the end of summer and the beginning of the fall holidays, when people are looking for something fun to celebrate. With creative promotions, you can get more people through the door.

Celebrating food holidays is also a great way to boost customer engagement, both in person and on social media. When your guests see posts about beloved foods such as guacamole or coffee, they’re more likely to share, comment, or order from your restaurant. You can increase interaction even further — and build a sense of community around your restaurant — by asking questions, hosting contests, or putting on in-house events. 

Ready to start promoting?

September food holidays are the perfect opportunity to create marketing campaigns and special promotions. Then, you can build awareness by posting about the holiday on social media, creating digital and physical signs, or sending out email newsletters. The more you share, the easier it is to increase orders.Grubhub can help you promote food holidays to your takeout and delivery customers. Use our free National Food Holiday Calendar to get a 12-month view of all the fun holidays happening in 2024. Then, use the promotions tools on the Grubhub platform to amplify your deals and boost orders throughout the month of September. To try it out, sign up for Grubhub today.