Cinco de Mayo is cause for celebration and can be highly profitable for those in the restaurant industry. “The date is still widely misunderstood as Mexico’s independence day, but Cinco de Mayo is actually a celebration of the surprising Mexican army’s victory over France at the 1862 Battle of Puebla.” Hosting your own celebration can draw in crowds and help to build relationships with potential repeat customers. Here’s how to make your Cinco de Mayo restaurant event a success.

Decorate Inside And Out

Decorating the inside and outside of your restaurant with traditional Mexican colors, sombreros, and other decorative items can help draw in foot traffic and provide a festive atmosphere for your event. Thrift stores can be great for this. Be sure to store all of your items properly for future use.

Create A Holiday Menu

There are far more items you can offer on a Cinco de Mayo menu than nachos and tacos. Some other dishes to consider are horchata, guacamole, cemita poblana, huevos rancheros, Mexican barbacoa, enchiladas, tostadas, tamales, fish tacos, and flautas. Having a special condensed menu can ease the burden on your kitchen staff and give your customers something new to try.

Offer Drink Specials

Nothing draws a crowd to a restaurant quite like discounted drinks. Simply coming up with a variety of flavored margaritas can be a big hit at your event. You may also want to discount things like tequila, Corona, and Dos Equis. Making your drink menu fun and affordable will keep the crowds coming in. Just keep a close eye on profit margins.

Hand Out Gift Bags

Putting together small gift bags is a great way to get people in the door. Include some holiday-themed items, but focus more on including company-branded items that are good for everyday use. This will help promote your restaurant over time, and these items can be used for a variety of events.

Promote, Promote, Promote!

Social media will be your best friend when it comes to promoting your Cinco de Mayo event. You should start promotions early and build the hype by advertising your discounts and entertainment. Another great form of advertising is direct mail. Put together a flyer that includes your special food and drink menus and highlights the entertainment. Send this out to your local community in the weeks leading up to the holiday.