South Africa’s restaurant industry runs on seasons – you feel it in your covers, your cash flow, and your team.
Winter can be slower, but the restaurants that come out swinging in summer aren’t starting from scratch in November. They’ve already done the work.
Here’s what that looks like in practice.
2. Lock in your best people
Good staff don’t sit still – and winter is when they start looking around. If you lose a key manager or chef right before peak season, you’ll feel it immediately. Offering stability now (guaranteed hours, training, or retention incentives) is almost always cheaper than replacing them later.
Replacing a staff member can cost thousands – and far more for senior roles.
3. Use quieter services to train
When things are busy, training slips. Winter gives you the gap to do it properly. Focus on:
- Upselling without being pushy
- Allergen awareness
- Educating waitrons on ingredients and where they’re sourced
- Handling complaints confidently
- Table pacing and service flow
A team that’s drilled before peak season performs at a completely different level when covers double.
4. Fix what broke last summer
Every restaurant collects a running list of problems that get parked during peak. That temperamental cold room, the POS glitch, the floor layout that creates bottlenecks near the pass. Winter is the window. Don’t enter December with unresolved operational problems.
5. Tighten up your reservations system
If booking with you is frustrating, guests won’t push through – they’ll go elsewhere. Now’s the time to check:
- Your online booking flow
- Prepayment settings
- Refund and cancellation policy
- Dineplan listing information
- Automated confirmation and reminder email, SMS and WhatsApp messaging
Between automated guest reminders and booking prepayments, restaurants using Dineplan see their no-show rate drop to an average of 1.6%.
Not getting the most out of your reservations system?
Winter is the perfect time to reset and make sure your setup is working for you – not slowing you down. If you’re already using Dineplan, book a refresher session with our Customer Success team. We’ll walk you through your current setup, share best practices, and make sure you’re making the most of any new features ahead of the busy season.
6. Build your guest database
The guests who came in last December should hear from you before this December. Collect emails, segment your regulars, and set up targeted campaigns for re-engagement and summer previews before the season hits. Repeat guests aren’t just loyal – they’re your most valuable revenue source.
60% of restaurant revenue is driven by repeat guests. – Olo, based on 100 million guest records, 2024
The good news for Dineplan users: we automatically capture marketing opt-ins on your behalf, so your database is already growing without you lifting a finger. If you want to know how Dineplan can handle your end-to-end email and SMS marketing, reach out to our Customer Success team, and we’ll quickly show you exactly what’s possible.
7. Go after function and group bookings now
Year-end functions and festive bookings don’t happen last-minute – they’re planned months ahead. Winter is when:
- Corporate teams are locking in venues
- Event planners are doing their research
- Competitors are quieter
Reach out now, not in November.
8. Create a winter revenue stream
Slow doesn’t have to mean stagnant. To keep cash flowing, why not consider:
- A winter menu
- A chef’s table series
- Collaboration dinners with another local brand
- Supper clubs or set-menu events
These don’t just bring in revenue – they keep your team sharp and generate social and newsletter content that grows interest and builds summer anticipation.
9. Do a proper financial review
Dig into last summer week by week. Where were the tables sitting empty? Where did food costs blow out? Where were you understaffed – or overstaffed? The answers are already in your data. Most restaurants just don’t dig into it.
92% of restaurants say higher food costs are a significant challenge – yet most still price menus based on gut instinct rather than data. – SpotOn Restaurant Industry Statistics, 2024
10. Set clear targets for summer
Hoping for a good season is not a strategy. You need to define what measurable success looks like. Is it:
- Increased revenue per cover?
- Covers per service?
- Labour as a % of turnover?
Build your operational plan backwards from there.
Winter is where the real work happens. The restaurants that feel “effortless” in summer aren’t lucky – they’re prepared. Use the quieter months to tighten operations, train your team, and build demand early. It’s the difference between chasing bookings in December and managing them.
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