Dineplan festive restaurant checklist

The festive season is around the corner – and for restaurants across South Africa, it’s go time! December brings an influx of guests, year-end functions, and celebratory dinners, but it can also bring chaos if you’re not prepared.

But there’s no need to worry, as we’ve put together a simple how-to to help you tackle the festive rush using Dineplan with ease. Think of it as your festive checklist – covering reporting, reservations, marketing, and beyond – so you can keep things running smoothly all season long.

Looking back

Before the bookings pour in, it’s worth taking a moment to look at what happened last year. This way you can maximise on what worked, avoid what didn’t and improve on new ideas.

• Review last year’s reservations: Take a look at which days filled fastest, which channels converted best, and where no-shows spiked.
• Scan your reviews: See what guests enjoyed and where there is room for improvement on food, service, and ambiance.
• Check last year’s social media: Run an audit on your different platforms to see which content performed best, what got the best engagement and what helped drive bookings.

Reservations and payments

Your booking setup is key to a smoother busy season.

• Update your Dineplan listing with new photos, updated menus, festive offers and any change to operating hours so that guests know what to expect before arriving.
• For special events or fixed menus, consider prepayments to help reduce no-shows, and give you a better understanding of guest commitments. Pre-payments can be easily integrated into your Dineplan booking process – contact us for more information.
• Review your calendar regularly for any changes, and add exceptions on days that are different to your regular operating hours.
• Set-up a waiting list for days that are booked out so you’re quickly able to re-book any tables that open up last minute.

Marketing and visibility

Now that the prep’s done, it’s time to make sure diners know about what’s going on.

• Share your festive menus, opening hours, and booking links on social media to let users know about your offerings, and make it easy for them to book quickly, whenever and wherever they are.
• Add your specials and events to your Dineplan listing to boost visibility.
• Don’t forget to tag your location on posts – it helps local diners, and tourists that are in the area find you online!
• Consider running ads on social media during peak weeks to reach more potential guests and fill up any last-minute empty seats.

Keep the momentum going

Once the rush settles, it’s time to keep the momentum going.

• Review your December performance early in January – what worked, what didn’t, and what you can repeat or improve on next year.
• Get ahead and start planning January and February specials or lighter menus to attract diners post-holidays, and keep seats filled.
• Debrief with your team while everything is still fresh and front of mind – gather insights on service flow, seating, timing, and any operational tweaks that can be used for next season.

With a bit of planning, the festive season doesn’t have to feel frantic. A solid checklist can help you stay organised, create a smoother festive period for your team, and a memorable one for your guests – so you can step into the new year ready for whatever comes next.