Who doesn\u2019t want Jack Johnson singing \u201cBanana Pancakes\u201d<\/a> at the grand opening of their hip new breakfast spot? Thanks to the internet, influencers like Jack are a few keystrokes away. Musicians, athletes, actors, celebrities \u2013 you name it.<\/p>\n Even if you\u2019re on a tighter budget, you can still make a splash with local politicians, radio station personalities, and local sports teams. If you partner with local food critics or vloggers that have large followings, you can get your message out to their audience with a single Instagram post, YouTube video, or blog post.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve secured your influencer\u2019s attendance, find a way to squeeze everything you can out of it. Get yourself a red carpet and invite the press to come and take photos. Put up a branded backdrop with your logo on it so people can take pictures with the influencer(s). Ask them to sign autographs for your customers. Every little thing can generate a bigger buzz.<\/p>\n Bottomless mimosas and hanging some streamers aren\u2019t a bad idea. However, if you want to create a memorable grand opening, you\u2019ve got to think outside the box. Be creative here and think about what your customers would really take time out of their day to come do or see.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re an edgy restaurant with unique items all over the walls and are going after a younger crowd, then consider sweetening the pot with some live entertainment. If your parking lot is big enough, invite a small carnival to set up for the weekend. Nothing draws an impromptu crowd like flashing lights, fun rides, and the promise of great food and games.<\/p>\n Few things ignite people\u2019s passion like supporting a cause they care about. When done tastefully, you can create customers for life with a charity fundraiser.<\/p>\n You can go two directions here:<\/p>\n Create your own charity event<\/a> like a 5K walk or run to support cancer research, green planet initiatives, or a food drive to help the homeless. Let your imagination run wild and make it something you and your staff really connect with.<\/p>\n Partner with an already established charity that is special to your team and your customers. Chances are that if you care, someone else already has an operation you can align yourself with, and you both can reap the benefits. Create a special event with the charity, or sponsor an existing event and align the dates with your grand opening.<\/p>\n Just because it\u2019s a one-time grand opening event doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t think long-term. If your event is a hit, you could make it an annual occurrence.<\/p>\n This one seems like a no-brainer option, but plenty of businesses get it wrong. Prizes can sometimes be underwhelming \u2013 giving away an iPhone that everyone already has isn\u2019t going to be enticing enough to draw a crowd.<\/p>\n Make sure any prize you’re giving away is big and exciting, like a new convertible or an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy (especially if you\u2019re an Italian restaurant). If this idea seems far-fetched or over budget, consider partnering with another local business so you can share the cost and publicity. They’re likely also looking for creative ways to get in front of customers and would happily partner up.<\/p>\n Similar to supporting a worthy cause, honoring a specific person or group of people is a quick and memorable way for opening your restaurant.<\/p>\n Here are a couple of ideas to get you started:<\/p>\n \u201cFirst Responders Eat Free\u201d \u2013 invite them to bring out their big trucks to make it a spectacle Honoring a group of people on day one can also have long-term benefits. Give them an ongoing discount or put their picture on the wall, and you\u2019ll boost the chance that they\u2019ll keep coming back week after week.<\/p>\n Everyone\u2019s gotta eat, so free food is always a hit. Chick-fil-A has an incredibly successful tradition of offering free food for a year to the first 100 customers on the opening day<\/a> of each new restaurant.<\/p>\n You don’t have to go quite that far with your offer, but even a month’s worth of free food is sure to get people talking. You can also consider providing a \u201ccomeback perk\u201d like a coupon<\/a> good for next month, so people don\u2019t just come for the opening but keep coming back.<\/p>\n The right experience will get people excited to attend your grand opening. For example, advertise that you’ll be trying to break a Guinness world record. It may sound intimidating, but companies do it all the time. Alternatively, you could plan a parade or another type of publicity stunt \u2013 the Tour de France started as a publicity stunt to promote a new French newspaper.<\/p>\n Another possibility is to host an upscale event like an art show where you invite local artists to show off their art. Or have them paint a mural on the side of your building live in front of your customers.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s one thing consistent about holidays, it\u2019s that people go to restaurants. Set your launch up for success by timing it right:<\/p>\n Food challenges are always popular, especially when there’s something in it for the customer. Consider starting an ongoing challenge at your restaurant, and whoever completes it gets their meal free, a t-shirt, and their picture on the wall.<\/p>\n For your grand opening, be sure to make it a bit more of a spectacle that will attract a crowd. Include several contenders and offer a great prize and a dish on the menu named after the winner.<\/p>\n Creating a fun game is a great way to get your customers engaged with your business and, if done right, can hold their interest past opening day. Let Skip\u2019s Kitchen<\/a> inspire you with their card game. Everyone orders their food, and when they go to pay, the cashier fans out a deck of cards in front of them so they can pick one.<\/p>\n Most cards serve as table markers so the server knows where to bring their food, but if they pick a joker, their meal is free. It’s become a big draw for customers and keeps people waiting in line for their chance to win. This may not necessarily work for your restaurant, but the free meals may be worth it for the word-of-mouth marketing and the repeat clientele.<\/p>\n Influencers are great, but they can also be expensive. Sometimes a KISS tribute band or an up and coming local artist will get people just as jazzed up about your grand opening. Some string lights over the patio and the right blend of music, food, and drinks can create the perfect atmosphere for your first impression.<\/p>\n Like moths to a light, people are drawn to fire. Sometimes torches around the patio, a lit fireplace, or some personal fire pits outside to eat or drink around can draw a crowd. If outdoor seating and entertaining aren\u2019t possible, consider putting adding some restaurant decorations<\/a> such as candles at all the tables to replicate a similar vibe of warmth and coziness. Another option is to enhance the atmosphere with custom canvas prints<\/a>\u00a0on the walls. This type of artwork could be abstract or natural and complement the vibe the restaurant is going after.<\/p>\n<\/span>2. Throw an Epic Party<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Restaurant](\"https:\/\/www.zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Restaurant-Management-CTA.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/span>3. Support a Worthy Cause<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>4. Give Away Something Big<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>5. Honor an Individual or Group of People<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n\u201cVeterans Eat Free\u201d \u2013 invite a distinguished veteran and pair up this idea with a local politician who can honor them in some way<\/p>\n<\/span>6. Give Away Free Food or Vouchers<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>7. Provide an Experience<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Provide-an-Experience\"](\"https:\/\/zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/ogJQd6nw.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n<\/span>8. Launch on a Holiday<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
<\/span>9. Host an Irresistible Challenge<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>10. Create a Unique Game<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/span>11. Provide Live Entertainment<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>12. Ignite the Right Atmosphere<\/span><\/h2>\n