Spring is coming! 5 ways to prepare your restaurant for springtime.

The weather is warming, the rain is letting up, and numbers of birds (and people) tweeting outdoors is once again on the rise. Yes, spring is just around the corner, and with it, the annual tradition of spring-cleaning and renewal. It’s time for restaurants to think about freshening their space, together with fresh new ways to attract customers. Here are five basic ways to get your business ready for spring.

1. Patio and Outdoor Areas

Spring is the perfect time to bolster your business with al fresco dining. Consider everything you can do to make the outdoor seating as enjoyable as possible, including entertainment, heaters, floral displays and especially professional outdoor lighting – a true customer magnet. Turn your patio into an exciting attraction by offering your guests café style lighting including light strings, LED wall washes, hanging spheres and more. Mobile Illumination can help you with a variety of exciting lighting installation ideas to brighten up your space and make it more visible to passersby.

2. Spring Cleaning

Above all, springtime offers restaurant operators a reminder to prepare for summer traffic and perform annual deep cleaning tasks. Attention to detail is key. Customers and health inspectors demand highest standards inside both the restaurant’s seating areas and kitchen. From the front to the back of the house, carpets, floors, surfaces and rest rooms restaurants need to be steam-cleaning, mopped, scrubbed and sanitized on a regular basis.

3. Spring Menu Specials

Freshen up your menu with special spring offerings, including lighter fare like summer salads, sandwiches and small plates. Try to use local, seasonal, “farm to table” ingredients wherever possible, to give your recipes an artisanal, hand-made quality. And serve it on spring-themed, pastel-hued china and table linens.

4. Spring Promotions

Don’t forget about celebrating key spring holidays including Easter, Mother’s Day and Cinco de Mayo. Think about offering a special Prix Fixe menu and running an advertisement in the local press. Temporary window and easel signage can also help you attract customers to your special spring event.

5. Happy Hour with a Springtime Flair

Springtime is a perfect time to cool down and relax with a light and refreshing cocktail. Create a signature spring-inspired cocktail and offer it at a discounted price during Happy Hour. Fresh, citrus-flavored concoctions are especially welcomed this time of year.

Spring is the time of year when people enjoy being outdoors, especially during warm, spring evenings. Professional outdoor lighting installations can help your restaurant set a fun-filled spring nighttime atmosphere while attracting more customers to your business. Contact Mobile Illumination for special springtime lighting design concepts and free installation estimates today and beat the coming spring rush.