A strategically promoted restaurant grand opening can be the difference between a busy, lucrative first few months in business and a rocky start. With proper planning, your grand opening can help you build customer loyalty and attract media attention.
Download this restaurant grand opening checklist to learn everything you need to know about how to promote your new business before its big day, then keep reading for restaurant grand opening ideas and much more.
What is a Grand Opening?
First things first, what is a grand opening? A grand opening is the official launch of a business, like a new restaurant. This event can take the form of anything from simply welcoming customers for the first time, to a formal celebration with a guest list, freebies, press, music, and photo ops. However modest or lavish you want your launch to be, a grand opening event planning checklist can help you execute it seamlessly.
Soft Opening vs Grand Opening: What’s the Difference?
People often use “soft opening” and “grand opening” interchangeably, but they’re very different concepts.
Soft Opening
A soft opening is to the restaurant industry what beta testing is to the tech industry. It’s a period of time when your restaurant is open to the public (usually without much fanfare), but you are still testing out your staff, operations, and recipes. A restaurant soft opening is an opportunity to collect feedback from customers and staff without the pressure of the press or a deluge of customers.
Grand Opening
A restaurant grand opening, on the other hand, is a formal event that celebrates the launch of your business. It’s typically a big party or event that you invite the public, friends, VIPs, press, and influencers to. You can invite guests via email, social media, or even a restaurant grand opening flyer. Grand openings can use freebies and other promotions to get people in the door and create buzz.
To summarize the soft opening vs grand opening debate: a soft opening is when you discreetly test your new business, while a grand opening is when you shout from the rooftops that you’re open for business.
3 Restaurant Grand Opening Ideas
While our grand opening checklist is full of strategies for promoting your business two to three months before your big day, here are some ideas for what to do during your grand opening.
1. Create a Photo Op
People love having an excuse to take a selfie, so set up a photo op at your grand opening that begs attendees to snap a pic.
Create a photo booth with branded props, set up a selfie station in front of an iconic neon sign, funky wallpaper, or mural in your restaurant, or create a pop-up display of balloons, flowers, or even tacos (or something that matches your restaurant’s theme).
Encourage grand opening attendees to upload their photos to social media and tag your restaurant to help you spread the word.
2. Give Something Away
What do people love even more than a great photo op? Free stuff!
Start with samples of your signature menu items to get attendees hooked on your delicacies, or simply give away full size versions. However, you’ll want to keep quantities limited to create a sense of urgency and get people through the door. For example, if you’re opening a smoothie shop, you could advertise that you’re giving away free, full-size smoothies to the first 50 guests during your grand opening.
Give away branded merchandise in addition to food to stay atop customers’ minds and let them help you spread the word. For example, by giving away tote bags with your restaurant’s name and a memorable slogan, you’re giving guests something they can reach for time and again after your grand opening. And, when customers are wearing this tote bag around town, they’re walking billboards for your restaurant.
Finally, ask attendees to sign up for your email list or loyalty program in exchange for these freebies to create marketing momentum that will last long after opening day.
3. Invite the Media and Influencers
Invite influencers and traditional media to your grand opening to get even more help spreading the word about your new restaurant.
Influencers
Start by making a list of local food or lifestyle influencers whose interests align with yours. For example, if you’re opening a mac and cheese-focused restaurant, you’ll probably have better luck inviting omnivores than gluten-free or vegan influencers. Send personalized invites to your grand opening, and consider throwing in a gift card or branded merchandise to sweeten the deal.
Traditional Media
Create a list of local media outlets that cover restaurants, and send a press release about your opening to the editor or reporter on a relevant beat, like food and culture. Your press release will need a newsworthy angle if you want reporters to attend your grand opening, so be creative. For example, you could announce that you’ll be attempting to break the world record for the largest bowl of mac and cheese at your celebration.
Download our free grand opening checklist for even more ideas for your restaurant’s big day.