Most restaurants face seasonal shifts in their sales that often cause shortages in working capital when you need it most. Whether you have a large outdoor space that reduces your cold-weather capacity or run your restaurant in a seasonal resort area, it’s important to plan ahead for seasonal changes in revenue.
Use this guide to help you plan so you’re ready to keep going strong through seasonal highs and lows.
Spice Up Your Seasonal Menu
Do you have access to fresh, seasonal ingredients unique to your local area? Can you draw on cultural heritage to create a fresh dish for your menu? Use these as inspiration for new seasonal dishes.
Adding a seasonal menu entices diners to visit your restaurant year-round. It keeps your menu fresh and interesting. You can also incorporate seasonal menu items without a major increase in cost. Look for ways to create new specials or dishes using ingredients you’re already purchasing for your regular dishes.
Whether you add one seasonal special or a rotating seasonal menu, regular changes in your menu offerings help keep patrons coming back for more.
Kick Off New Marketing During Slow Periods
You might be tempted to cut your marketing efforts when business gets slow, but this can be one of the best times to ramp up marketing. As the slow season approaches, consider launching a new campaign designed to bring in visitors throughout the season.
Your campaign doesn’t have to be limited to online and print ads, either. For example, ask other local businesses to partner with you for promotional offers.
You could work with a local clothing boutique and offer coupons at each other’s businesses. When a shopper buys a shirt from the boutique, they receive a coupon to your restaurant. Likewise, if someone dines at your restaurant, they get a coupon to use at the boutique.
Plan Ahead for Seasonal Staff Changes
When your sales drop, you’ll likely need fewer employees. When sales skyrocket during your busy period, you need a full staff. The last thing you need when your restaurant gets busy is to hire and train new employees.
Hire the staff you need for a busy period before your sales start going up. The upfront cost to hire and train employees during a slower season will outweigh the potential loss in sales or reputation from an inexperienced staff when the restaurant is packed.
Consider funding options from a direct lender like Zinch to help you cover the initial expense of hiring and training your seasonal team. As a direct lender, we fund your business with no middleman, giving us more flexibility to tailor your financing to meet the unique seasonal funding needs of restaurants.
Get Funding to Cover Slow Periods
You’ve got bills to pay, even when business is slow. That means you need to keep a certain amount of working capital to cover the lease for your restaurant, payroll costs, and the cost of supplies like cleaning products or ingredients.
The good news is you can get the capital you need with flexible funding options, such as a merchant cash advance or a term loan. You’ll want to work with a trustworthy lender to help you find the right financing option for your seasonal funding needs. As a direct lender, Zinch lends funds to your business directly and can help you find financing with the flexibility you need for seasonal shifts.
Prepare for Seasonal Ups and Downs Early
The best way to help your restaurant thrive during seasonal highs and lows is to plan ahead. Take a look at your past sales to get an idea of when to expect higher sales or a drop in patrons. The sooner you start preparing for seasonal shifts, the more time you have to come up with a plan to combat them.
Securing additional working capital before the seasonal drop helps you cover expenses while sales are down. By working with a lender like Zinch, you get access to flexible financing that’s tailored to fit your business. Apply today to see how we can create a cash advance program that puts the cash you need in your hands with flexible payments based on credit and debit card sales.
Contact us at (714) 500-6622 to learn more about your options. You could qualify for up to $250,000 in just 24 hours.
