Halloween looks to be a boon versus the bust it can sometimes be for restaurants. This year’s spooky spectacular falls on a Friday — the busiest night for takeout and delivery. We’ve got frighteningly fun ideas to help you scare up off-premise traffic from costumed crowds of all ages.
Maximize this year’s freaky Halloween Friday with out-of-the-gourd LTOs, crowd-pleasing favorites, and value-focused promos to attract takeout and delivery diners like vampires to — well, you know.
Creepin’ It Real for Families
Families need convenience amidst the chaos of Halloween night, and off-premise dining delivers. Spotlight kid-friendly faves, easy-to-eat handhelds, and bundled meals busy families can be “goblin” up before hitting the streets with their little Spideys and Swifties.
Embrace the power of ‘za — with tons of big takeout orders, Halloween is tops for pizza. Look to the legend of Roma® for can’t-miss pizza inspo and ingredients, with authentic dough, cheeses, toppings, and more. Or put on your own easy-prep smoke show with Ridgecrest® Fully Cooked Brisket and Pulled Pork, equally tempting atop a quirky pie or tucked in a portable bun.
Value is a huge driver today, so consider BOGOs, free kids’ meals, and meal deals with bang-for-the-buck appeal. If you’re able, spotlight boozy bevs to boost revenue and give parents a well-deserved sipper while they supervise the kiddos. The 90s-fab Appletini is making a comeback (I swear!) or try Apple Cider Margs and any other craveable witches’ brew you can stir up.
Advice from this mom: Ditch creative desserts for one night, unless they’re for dine-in. The kids will have more sweets than they can eat, and we all know parents raid that Halloween haul, too.
Cast a Spell on Gen Z
Twenty-something Zoomers are the party crowd, whether they’re hosting or hitting you up on the way to the event. Dips, hummus, and char-boo-teries are party staples. Frankenstein a fall classic with Buffalo Pumpkin Chicken Dip. Plus, innovative global flavors, functional ingredients, and sweet heat go far with this group. Go globetrotting with Zebec® Chicken Shawarma or Contigo® Birria Barbacoa Pizza.
For a flavor attack, deliver bewitching LTOs with pops of miso, jalapeño, wasabi, gochugaru, aji amarillo, and fermented foods. Bring the “funk of 40,000 years” with kimchi, from Kimchi Burgers to Kimchi Fries. And with many Gen Zers saying no to sipping spirits, dream up bold themed mocktails with botanicals, housemade syrups, and matcha — Yoda Soda, anyone? For the value play, offer exclusive discounts for orders placed directly on your site or app.
Fab-Boo-lous Flavors
Whether off-premise or on, focus on LTOs spotlighting seasonal flavors or clever Halloween names — or make a monster mashup of both! VIPs like apple and pumpkin have nostalgic appeal. To autumn things up, add apple butter to one of your top sammies, or apple cider to an Aperol Spritz.
Give the gourd a go with Pumpkin Hummus or Cheese Ravioli with Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce. Pecan is the year’s top fall flavor, according to DoorDash*. Think pecan pesto, candied pecan crumbles, and all kinds of pecan-crusted proteins.
Eat, Drink, & Be Scary
Amp up the fun factor by fully getting into the Halloween spirit. Promote costumed delivery drivers from your team. Transform a designated pick-up area, curbside or inside, for diners who prefer takeout (and many do these days, to save delivery fees) with decorations, music, and dressed-up staff to help diners kick off the night right.
Think about it: On your way home, would you rather a have routine restaurant pick-up or grab your to-go from Elphaba or Hulk Hogan while “Ghostbusters” is blasting?
Beyond 10/31
How busy does your Thursday, Halloween Eve, look? Hook up hosts, partyers, and families by cooking up Halloween orders for takeout or delivery on the 30th — making the 31st a heat-and-eat affair for diners and a little less scary for your kitchen.
Offer an extra discount to drive demand or position the convenience as a loyalty benefit. Is trick-or-treating one night or two in your area? Be ready! What about local events? Extend takeout and delivery offers beyond the 31st and into the weekend to leverage trunk-or-treats and other spooky special happenings.
Lastly, tell your Halloween diners “Don’t ghost us!” with come-back coupons and promo codes good for deals on another round of takeout or a future dine-in visit. Boo-ya!
*Doordash.com: Fall Flavor Trends