Thanksgiving Catering Marketing Ideas for Restaurants in 2024 - By Heather Apse

The clocks have been turned back, spooky season is behind us, and now we’re onto one of the best times of year: Thanksgiving! It’s a season filled with gatherings, gratitude, and, of course, fantastic food — and it’s the perfect time to promote Thanksgiving catering at your restaurant.

Thanksgiving is a unique holiday, whether it’s the beginning of holiday decorating for some or a day of giving thanks. But for restaurants, it’s an ideal time to turn up the creativity! Forget your everyday menu; it’s time to embrace all things turkey! Even if you plan to close on Thanksgiving Day itself, consider offering pick-up or drop-off catering to bring your creations straight to your customers’ celebrations.

Thanksgiving catering menus can be flexible, so even if roasting a full turkey isn’t in the cards, there’s still an opportunity to capture some Thanksgiving business. Whether you specialize in BBQ, desserts, or fine dining, there’s a Thanksgiving angle waiting for your restaurant to explore. With a direct booking tool like TripleseatDirect, you can easily streamline orders and increase revenue with minimal effort. Today, we’re showcasing some standout Thanksgiving catering ideas using TripleseatDirect that have inspired us this season!

Make Thanksgiving a Goldmine: 5 Creative Catering Best Practices and Ideas

1. Support the Local Community

Give back to your community while enhancing your holiday offerings. Easy Entertaining in Rhode Island does this beautifully with its Thanksgiving “Give a Meal” partnership with Amos House, which provides holiday meals for food-insecure families in Providence. With each sponsored meal, the team at Easy Entertaining prepares and delivers a warm Thanksgiving meal to those in need. They’ve made it easy for customers to order a Thanksgiving meal for themselves as well: just three simple steps — Order Online, Pick Up or Enjoy Delivery, and Reheat & Enjoy — making it clear and convenient. Not only do they support the community, but they also demonstrate just how easy it is to order from them.

2. Promote Your Thanksgiving Catering Offering on Every Platform

Visibility is key to ensuring customers see your offer wherever they are. Some restaurants have mastered this approach through email newsletters, dedicated landing pages, social posts, and more.

Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ prominently features its Thanksgiving catering on its homepage, with a direct link to pre-order meals. Their Linktree on social media also has a straightforward “Book your Thanksgiving Meal with us” option, keeping their offer accessible at every customer touchpoint.

Thanksgiving Catering Marketing Example: Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ

3. Design Creative Thanksgiving Menus

Industry Kitchen offers a unique twist on Thanksgiving with its creative, holiday-inspired menu, perfect for those looking to enjoy traditional flavors with a modern touch. Located in the Seaport District of NYC, Industry Kitchen features its popular Thanksgiving Pizza, which combines turkey, orange-cranberry sauce, stuffing, and smoked almonds atop a pizza crust, giving a playful and delicious take on holiday staples. Alongside this festive pie, diners can also opt for a classic Thanksgiving Dinner Plate, providing all the traditional components in a more conventional format. This inventive approach offers diners the flexibility to choose between a novel Thanksgiving experience or a familiar one, making Industry Kitchen a standout choice for celebrating Thanksgiving.

4. Offer Limited-Time Holiday Specials

Maggiano’s Little Italy excels at promoting its limited fall menu, crafting a seasonal experience that invites diners to celebrate autumnal flavors. Their menu includes signature Italian-inspired takes on classic fall dishes like roasted butternut squash and comforting pasta dishes infused with seasonal ingredients. Maggiano’s combines mouth-watering visuals with easy online ordering options, appealing to diners seeking cozy, family-style meals either in-restaurant or to-go. Additionally, their fall menu promotions often include enticing incentives, like gift card bonuses, to further encourage holiday season dining and make their menu especially appealing as Thanksgiving approaches​.

5. Use a Direct Booking Platform to Streamline Thanksgiving Catering Orders

Whether you’re sticking with traditional Thanksgiving fare or introducing something new, a direct booking platform like TripleseatDirect can simplify things for you and your customers. By integrating a direct booking tool into your website or social media, guests can easily book catering or reserve event spaces. They can choose their menu options, process payments, and complete the booking online, making the experience smooth and efficient. This setup is particularly valuable for catering during the busy holiday season, ensuring both you and your customers enjoy a hassle-free process.

Check out Whiskey Cake and their use of a TripleseatDirect booking form. Their customers can easily order a Thanksgiving Meal Kit for pickup.

Share the Holiday Spirit

As you move through this holiday season, don’t hesitate to share your own successful marketing examples with us. We’re always eager to see what creative strategies other venues are using — and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, we’re happy to spread the ideas! To learn more about how Tripleseat can help you do more than just manage holiday catering, set up a demo today. Let’s make this Thanksgiving one to remember — for both your customers and your bottom line. 

Heather Apse

Heather is a Content Specialist at Tripleseat. Connect with Heather on LinkedIn.