St. Patrick’s Day is one of the biggest days of the years for restaurants and bars. Hundreds of guests pour into their favorite establishments to celebrate the one day when we’re all Irish. While pizzerias typically have a more Italian bent, that doesn’t mean they can’t get in on the fun (and extra sales) that come from St. Patrick’s Day promos.
Here are some ideas for your pizzeria to get you started.
1. Go Green
If it works for Chicago to turn an entire river green, maybe a green pizza will work for your restaurant. You can create a unique green pizza that incorporates traditional Irish ingredients like corned beef, cabbage or potatoes. You could also use green food coloring in the cheese or sauce to make it stand out. This will give your customers something new and exciting to try, and it’s a great way to get in the holiday spirit.
2. Make the Green-Clad Glad
Everyone knows that if someone doesn’t wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, you’re allowed to pinch them. Well, in business, pinching customers isn’t a best practice. But you can still encourage customers to get into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit by offering discounts to those who come in wearing green. You could also host a photo contest where customers can share their St. Patrick’s Day outfits on social media and tag your pizzeria for a chance to win a free pizza.
3. Oh, Me Lucky Toppings!
St. Patrick’s Day has several symbols associated with it. Celebrate the holiday at your pizzeria by offering toppings that are associated with those symbols of good luck, such as four-leaf clovers made out of green peppers or a pizza with a horseshoe-shaped crust. You could also offer a special deal where customers can add a lucky topping for free with their pizza.
4. A Magically Delicious New Menu
Change up your presentation for the holiday with a brand-new Irish-themed menu design. Specialty menus are a great way signal to customers that this holiday is, in fact, special. They can also help to build anticipation if you set them out or display them in advance.
Related: Irish mobile pizzeria adopts PIZZycle’s reusable pizza boxes
5. Pizza/Beer Pairings
St. Patrick’s Day is often associated with drinking beer, so why not offer beer pairings with your pizza? You could create a special menu that suggests which beers go best with which pizzas or offer a discount on beer when customers order a pizza. Better yet, pair your pizza with an emerald-hued specialty cocktail crafted just for St. Patrick’s Day! (Scroll down for a recipe.)
6. Bundle Up!
Create St. Patrick’s Day bundles that include a pizza, garlic knots and a soda or beer. This is a great way to offer a complete meal deal while also appealing to those who are celebrating the holiday.
7. Social Media Promotions
Use social media to promote your St. Patrick’s Day specials and engage with your followers. You could run a contest where customers share their favorite St. Patrick’s Day pizza toppings or offer a discount to those who follow your page and share your post. Or encourage customers to create an Instagram Reel—and tag you in it—showing off their best or worst Irish accent.
In conclusion, St. Patrick’s Day is a great opportunity for pizzerias to get creative and offer unique promotions to their customers. By incorporating traditional Irish ingredients, lucky toppings, beer pairings, and social media promotions, you can drive sales and increase customer engagement. So put on your green apron and get ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your pizzeria!
Mark Plumlee is a freelance writer whose articles have been published in Full Service Restaurant, Modern Restaurant Management, Quick Service Restaurant, Hospitality Tech, That Oregon Life, The San Francisco Examiner, Blazersedge and other blogs. As a copywriter, he has helped restaurants and small businesses grow and define their brand for more than five years.
St. Patrick’s Day Cocktail Recipe: The Spicy Leprechaun
Provided by Denver-based Deviation Distilling:
2 oz. Deviation Distilling Mountain Herb Gin (or your favorite gin)
1 c. arugula
10 mint leaves
3 slices jalapeños (more or less to taste)
.5 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 oz. simple syrup
For garnish: Navel orange, mint Leaves
Soda water to top
In a shaker, muddle the mint, jalapeños and arugula with the fresh lemon juice. Once muddled, add gin and simple syrup. Add ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Pour into rocks glass filled with ice. Cut a navel orange in half and squeeze 1/2 over the poured cocktail. Top with soda water and garnish with an orange section and mint leaves.