Has your restaurant ever tried Lunar New Year marketing? Considering that food plays an important role in the holiday, celebrating the Lunar New Year could be a great way to delight your guests. After all, approximately two billion people worldwide observe the holiday – and for many, it revolves around gathering with family and sharing delicious meals.
But the Lunar New Year is about more than food and family – it’s a holiday steeped in rich cultural traditions. So, if you’re planning to run a Lunar New Year marketing campaign, why not take the time to explore and appreciate the holiday’s significance first?
In this guide to Lunar New Year marketing, we’ll cover:
- What the Lunar New Year is all about
- Why it’s a smart move for your restaurant to celebrate
- 8 Lunar New Year marketing ideas for restaurants and bars
What is the Lunar New Year?
Lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, is a holiday that marks the start of a new year on the lunisolar calendar (a calendar regulated by both the moon and sun). It’s a season for family reunions, time-honored customs, and new beginnings. The festivities last for 15 days, ending with the Lantern Festival, a dazzling display of lights that represents peace and hope.
Unlike New Year’s Day on the Gregorian calendar, which always falls on January 1st, the date of the Lunar New Year changes annually to align with the first new moon of the year. In 2025, the celebrations will start on January 29th, signifying the beginning of the Year of the Snake. The sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac, the snake is often associated with wisdom, mystery, and transformation.
While different cultures celebrate the Lunar New Year with different traditions, and some elements of the holiday change each year, there are many common themes. For instance, popular holiday customs include cleaning the house to sweep away bad luck, decorating with red for good fortune, and exchanging red envelopes filled with money for prosperity. And of course, there’s the food! We’ll dish out all of the details on must-have Lunar New Year menu items shortly.
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Why Should Restaurants Celebrate the Lunar New Year?
If it makes sense for your restaurant’s brand and the type of cuisine you already serve, incorporating a Lunar New Year campaign into your marketing can be a fantastic way to engage with your community and drive extra business during a time of year that often sees a post-Christmas holiday slump.
That said, it’s important to approach this opportunity with care and respect. Before you launch any Lunar New Year restaurant promotions or Chinese New Year marketing, take the time to understand the holiday’s symbolism and customs. When done thoughtfully, celebrating the Lunar New Year can boost visibility for your restaurant, create meaningful connections with customers, and offer a unique experience that stands out during the winter season.
8 Lunar New Year Marketing Ideas for Restaurants and Bars
Holidays like Lunar New Year present ideal opportunities to create LTOs that your guests will love. (Wondering, what is an LTO? It’s a limited-time offer that’s only available during certain dates – like the 15-day Lunar New Year period).
Let’s dive into some fun ideas for your Lunar New Year campaign!
1. Embrace the Zodiac
Take inspiration from the zodiac calendar (in the case of 2025, the Year of the Snake) to inform your Lunar New Year menu, decor, and promotional designs. That’s exactly what Buttermere Patisserie did in recent years with their Year of the Rabbit cake.
For instance, you could add a noodle dish to your menu to celebrate the snake’s sleek, coiled form while also featuring long noodles that symbolize longevity. Or, mix up a spicy cocktail featuring ginger and name it the Serpent’s Bite.
When it comes to decor and design, think winding floral arrangements and serpent-shaped patterns for your table settings. Try pairing gold and red, traditional Lunar New Year colors, with flowing designs that nod to the image of the snake. And don’t forget to create zodiac-themed visuals for your website, social media platforms, and restaurant signage.
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2. Serve Lucky Food Items
During the Lunar New Year, people enjoy a variety of foods that bring luck in hopes of having a prosperous year ahead. So, why not try some of these Lunar New Year food ideas on your own menu?
Dumplings are a must-have in many households because their shape resembles coins, symbolizing wealth and prosperity. Fish is another common centerpiece, often served whole to represent unity and abundance. For dessert, sticky rice cakes (nian gao) are popular. Their name translates to “year higher, symbolizing growth.
Keep in mind that beyond their symbolic meanings, these holiday dishes emphasize family and togetherness. Therefore, incorporating a communal element into your Lunar New Year food ideas is a thoughtful gesture.
3. Create Takeout Meal Bundles
Offering takeout meal bundles like the Tiger Gift Box from Taiwanese restaurant A. Bento is a perfect way to cater to customers who want to celebrate the Lunar New Year, but prefer the comfort of enjoying a meal at home.
For instance, you could create a Lucky Family Set for four people, including appetizers like spring rolls, a main course featuring pork or tofu, a side dish like pickled vegetables, and dessert. For a special touch, add a red envelope filled with a small gift to wish your customers prosperity in the coming year.
4. Mix Up Lunar New Year-Inspired Cocktails
Ask your bartender to design a special cocktail menu inspired by the colors and flavors of the holiday. Create drinks featuring traditional ingredients like ginger, lychee, or jasmine tea, and give each cocktail a name that ties into the zodiac or holiday themes.
For example, a dragon fruit-infused cocktail called the Lucky Dragon might be perfect for your menu. Or, champagne with a splash of citrus dubbed Golden Prosperity could make for a refreshing, celebratory drink that guests will love to say “cheers” with.
5. Host a Cooking Class
Don’t just invite your guests to dine with you! Use your Chinese New Year marketing to encourage them to learn hands-on about the holiday by attending a cooking class or demonstration at your restaurant. This not only makes for an engaging activity where people get to see your chefs in action, but also deepens their understanding of Lunar New Year.
If you want to embrace the community spirit even further, consider setting up restaurant partnerships with other venues or chefs to run the cooking classes or demos together. This way, every restaurant involved will reach a larger audience, and it’ll enhance the guest experience, too.
6. Run a Lunar New Year Charity Drive
Give back to your community by setting up a charity drive and donating a portion of your sales during Lunar New Year to a cause that resonates with your restaurant’s values.
You could partner with a local food bank, a charity supporting underprivileged individuals, or a not-for-profit organization that preserves Asian culture and heritage in your city. Los Angeles based-Bistro Na’s and Meet Fresh did something similar when they collaborated to offer a new dessert item for the Lunar New Year (black sesame soup with tofu pudding) and donated $5 from each item sold to No Kid Hungry.
Bonus tip: Remember to promote the initiative on social media and through your email marketing to encourage your customers to get involved.
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7. Offer a Kids’ Menu and Activities
Lunar New Year is a time to appreciate family, so designing a special kids’ menu or activities for pint-sized diners can help bring more guests in the door. Try offering kid-friendly versions of popular holiday foods, like mini dumplings or bite-sized spring rolls.
When it comes to keeping kids occupied, coloring sheets with zodiac animals are a fun and easy option. If you’re looking for something more, you could host a red envelope scavenger hunt around the restaurant and place chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil inside to put a lighthearted spin on traditional customs.
8. Collaborate with Local Artists or Performers
Teaming up with local artists or performers and promoting your bar events and entertainment in advance of the holiday is a great way to build excitement with your Lunar New Year marketing. It’s also a great way to support your community by giving local groups an opportunity to showcase their cultural traditions.
For example, you could host a lion dance at your restaurant or invite musicians to play East and Southeast Asian music as part of the festivities, like Calgary’s Friends of Chinatown organization did in partnership with the Regency Palace Seafood Restaurant & Lounge. Or, you could feature art or crafts from local artists, offering a platform for them to showcase their work while enhancing your guests’ experience.
Celebrating Lunar New Year can be a fun, community-focused way to connect with your customers and attract business during a typically quiet time of year for restaurants. With its rich cultural traditions, festive atmosphere, and incredible food, this holiday has so much to offer your guests. We bet you’ll have a blast taking part in it, too! Share your creative promotional ideas with us on Instagram @touch_bistro.
Katherine is the Content Marketing Manager at TouchBistro, where she writes about trending topics in food and restaurants. The opposite of a picky eater, she’ll try (almost) anything at least once. Whether it’s chowing down on camel burgers in Morocco or snacking on octopus dumplings in Japan, she’s always up for new food experiences.
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