In the Philippines, food is at the heart of every celebration. Whether it’s Christmas, New Year, fiestas, or family gatherings, Filipino diners love to celebrate with great meals and unforgettable flavors.

For restaurant owners, the holiday season presents a golden opportunity to attract more customers and increase sales. But to stand out, you’ll need more than just decorations and music—you need a well-thought-out festive menu.

Here’s how to craft a seasonal menu that excites your diners and boosts your revenue

1. Offer Limited-Time Dishes

The key to a successful festive menu? Make it exclusive. Highlighting seasonal dishes that are only available for a short time creates urgency and excitement.

Think of:

• Classic Filipino holiday dishes with a twist
• Premium ingredients (like lechon belly or truffle sisig)
• Special desserts only available during the season

✅ With Orderna, you can easily update your digital menu to include limited-time items and monitor how they perform in real time.

‍

2. Add Shareable Platters and Group Meals

Filipino celebrations are rarely for one—it’s all about sharing with friends and family. Including group bundles or party trays in your festive menu can increase order sizes and simplify group dining.

Ideas include:

• Family-style bilao sets
• Mixed platters with best-sellers
• Bundles with drinks and dessert included

✅ Use Orderna’s promotions feature to apply discounts on meal bundles and track which ones drive the most sales.

‍

3. Incorporate Local and Seasonal Ingredients

Celebrate Filipino flavors with ingredients that are fresh and meaningful during the holiday season. Highlighting locally-sourced produce or regional specialties gives your menu an authentic, festive touch.

Examples:

• Mais con yelo-inspired milkshakes
• Ube-flavored pastries or drinks
• Region-based specialties like kare-kare or laing

✅ Orderna’s inventory system helps you keep track of seasonal ingredients and manage your stock so you avoid overordering or wastage.

‍

4. Make It Instagrammable

During the festive season, presentation matters more than ever. Diners love to take photos of their food, especially when it’s colorful, creative, and camera-ready.

• Invest in unique plating
• Holiday-themed drink garnishes
• Dessert toppers that add visual flair.

✅ With Orderna’s reporting tools, you can analyze which visually appealing items are generating the most interest and repeat orders.

‍

5. Train Your Staff For the Festive Rush

Your menu might be on point, but if your team isn’t prepared, the dining experience could suffer. Make sure your kitchen and service staff are familiar with the festive items, preparation times, and upselling techniques.

✅ Orderna’s POS system allows for quick staff onboarding, lets team members view item details, and helps streamline communication between front-of-house and kitchen via Kitchen Display System (KDS) integration.

‍

6. Promote It Across All Channels

Don’t wait for customers to discover your festive menu by chance. Use digital platforms to get the word out.

• Post teasers and promos on social media
• Send SMS updates to loyal customers
• Use email campaigns to highlight exclusive offers

✅ Orderna allows you to capture customer data at checkout, so you can retarget your regulars with festive deals and drive repeat visits.

‍

Final Thoughts

Crafting a festive menu is more than just offering new dishes—it’s about creating a celebration within your restaurant that keeps customers coming back for more.

By combining creative menu planning with a reliable and feature-rich system like Orderna, you can serve efficiently, manage seasonal demand, and maximize every opportunity this holiday season.

‍

Ready to make the most of the festive rush? Create your seasonal menu and run it seamlessly with Orderna—your all-in-one POS for Filipino restaurants.