Bar & Restaurant Decor Ideas for the Holidays
Nothing says holiday spirit quite like a well-decorated establishment. But with so much to do around the holidays, it’s understandable that Insta-worthy decor falls by the wayside. Here are our top restaurant decor ideas to ring in the cozy-sweater days of Fall to the icicle-inspired Christmas season.
Why Restaurant Decorations Matter
Appealing decorations and a warm environment are major selling points for many customers. Holiday shopping kicks into gear in the fall, and is a great chance to take advantage of the increased foot traffic. According to Pew Research, a whopping 92% of Americans celebrate Christmas during the holidays. On top of this, decor increases the number of photo opportunities for your customers. A fun centerpiece, entryway display or bar decorations encourage patrons to snap a picture and share to social media or with a friend who might like them too. Luckily, there are ways to decorate your establishment in a fun and inviting way without it being too expensive or time consuming.
You can purchase these decorations to save time, or we’ve got some DIYs if you’d like to save money and add a personal twist. Either way, here are our top holiday decoration ideas:
Restaurant Decor Ideas for Fall
- Wreaths – Wreaths have a lot of history behind them, and can symbolize a variety of things. Traditionally for the holidays, wreaths symbolize life and strength.
- Pumpkins – This winter squash is an iconic symbol of the fall season. It’s also probably the easiest to implement decor-wise as you can just grab some from a local grocer and place them as you see fit.
- Leaves – One of the most-anticipated signs of autumn is seeing the leaves change color. The best part about this one? Lots of leafy resources are usually outside, just a few steps away.
- Lighting – Strings of light are fun, and on top of being available in a vast amount of colors, can really be used any time of year. Lanterns, lamps, and flicker flame light fixtures are nifty ways to add a fall vibe to your lighting.
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Restaurant Decor Ideas for Halloween
- Jack-O-Lanterns – There are several ways to decorate these for Halloween, from painting and glittering them to of course the ol’ traditional gut and carve.
- Bat Chandelier
- Hanging Ghosts
- Spider Webs – Fake spider webs can be purchased at any party store during the holiday season and are easy to accessorize with spiders or other decorations.
- Skeletons
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Restaurant Decor Ideas for Christmas and Winter
- Lights – Christmastime is a lighting extravaganza. Utilize this opportunity to dazzle your customers, whether it’s simple white strands or colorful garlands hanging from the ceiling.
- Christmas Trees – These are a staple for the holiday, but there are a few things to keep in mind if you plan on having one. If a real tree is going to be used, make sure to follow all the fire codes in your area regarding candles, lanterns, etc. There are even fire codes for fake trees, particularly metal trees as they can’t have electric lighting near them. Christmas trees leave lots of creative liberties for decoration as well. They can be themed or they can be a homey smorgasbord of ornaments.
- More Garlands
- Themed Centerpieces
- Log Snowman
However you choose to decorate, fun and inviting decorations are bound to bring more guests in your door. Decorating can be a fun activity for your employees to build teamwork and morale. It also reflects that your establishment is one that is invested in culture and community. Additionally, it is a fantastic tool for building word-of-mouth promotion amongst customers and their peers. Though holiday decorations can seem like an extra cost, they’ll likely make up for themselves in revenue and profit.
