Preparing Your Restaurant for the Easter Rush

Now is the time to prepare your business for Easter brunch, where many will flock to spend the holiday with loved ones. Restaurant readiness and menu preparation are essential to creating a fluid day for your staff, and a memorable experience for customers.

Some customers will be coming off the 40-day Lent season, and will likely be looking for great center of plate options and appetizers. There will probably be some who fasted from cocktails and alcohol, so mimosas may be in hot demand. Cheers to making this Easter a huge success for your restaurant this year.

Here are a some core tips to make sure your day runs smooth, and your staff delivers a wonderful experience for all. As any restaurateur knows, it’s always a good idea to make sure back of house and front of house staff is ready for a restaurant rush.

Here are some tips for Easter that may apply to any increase in holiday demand:

• Begin taking reservations early, but don’t overbook. Long waits and confusion at a host or hostess stand can lead to customer dissatisfaction.
• Be very clear about your reservation and cancellation policies. This is a courtesy to not only to customers, but better aligns the volume of food and amount of time your staff prepares beforehand.
• Schedule enough staff to handle the foreseeable rush. Are there all star servers you want on the floor? Do your chefs need an extra hand to meet the high demands? Anticipate orders and seating and staff accordingly.
• Leverage pre-cooked and frozen ingredients that save time in many dishes and streamline serving.

Easter Brunch

1. Get creative with eggs served at brunch. Eggs in acorn squash rings are just one example.
2. Quiché is the holy grail of brunch foods. Where else can you get all the breakfast favorites in one dish?
3. Spice up flapjacks with an eye-catching red hue. Beet pancakes can do just that and provide a wonderful canvas for fresh fruit and edible flowers.
4. Explore savory renditions of breakfast staples by preparing something like sage waffles with butternut squash. Top with pecans and your guests will see waffles in a whole new light.

The recipe for success will be different for every menu, so it’s important to make each meal unique and authentically yours.

Easter Ingredients

• It wouldn’t be Easter without a juicy offering of honey-glazed ham. Consider hams from Cobblestreet Market for convenient, delicious flavor.
• Easter ham goes great with a side of green bean casserole. Are there other produce dishes you can add to the mix to compliment the meal?
• For guests looking to welcome meat back into their diet after Lent, offer them socca with chicken and green vegetables. It’s an easy way to sneak in fiber and extra protein with a chickpea pancake as the base.

Easter Dessert Ideas

Dessert can be the most important part of the meal for some, and chocolate often reigns supreme. Give guests what they want with a beautiful and delicious chocolate cookie stack packed with fluffy whipped cream and sweet, fresh strawberries.
Sweet spring fling desserts (essentially a French macaroon filled with mango and strawberry) are timely and memorable. And the best part is, they’re relatively low-calorie. And if all of those are still too sweet, granola cups filled with yogurt and bright fruit are a terrific idea.

No matter how you slice it, make the Easter experience unforgettable for your customers. Ready your staff, expand your menu to serve beautiful brunch items and desserts, and enjoy the rush. It’s a great time to serve everyone an awesome time.