Don’t sleep on the changing season. Your guests want to celebrate the fall and winter months and they’re ready to spend on cozy experiences, nostalgic flavors, and limited-time treats to do it.
Leaning into a few time-tested marketing tactics can help you deliver stellar guest experiences and stack some paper.
So how do you do it?
Plan early
It’s never too early to start preparing. Give yourself a two-month runway and you’ll save yourself a whole lot of headaches.
Consider this practical timeline:
- 9+ weeks out: brainstorm drink concepts, source specialty ingredients, run staff tastings.
- 6 weeks out: finalize your menu, estimate ingredient volumes, design POS messaging and in-store signage.
- 4 weeks out: soft-launch internal tests; collect feedback from staff and regulars. Start jotting down ideas for social media posts, emails and other communications.
- 2 weeks out: lock in your marketing calendar, schedule posts, stock supplies, prep your décor and put together some stellar seasonal playlists.
- Launch → iterate: track sales, tweak recipes/pricing, push high-margin combos.
Underground tip:
Make a one-page calendar with launch dates, social posts, and collabs.
Put together a thoughtful seasonal menu
Classic holiday flavors stay in rotation year after year because they’re nostalgia bombs. Every time you whip up a PSL or a peppermint mocha you’re standing on the shoulders of the generations of baristas that came before you. Alright, maybe that a little bit of a stretch, the PSL was first popularized by Starbucks in 2003, but you get the idea.
Across food and beverage reporting and our own data, the consistent top performers for the fall and winter seasons are:
- Pumpkin spice
- Peppermint / mint chocolate
- Gingerbread & molasses spices
- Caramel & salted caramel
- Chocolate mocha variations
When you’re crafting seasonal drinks, consider a less is more strategy. Pick 3–5 seasonal items that are easy to train on and quick to make. A smaller, well-executed seasonal menu beats a bloated one that slows service.
Underground tip:
Pick two hero flavors (one classic, one twist) and experiment with variants. Putting a twist on a classic is a great way to help your cafe stand out from the crowd.
Need some help with your holiday menu? Check out our article on Crafting Signature Beverages.
Fold in some holiday marketing tactics
You don’t need a massive campaign. You can boost sales, and get the word out with these focused, proven strategies.
What works:
- 1. Highlight “Seasonal” on Menus – Creates urgency and boosts sales.
- 2. Bundle & Upsell – Pair seasonal drinks with pastries at a slight discount to increase average checks.
- 3. Secret Menu Access – Reward your customers that follow you on social or subscribe to your email list with special offers and exclusive beverages.
- 4. Email Campaigns – Announce your holiday offerings with short, visual emails. Shameless self promotion: You can borrow some ideas from our emails if you’d like.
- 5. Community Events & Partnerships – Host pop-ups with local artisans, hold holiday markets, or partner with your favorite local non-profit to organize a toy drive.
- 6. Seasonal Promos - Cook up small daily deals or surprise freebies for your subscribers.
- 7. Gift-Card Offers - You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, think straight forward, buy $50, get $5 deals. And make sure your gift cards are where guests can see them.
Underground tip:
Run one promotion at a time so you can measure what actually drives sales
Measure what matters
Track simple KPIs (key performance indicators) and make adjustments as you see patterns emerging.
Keep an eye on:
- Unit sales by seasonal item
- Average ticket during promo windows
- New loyalty sign-ups and gift-card sales
If something’s not working, give it the boot. Double down on what’s moving the needle.
Final Thoughts
With a little planning, a tight menu, and the right promos, your café can turn seasonal vibes into repeat business and real revenue.
Stock up on seasonal must haves
