How to Plan Christmas Menus and Party Packages in Canada

December is when many Canadian restaurants make their year. Learn how to build high-margin holiday menus, prix fixe packages, and catered events that your guests will love.

Step 1: Choose the Right Format (for Guests and Margins)

Go for prix fixe and promotions. Promotions and deals are the top-preferred pricing model at 42%, and prix fixe is next at 34%, making them perfect for party menus and corporate packages. According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025.

Bundle to lift check size. Prix fixe simplifies production, stabilises food cost, and increases perceived value. Anchor each bundle around your stars—high-margin, high-popularity items—then add upsell tiers. A Classic tier might include three courses with coffee or tea for C$55 to C$65. A Premium tier could add a welcome cocktail and better protein for C$75 to C$85. Your Deluxe tier might feature petit fours and premium wine pairing for C$95 to C$115.

Use clear, all-in pricing and set per-guest minimums for private rooms. This transparency builds trust and keeps you compliant with Canada's drip pricing rules, which we'll cover below.

Step 2: Engineer Menus for Speed, Clarity, and Conversion

Make it visual but readable. According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, Canadians prefer printed menus at 59%, and photos matter, with 36.5% saying they're very important.

Lead with value. Price is the number one influence on dining choice at 43.5%, so state the value proposition right where eyes land, in the first third of the menu or at the page top. 

Design cues to drive orders. Festive interior and menu design can nudge sharing and discovery. A full 51.5% of Canadians are likely or very likely to post if the interior is visually appealing, so build a "moment" backdrop near the bar or tree to turn packages into posts.

Step 3: Build Three Money-Making Holiday Offers

Start with a dine-in prix fixe option for both full-service and quick-service variants. Offer three courses plus coffee or tea, and add C$8 to C$12 for vegetarian or vegan substitutions priced to margin. An optional wine pairing at C$22 to C$35 per person gives guests flexibility. Pre-select mains by group at booking to reduce waste and ticket times.

Party packages for 10 to 150 guests are your second pillar. Use all-in per-guest pricing that includes mandatory fees, with taxes and tips calculated transparently. Create tiers by canapé count and add a carvery or centrepiece like roast turkey porchetta or vegan wellington. A late-night snack at an additional C$8 per person lifts check and delights guests.

Holiday catering and turkey-to-go rounds out your offerings. Provide family-style trays with reheating cards and QR tutorial links. Set a pre-order cut-off at 72 hours and require deposits of C$25 to C$50 to reduce no-shows. Use Toast Catering & Events tools to manage pre-orders and pickup slots.

Step 4: Price for Profit (and Transparency)

Back-of-napkin check in Canadian dollars starts with targeting 75 to 78% gross margin on cocktails and 68 to 72% on festive desserts. Keep prix fixe food cost at or below 28 to 32%, using vegetable starters and seasonal roots to subsidise premium mains. Add pre-order deposits and cancellation windows in writing.

Be transparent. Canada now explicitly prohibits drip pricing under the Competition Act, so advertise the full price with mandatory fees included and separate only government-imposed taxes. This isn't just good practice; it's the law, with both civil and criminal provisions for non-compliance.

Step 5: Market to Where Canadians Are Spending

Lean into local love. The Voice of the Canadian Restaurant Industry 2025 shows tech investment is rising and diners are price-sensitive but supportive of local brands. Use "local" language and supplier shout-outs to defend price. Content ideas include quick reels of your carving board or dessert parade, and spotlights of your "postable" corner.

Step 6: Operations That Protect Margin

When the holiday rush hits, every second counts. Toast Handhelds help servers take orders and payments right at the table, cutting out long lines at POS terminals and keeping guests happy.

At Gusto Italian Grill & Bar in Atlantic Canada, that switch made all the difference — they now turn tables 30% faster and have slashed ticket times by 40% since adopting Toast’s Kitchen Display System (KDS) and handheld devices.

In Toronto, Befikre saw similar results. Before Toast, each server could manage only four or five tables at a time. After switching, they’re comfortably handling eight to ten tables, and the restaurant’s average guest check climbed from about C$45–50 to around C$65 — all thanks to faster service and smoother communication between the front and back of house.

Step 7: Legal & Compliance (Canada-Specific)

Pricing and advertising rules are clear. Avoid hidden fees because drip pricing is banned with civil and criminal provisions. Show full all-in prices and separate only taxes. The Competition Bureau of Canada provides detailed guidance on these requirements.

Language requirements in Québec are strict. French is the official language, and menus and marketing in Québec must be available in French. Bill 96 tightened several obligations, so consult the Charter of the French Language and current guidance when operating in Québec.

Allergens and safety matter to guests. While federal allergen labelling rules target pre-packaged foods, restaurants should still clearly flag priority allergens on menus or QR codes and train staff on accurate disclosure and cross-contact. 

Liquor service for parties and off-site events varies by province. In Ontario, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario requires a Special Occasion Permit for alcohol service outside a licensed premise or for certain private events. Alberta's Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission offers Special Event Licences for public and private gatherings. British Columbia's Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch provides a catering licence and authorisation handbook with rules for catered events. In Québec, the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux administers restaurant permit rules and determines when a separate reception or "permis de réunion" is required.

Pro tip: Add a one-line compliance footer to holiday menus sold in Québec confirming French availability and taxes or service clarity, and to any event proposals outlining licence or permit responsibility and timelines.

Step 8: Forecast Demand and Labour (with Data)

According to the latest Statistics Canada data, annual sales across Canada’s food services and drinking places sector reached roughly C$96.5 billion in 2024 which is a 4% jump from the year before. That steady climb shows Canadians are still dining out and celebrating, even in a tighter economy.

More recent figures from January 2025 show monthly sales holding at about C$8.3 billion, a small but healthy 0.2% increase year over year. In other words, demand hasn’t cooled but rather it’s stabilising. For restaurants, that means consistent foot traffic through winter and a solid base to plan around for the holiday rush ahead.

Make This Your Best December Yet

The holidays are your moment to shine. With the right approach, December can be your most profitable month yet. Let the data guide your choices, keep your operations running smoothly, and make sure you’re covered on the compliance front. 

Your guests are ready to celebrate — and with these strategies, you’ll be ready to deliver experiences they’ll remember and margins you’ll feel good about. Here’s to a festive season that’s merry, busy, and brilliantly profitable.