How to Plan Christmas Menus and Party Packages in Ireland

Irish diners are selective right now, but they still go big for the holidays. Your goal should be to craft a festive offer that feels generous to guests, is simple for the team to execute, and hits your target margins at every sitting, every package.

Choose a Festive Pricing Model That Protects Margins

Lean into set menus for groups. According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, Irish diners show a strong preference for Prix Fixe at restaurants (40%) versus à la carte (23.5%), perfect for Christmas party packages that need predictable food cost, pace, and spend.

Keeping things simple and easy to interpret is the best pricing psychology for Ireland. According to our Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, 58% of Irish diners prefer whole-number prices (e.g., €45), tidy for set menus and gift bundles.

Quick math template (target around 75% GP on food for packages): 

• Food cost per head (ingredients plus expected waste): €14.

• Desired food GP: 72–78% (aim around 75%) gives you a target price of approximately €56 (ex-VAT). 

• Include a high-margin add-on (e.g., sparkling on arrival for €7 ex-VAT) to lift average check.

Build Irresistible (and Operationally Simple) Bundles

Keep your festive offer simple for guests — and smooth for your team front and back of house. Try a “Good, Better, Best” Prix Fixe menu that’s easy to explain and easy to execute:

• €39 per person (Mon–Wed early evenings): 2 courses with tea or coffee

• €49 per person (peak evenings): 3 courses plus an arrival mocktail

• €59 per person (premium): 3 courses with a cocktail on arrival and shareable sides for the table

Hosting a crowd? Keep it simple with sharing trays built for 12–20 guests. Think cold canapés (€195 for 48 pieces), hot bites (€220 for 40 pieces), and mini desserts (€150 for 36 pieces) — everything they need to mingle, nibble, and celebrate without the fuss.

Include upgrades that guests love and ops loves: "House Favourites" badge on one or two profitable mains (guide servers to recommend), and zero-alcohol cocktails on every package for inclusive groups. 

Engineer the Menu for Speed and Spend

Printed menus still matter. According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, 73% of Irish diners prefer printed menus, so make your Christmas menu beautiful, scannable, and photo-worthy.

Keep prices round and spell out what’s included so there’s no surprises. Definitely shine a light on your local, seasonal dishes as Irish diners love seeing that connection. 

Also keep your menu tidy with short descriptions and small icons for dietary info so guests can find what they need at a glance.

Lighting equals dwell time (and extra rounds). According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, 59.5% prefer warm, dimmed lighting, and 56% say warm ambient lighting makes them stay longer and order more, perfect for festive service.

Set Peak-Season Pricing With Confidence (and Transparency)

Irish guests are value-sensitive at Christmas. According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, 61.5% say price is a primary or quite influential factor in choosing a restaurant, so publish clear package details and inclusions upfront.

Being upfront goes a long way so add a short note on your menu or website explaining what shapes your prices like using local ingredients.

For macro context when planning December staffing and purchasing, track the Central Statistics Office's "Retail Sales – Restaurants & Bars" series for seasonal spikes. The CSO provides monthly retail sales data that can help you benchmark your December performance against national trends.

Lock the Operations: Speed, Turns, and Data

Handhelds and KDS equal faster parties. Irish restaurants using Toast handhelds and KDS often see quicker ordering, fewer bottlenecks, and happier teams. 

Bewley's cut table turns by around 5 minutes and improved guest experience by modernising POS, handhelds, and KDS, and gained cleaner reporting for decisions.

Run-of-show tips for parties: pre-select mains by headcount at booking (collect choices 72 hours prior), stagger seatings in 15-minute waves, fire arrival drinks and bread or first course from the door with handhelds, and close tables at the table (split bills, tap-to-pay) to free seats faster.

Market Early, Then Fill the Gaps Smartly

Publish packages and seatings (early and late) with clear booking rules and deposits. Use Instagram Reels for behind-the-scenes prep plus "what's included" walkthrough, YouTube for quick, authentic video of the festive set-up, Google Business Profile by adding "Christmas Menu" and "Party Packages" as updates with a booking link, and gift cards (digital and physical) as add-ons at checkout, as seasonal sales can be significant.

Legal and Compliance (Republic of Ireland)

Keep your Christmas menus, marketing, and service compliant. You must provide accurate allergen information for all foods (including non-prepacked). Train staff and keep the allergen file updated. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland provides comprehensive guidance on allergen labelling requirements and best practices for foodservice operators.

"Happy hour" style alcohol promotions are not allowed in Ireland; pricing and promotions must not encourage excessive drinking. Keep drinks marketing responsible and transparent.

Display prices clearly and avoid misleading promotions; follow Competition and Consumer Protection Commission guidance on price display and consumer protection. 

This section is informational, not legal advice. Consult your adviser if in doubt. The Restaurants Association of Ireland also provides members with sector-specific compliance support and updates on regulatory changes affecting Irish restaurants.

Forecast Demand and Labour With Your Own Data

Pull last year's December sales by daypart, covers, average check, and item mix, then layer on this year's bookings and seat-map capacity. Staff to the bottleneck (bar or pass) and build runners and flex roles on peak nights. Track waste versus yield on roasts, sharing mains, and desserts from week 1; adjust pars quickly. Use reporting to spot add-on opportunities (arrival drinks, sides, desserts).

Service Playbook for Group Joy (and Higher Spend)

Create an arrival ritual with tray-served mocktail or cocktail plus coat check; it sets the tone and spreads the room. Pre-fire sharers like bread, olives, and festive bites to buy time for mains. Use table-side upsell for "House Favourite" mains and a shared side prompt. Make the dessert decision early by presenting the dessert board visually after starters to increase take-rate. Close the loop with an email or SMS thank-you next morning with gift card prompt and January offer.

Post-Holiday Retention

Export party hosts to Loyalty and Email segments. Send "Team Celebration" or "Client Thank-You Lunch" offers for January. Build a short NPS form and improve next year's packages with real feedback. Research from the School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology at Technological University Dublin highlights that customer retention strategies implemented immediately after seasonal peaks can significantly improve annual revenue per guest.

Make This Your Best Christmas Season Yet

The festive season is your moment to show off what makes your place special — and to set yourself up for a strong start in January. Keep pricing clear, packages simple, and service slick so the team can fly. Focus on what Irish diners care about most: clarity, quality, and a great atmosphere. Start early, check the numbers every night, and use what you learn this December to make next year even better.