January is set to be a tough month for both businesses and customers.

For consumers, many will be tightening their belts and reducing spend, having revelled in the joy of the previous month’s festivities.

For businesses, the January slump is a well-known phenomenon.

After a heaving festive period, many takeaways and restaurants experience a slow month due to customers spending less, and an increased focus on New Year’s resolutions such as ‘eating out less’, ‘cooking more’, and ‘saving money’.

And in 2023, this January slump is likely to hit even harder due to the cost-of-living crisis that is affecting people across the nation.

A 2022 YouGov poll* found that 39% of households have cut back on eating out. Additionally, 32% have reduced, or stopped, spending money on takeaways, because of the cost-of-living crisis. These numbers are likely to increase.

To help businesses beat the January blues, innovative tech company Foodhub have shared five tips on how to boost orders in the new year.

1. Upsell sides and additional items 

Upselling side dishes, add-ons, and desserts is a great way to increase January orders.

During the ordering process, try offering customers a range of sides and additional items that complement their order. Why not also prompt them to see if they’d like any drinks or desserts.

Although it may seem simple, this can help boost incremental revenue.

2. Try some January specials 

January is a great time to experiment with specials.

During busy months, when the orders are rolling in, most restaurants and takeaways will stick with tried and tested menu items.

However, as January is typically a slow month, it is the perfect time to take some risks and try different menu innovations.

Why not debut some new menu items? Or perhaps create a range of meal deals (for example, create a family meal deal, which makes choosing hassle free for customers and incentivise larger orders).

3. Offer Promotions 

Promotions are a great way to attract new customers and drive orders.

For example, you could offer ‘X% off orders over £X’, introduce a ‘buy one get one free deal’, debut a time sensitive January discount, or start a ‘refer a friend’ scheme.

Consumers will be on the lookout for money saving deals in January, so offering promotions is a great way to attract new business.

4. Reconsider your menu 

Having a menu which is both profitable and popular with customers is essential for any successful restaurant.

It is important to regularly check in with your menu, to assess what dishes are popular, which are not so popular, and which could do with a refresh.

January is the perfect time to do this. Try considering the long-term future of your menu and think about what direction you want to take it.

This can help boost orders and profits in both the short and long term.

5. Enhance your social media presence 

For restaurants and takeaways, social media is a direct channel of communication with customers, and its importance should not be understated.

Whether via Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook – social media is a great place to share tantalising images and videos of food, advertise promotions and deals, interact with customers, and attract new ones.

For smaller food businesses, social media is a cheap and accessible marketing tool. Thanks to modern smartphones, content can be created quickly and easily, with next to no cost to the business.

January is a great month for restaurants to consider their social media presence.

Simple steps such as posting consistently, sharing great food content, and interacting with followers can have a real positive knock-on effect – and can translate into more orders.

For more information about Foodhub, visit: https://foodhub.co.uk/