15 Chinese New Year Restaurant Promotion Ideas For 2026

Chinese New Year 2026 officially begins on February 17, and for restaurants, this holiday is one of the strongest seasonal revenue opportunities of the year.

Family reunions, group dining, and gift-giving drive higher check sizes and repeat visits—but only for restaurants that plan ahead. Miss the window, and you miss more than a busy week. You lose momentum, visibility, and long-term customer growth. 

This guide breaks down how to plan, execute, and scale a Chinese New Year restaurant promotion so you can turn peak traffic into measurable profit and discover restaurant techs like restaurant order management tool get you well-equipped this festive season.

How to gear up for the Chinese New Year 2026

The Chinese New Year is around the corner, and as a big player in the restaurant industry, you shouldn’t miss the chance to capitalize on this festive celebration.

To give you a head start, whether you’re a small nook or a premier restaurant, this guide is curated with strategies that will surely give you an edge among others.

1. Set clear objectives and lock in your dates.

This initial step is crucial to align your team and set up a budget with realistic targets. 

Decide on what you want to achieve: is it to fully-book dine-in tables, to drive more high-value takeout bundles, or to grow your online audience and engagement? 

Once set and clear, fix your key dates.

February 16 and 17 have the highest projected peak traffic, so you can focus your operations around this time. But run your Chinese New Year promotions a week before and one week after to accommodate late planners and early celebrants. 

This structure will help you forecast sales, set a promotional budget proportionate to the holiday revenue, and establish concrete metrics, such as reservation targets or average spend per table. 

2.Build a themed menu that sells out.

Your menu holds a key role in running your Chinese New Year promo.  So, make sure your dishes translate the holidays that are easy to sell and easy for guests to share online.

 For starters, go for the symbolic items like whole fish, dumplings, noodles, glutinous rice cakes, and citrus fruits. From here, you can build menu items like Cha Guo Savory Rice Cakes, Chicken mushroom dumplings, Braised Kaoufu, among others.

Ensure the description of your food connects to the celebration to further strengthen relevance.

Pro tip: Either these dishes are on your list, or it’s the first time you're offering something out of the usual; ensure it's viable. You can design sets that share the ingredients to control food cost. Implement smart portioning to attain your projected sales and avoid food waste in your restaurant. And offer both dine-in and takeout to maximize opportunities during this holiday.

3.Prepare your restaurant operations.

To deliver the best experience possible, thorough preparation is needed. 

Forecast the increase in orders during peak periods to plan your inventory and secure key ingredients early to avoid shortages due to demand. 

Once secured, prepare high-volume items like dumplings, sauces, and side dishes to save the prepping time.

On the staffing side, schedule additional front-of-house and back-of-house support. See to it that they are briefed on the holiday’s basic etiquette and greetings so they can interact confidently. 

Also, system matters. So, have an efficient restaurant tech counterpart with you, like a kitchen display system or software, digital menu, or interactive kiosks, to accommodate your customers with ease. 

4.Create a festive in-store experience.

Dress up the space with the holiday’s theme to complete the festive vibe in your restaurant.

Red and gold remain the palette as these represent fortune, vitality, and prosperity. Add simple elements like lanterns, banners, and horse-themed visuals to transform the dining rooms without costing you major renovations. 

To add a commemorative corner for your guests, set up a photobooth on a corner with short greeting placards and props. 

Make every setup intentional, so your restaurant can take advantage of the things you put out, whether it’s for visibility, online engagement, or to increase foot traffic. 

15 Chinese New Year restaurant promotion ideas to drive sales this holiday season

You might want to explore other ways to offer restaurant promotions. So, this section prepares a creative, sales-efficient list of promos you can run without a hassle.

1. ‘Lucky Red Envelope’ discounts 

Red envelopes or hóngbāo are a symbolic element in the Chinese New Year tradition, and this can translate into a promotional tool. 

Hand out sealed red envelopes after they dine, each containing a special reward like a family discount, a free side dish, or a drink upgrade. 

Post this promo using your social media for restaurants or put up a sign in the corner so the guests and potential customers will know they’ll receive a surprise after dining. 

It gives the psychological appeal of winning, which guarantees an increase in engagement and repeat visits in the future.

Tip: Pre-plan a mix of small and big rewards to keep promotions profitable and excitement and anticipation high. 

2.Prosperity Set menus

Bundle your best-selling dishes into value-packed meals. 

These sets should contain dishes that are already popular and cost-efficient to produce, but still relate to the celebration. This helps you to maintain a strong restaurant profit margin while offering value to your customers. 

Consider offering multiple tiers in your Chinese New Year menu, like small family sets and large group feasts. 

Make use of delivery apps, in-store signage, and restaurant websites to market these menu sets. Limited availability should do the trick to encourage urgency that pushes potential customers to avail themselves before the holiday ends.

3.  Family reunion bundles

The celebration is heavily centred on family gatherings, which makes group meal bundles highly appealing. 

 You can create a large sharing platter designed for 4, 6, or 10 people. Structure the pricing to provide value on the promo and be feasible enough to make a profit.

Promote these bundles through pre-orders and reservations to manage inventory and staffing efficiently.

4. Countdown-to-New-Year deals

Countdown formats naturally create urgency and push customers to act fast. So, daily or weekly deals leading up to the holiday build momentum for your promos.

Each day or week, you can feature a different dish, bundle, or discount, which keeps customers checking your restaurant website or social media regularly. 

Advertise each deal on social media stories, email newsletters, or traditional marketing. 

Countdown formats naturally create urgency and push customers to act fast.

For operational efficiency, keep your offers simple so your staff can execute smoothly during peak hours. 

5.  Combo takeout boxes

Pre-packed meal boxes are a saviour for busy families. 

These meal box sets can include your best-sellers, symbolic items, and limited-edition menu ideas. 

Ensure to price these competitively and make them easy to order online through an online menu ordering system or delivery apps, for convenience is a major driver of holiday sales. 

For an upgraded experience, use branded festive packaging in red and gold and with a short note. This small touch can boost perceived value, making your customer feel like they’re receiving something special.

6. Double points promo

Offering double loyalty points to your most valued customers is a smart way to reward them while increasing their spending during the holiday season.

For every purchase, you give your guests an extra reason to choose your restaurant over competitors and might even want to explore add-ons. 

To maximize impact, clearly communicate how long the promotion runs and what rewards they can redeem their points for. Set a specific timeframe to create urgency and excitement. 

7. Flash sale happy hours

During slow periods, a happy hour deal is a powerful way to make a profit. 

Choose off-peak hours and offer limited-time deals like discounted appetizers, buy-one-get-one drinks, or special bundle pricing.

This strategy helps to fill empty tables and keep your staff productive during quiet hours. Over time, your customers will start planning visits around the flash sales and eventually turn your slow periods into a reliable revenue window.

8. VIP early-access offers 

It’s the simplest yet most efficient way to make your loyal customers feel valued and appreciated. 

Giving them early dibs on your Chinese New Year restaurant promotions,  limited-time menus, or special discounts creates inclusivity that strengthens their connection to your brand. 

Here’s where you start: segment your customer list. Look who’s visiting often, who spends more, or who’s been loyal for months. Send them a private message or email as an invitation for early access to your offers. 

Over time, this strategy builds into long-term relationships and turns your regular guests into your brand ambassadors.

9. Tiered spending rewards

Customers love perks regardless of whether they spend a little more. This is what tiered spending rewards are all about: it’s a strategic way to increase your sales by guiding your customer behavior instead of forcing sales. 

Start with setting a clear spending level just above your usual bill size, then attach simple rewards like a free dessert, drink, or a voucher for their next visit.

For example, if a customer spends $50, there’s a free appetizer, a $100, and a signature cocktail, and so on.  

Display these tiers on menus and tables so customers always know what they can earn. 

Note: Choose rewards that cost you less or are in the low-profit margin category but feel valuable to customers. 

10. Festive drink pairing add-ons

This revenue-boosting promotion strategy enables upselling in the smoothest way possible. 

The idea here is to suggest drinks that naturally complement your seasonal dishes. Let’s say a sparking lychee cocktail with dumplings or a spiced tea with red bean dessert. 

But avoid deliberate pairing and identify high-margin drinks that complement your menu. 

When you have your food and drink pairing set, train your staff how to recommend them rather than a sales pitch. If you’re short-staffed, use restaurant technology like an online ordering system to assist you not just with upselling but also with managing orders. 

11. Cross-promotions with other local brands

Team up with complementary businesses in your area and offer bundled deals or joint events.

It’s a smart way to grow your customer base while keeping marketing costs low.

You could partner with a local bakery and offer a Chinese New Year restaurant promotion, a dessert package, or a tea shop to include a specialty for every festive meal. 

 Cross-promoting brands expands reach without paying for extra advertising, and in the long run, this partnership can create loyal cross-brand customers and boost traffic while reducing marketing spend.

12. Chef’s Table CNY Experience

It’s a high-margin, high-value strategy that is designed to provide an exclusive dining event.

The concept focuses on a limited number of seats at a special table and serves guests with a curated, multi-course tasting menu prepared by your head chef.

When it comes to advertising this promo, you want to make sure the details are clearly laid out. Say,

 “Join our CNY Chef’s Table for a 6-course festive feast, including specialty dumplings and premium seafood, only 10 seats available per night.” Add your contact information to your posts and flyers for any inquiries.

With this, you can charge a premium price while offering a unique and exclusive dining experience for them.

13. Gift card campaigns

Drive early revenue using gift cards. 

Market these as a ‘lucky gift’ for friends and family who seek a convenient way to celebrate. Gift cards serve as a tool for customer acquisition and retention. 

Each redeemed card introduces new diners to your restaurant, many of whom may return for additional visits or share their experience with others, and automatically expands your customer base.  

More than that, pre-sold gift cards improve cash flow, which allows you to better plan inventory, staffing, and marketing efforts for the peak holiday period.  This is both a revenue driver and a long-term growth tactic. 

14. Holiday catering packages

Many customers may prefer celebrating at home or in the office, yet they couldn’t afford to prepare food by themselves. 

Expanding your operations beyond your restaurant walls allows you to capture this market. 

You can create different types of packages, such as a full-family-style feast or a selection of signature appetizers and desserts. 

Offer tiered pricing on your packages based on the party size or menu items to increase your average order value and make the purchase decision straightforward for the customers.

15. Referral red packet program

Turn your happy customers into your most effective sales team.

The idea is simple: reward them for bringing new customers. They’ll get a ‘red packet’ — it could be digital or physical, with a referral code or offer they can share with friends. When a new guest uses it, both get a reward. 

When applying this promo in action, hand out referral cards to dining customers. If you’re still new, you may want to limit this offer to your regulars so you can manage the rewards effectively without losing your profit. 

If you’re using a restaurant loyalty program system or app, explore and integrate this, but remember to keep the rules simple. No complicated sign-ups. The easier it is, the more people will actually use it.

This is one of the lowest-cost marketing strategies you can run. You only give rewards after you’ve earned a new paying customer. 

How to handle CNY rush like a pro with a restaurant order management system

In an instant, your restaurant can turn into chaos when orders pile up, wait times lengthen, and customers get frustrated. 

When tickets get mixed up, tables wait longer, and the kitchen struggles to keep pace, it doesn’t just hurt service but risks in bad reviews and lost repeat business get high. 

But with an efficient restaurant order system like MENU TIGER, it changes the game. Handling the CNY crowd is as easy as pie. 

Here’s why:

1. Straightforward KDS system

MENU TIGER’s kitchen display system (KDS) replaces messy paper tickets with a clear, digital workflow. 

Customer orders are directly sent to the kitchen screen, which reduces errors and helps chefs prioritize dishes efficiently. 

During the holiday, this only means faster prep times, fewer mix-ups, and smoother coordination between the front and back of house.

2. Smart tableside QR code menu ordering

Customers ordering directly from their mobile phones cuts down waiting time and reduces staff workload. 

This speeds up table turnover and ensures accurate orders, perfect when every minute counts during the holiday rush. 

In addition, you can leverage QR code menus in upselling other menu items or add-ons without having your staff personally recommend them. It’s streamlined and effective, allowing your customers to decide.

3. Integrated payment system

Customers can pay digitally using cards, e-wallets, or QR payments, without needing to wait for long lines.

This convenience speeds up the process and gives guests a sense of control and comfort, especially during peak season. 

It takes away a big weight on your restaurant team as digital payments reduce manual errors, eliminate the need for constant cash handling, and simplify end-of-the-day reconciliation. 

Faster transactions lead to quicker table turnover.

4.  Performance-driven promotions and upselling feature

This order management system lets you run targeted promotions with ease. 

You can create limited-time discounts, holiday bundles, and family feast deals that automatically appear on digital menus. 

With built-in promo scheduling, you can activate discounts during off-peak hours or push flash deals when the kitchen has extra capacity. 

The system can help you offer add–ons or upgrades, subtly boosting sales while enhancing the guest experience. Everything is automated, so your staff won’t have to memorize promo mechanics or manually apply discounts.

Get CNY-ready with profit-driven promotions that boost sales

Chinese New Year is one of the most valuable seasonal moments for restaurants. With the right Chinese New Year restaurant promotion, you can turn short-term traffic into long-term growth.

Plan early. Keep menus simple. Use systems that reduce friction.

With tools like MENU TIGER, you can manage high-volume orders, launch promotions faster, and maximize revenue—without overwhelming your team.

Peak season is coming. Make it count.