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Email Marketing for Restaurants

Restaurant Thanksgiving Email template

Thanksgiving is a day when many guests would rather not cook, and they decide early. This template shares your hours, shows your menu highlights and gives guests one way to reserve a table or place a takeout order.

Goal
Take Thanksgiving reservations and takeout orders before the kitchen's cutoff.
When
Send it three to four weeks ahead for reservations and takeout orders, then a reminder a few days before your order deadline.
Tones
Warm, playful, polished
Includes
HTML, plain text, SMS
J

Juniper & Salt · Inbox

Thanksgiving at Juniper & Salt, dine in or to go · Sit down with us, or take the feast home. Here's our menu and hours.

Customize with your details

Preview uses a fictional restaurant, Juniper & Salt. Every detail is yours to change.

Restaurant Thanksgiving Email subject lines

Warm

  • Thanksgiving at [Restaurant name], dine in or to go
  • Let us handle Thanksgiving dinner
  • Thanksgiving hours and menu are here

Preheader: Sit down with us, or take the feast home. Here's our menu and hours.

Playful

  • Thanksgiving dinner, dishes not included
  • Who's cooking Thanksgiving this year? We are.
  • Dine in or take out: your Thanksgiving, sorted

Preheader: The feast without the all-day prep or the sink full of pans.

Polished

  • A Thanksgiving menu from [Restaurant name]
  • Join us for Thanksgiving
  • Thanksgiving dining and takeout at [Restaurant name]

Preheader: A holiday menu prepared with care, to enjoy in our dining room or at home.

The thanksgiving email copy

Words in braces are placeholders. The generator fills them in, and drops any line whose detail you leave blank. “Copy text” gives you [bracketed] placeholders to replace by hand.

Warm version

Thanksgiving, made easy

Hi {first_name}, whether you're hosting a crowd or keeping it small this Thanksgiving, {restaurant} is happy to help. Join us in the dining room or take dinner home, and spend the day with the people you're thankful for. Here are our hours for the holiday.

{hours}

To reserve a table or place a takeout order, use the button below or call us at {phone}. We recommend ordering early.

Here's a look at the menu.

Playful version

Your Thanksgiving, handled

Hey {first_name}! Thanksgiving is coming, and somebody has to cook. {restaurant} volunteers. Pull up a chair in our dining room, or take dinner home and keep the leftovers to yourself. Here's when we're open.

{hours}

To reserve a table or order takeout, tap the button below or call {phone}. Order early. Ovens are not infinite.

The menu, in case you need convincing.

Polished version

A Thanksgiving menu, prepared with care

Dear {first_name}, {restaurant} will be serving a Thanksgiving menu this year, available in our dining room or to take home. Our service hours are below.

{hours}

Reservations and takeout orders may be arranged through the button below or by calling {phone}. We recommend placing your order early.

Our Thanksgiving menu follows.

Details you can add: Hours, Menu highlights.

Tips for your thanksgiving email

  • Give the order deadline and the pickup window in plain text. Takeout guests plan their whole day around those two facts.
  • List the menu highlights with serving sizes (feeds four, feeds six) and prices, so guests can choose without calling.
  • Say whether dine-in is a set menu or à la carte, and what time seatings begin.
  • Mention vegetarian and gluten-free options, and how much notice you need for special requests.
  • Set a realistic cap on takeout orders. Closing orders early is better than cancelling any.
  • Send a reminder a few days before the order deadline for guests who have not decided yet.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Not saying when ordering closes, then turning guests away at the last minute.
  • Listing hours without making clear which are for dine-in and which are for takeout pickup.
  • Taking more takeout orders than the kitchen can pack on the day.

Matching SMS

{restaurant}: Thanksgiving dine-in and takeout orders are open. Menu and hours: {cta_url} Reply STOP to opt out.

Text messages need their own, explicit opt-in. An email subscription does not cover SMS.

FAQ

Restaurant Thanksgiving Email questions

When should I send a Thanksgiving email for my restaurant?

Three to four weeks ahead for reservations and takeout orders, then a reminder a few days before your order deadline.

What should a Thanksgiving takeout email include?

The menu with serving sizes and prices, the order deadline, pickup times, reheating instructions if they apply, how to order, and your postal address and unsubscribe link in the footer.

Should I send Thanksgiving hours in the same email as the menu?

Yes, so guests see the day, the hours and the ordering details together. A short separate reminder closer to the day can help.

Part of our free kit for email marketing for restaurants.