Seasonal Campaigns: Using Geofencing to Boost Restaurant Promotions

Every restaurant has its busy seasons—but what if you could make the slow times busy, too? That’s the power of a well-timed seasonal geofencing campaign. With geofencing, you can serve timely, location-specific ads to potential diners during the moments they’re most likely to visit—like holidays, big events, and seasonal occasions.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to plan, launch, and profit from seasonal geofencing strategies that drive foot traffic, boost orders, and help your restaurant stand out year-round.

Why Seasonal Campaigns Work

Seasons create natural demand shifts in the restaurant industry. Whether it's cozy meals during fall, summer smoothies, or romantic Valentine’s Day dinners—people are already searching for themed dining experiences.

By pairing that seasonal intent with location-based targeting, you can get your offer in front of the right customer at the right time—when they’re nearby and hungry.

Top Seasonal Opportunities to Leverage

1. Holidays – Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve

2. Seasonal Menus – Fall pumpkin items, summer BBQ platters, winter soups

3. Local Events – Street fairs, parades, festivals, community markets

4. Sporting Events – Football Sundays, World Cup watch parties, local high school games

5. Weather-Based Campaigns – Hot drink ads on rainy days, cold treats during heatwaves

How to Use Geofencing for Seasonal Campaigns

1. Choose Key Locations Set your geofences around places where your audience gathers during the season—event venues, shopping centers, parks, tourist spots, or even near your competitors.

2. Create Themed Offers Examples:

   • “Get a free hot cocoa with any meal—today only!”

   • “Pre-concert dinner special: 15% off before 7PM”

   • “Cool off with $1 iced teas – Just steps from the park!”

3. Design Eye-Catching Ads Use seasonal colors, icons (hearts for Valentine’s, pumpkins for fall), and location-aware messaging like:

   • “Just around the corner…”

   • “3 minutes away from [event name]”

   • “Walking distance from [mall name]”

4. Schedule Wisely Launch your campaigns 1–2 weeks before peak dates. For event-based promos, time them 2–3 hours before start time or right as events are ending.

   
   

Sample Campaign: Valentine's Day Dinner Promotion

• Geo-targeting: Around flower shops, card stores, and jewelry boutiques

• Ad: “Complete the perfect date—romantic dinner for two, free dessert included ❤️ Just 5 minutes away.”

• CTA: Tap to reserve a table

• Results: This strategy helped one restaurant achieve a 38% increase in reservations compared to the previous year

  
  

Tips for Success

• Use mobile-friendly landing pages with a single clear CTA

• Include a map or directions button in your ad

• Limit the radius to 1–2 miles for best results

• Combine with retargeting to follow up with anyone who saw but didn’t convert

• Always measure results and adjust for the next season

  
  

Bonus: Integrate with Other Marketing Channels

Geofencing works even better when paired with:

• Email reminders (“Book your holiday party before we fill up!”)

• In-store signage promoting the same offer

• Social media posts that reinforce urgency and exclusivity

Seasonal geofencing is one of the most cost-effective ways to boost restaurant traffic and stay top-of-mind throughout the year. By aligning your promotions with the calendar and using mobile tech to your advantage, you can turn every holiday, weather shift, and community event into a profit opportunity.

At Wise Roots, we help restaurants create smart, ROI-driven seasonal campaigns that bring in real results—not just clicks. From creative development to campaign execution and tracking, we handle it all.

👉 Let’s plan your next seasonal win—book a free strategy session with Wise Roots today.