5 Fun Cinco de Mayo Trends for Your Restaurant

5 Fun Cinco de Mayo Trends for Your Restaurant

Cinco de Mayo, or “5^th of May,” is the traditional Mexican celebration of the day the Mexican army defeated the French Empire in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It’s also a day when family and friends come together to clink margarita glasses and eat guacamole, preferably on a patio outside an authentic Mexican restaurant. By some estimates, Cinco de Mayo is a more popular holiday here in the U.S. than it is in its country of origin, Mexico. What are some popular ways your restaurant can capitalize on this Spring soiree? Let’s dive in to the 5 fun Cinco de Mayo trends for your restaurant.

The Magic Number

5 fun Cinco de Mayo trends for your restaurant would not be complete without a play on the number five. Even if your restaurant doesn’t serve traditional Mexican fare, you can still jump in on the holiday spirit by playing off the number five. Offer $5 drink specials (of course margaritas are popular), or five beers for a set price. You could also do a 5-hour Happy Hour, 5-spice short ribs, five desserts for the price of four, and we could go on. When you market specials with memorable price points, customers are more likely to keep you top of mind when deciding where to spend their holiday.

Mexican Fusion

Another idea for restaurants without Mexican cuisine on their menu is to branch out and create fusion dishes, combining your regular fare with Mexican flavors to get everyone in the spirit. Ingredients such as avocados, limes, tequila, and corn are popular in Mexican cooking and are easy to incorporate into your Cinco de Mayo menu. Mexican chocolate, with its hints of cinnamon, is a perfect addition to desserts.

Tableside Guacamole

First reported as a trend nearly a decade ago, tableside guacamole has waned in recent years. However, there’s no better day to dust off the guac cart and take it for a spin than Cinco de Mayo. Allow guests to choose their ideal fixings, and mix it up a bit by offering unique additions like crab meat, black beans, roasted tomatoes, or pineapple. Want to make your guac even more spirited? Advertise it at $5 a serving.

Create Your Own Margarita

We learned from Tastemade.com that “47% of all drinks ordered on Cinco de Mayo are margaritas.” That’s a lot of tequila. And while the classic lime margarita is always a winner, one way to engage your customers and open their minds to new possibilities is to offer a create-your-own margarita menu. With flavors like strawberry, basil, habanero peppers, blood oranges, jalapenos, and pineapple (to name a few), your guests can feel empowered to be their own mixologist. Encourage them to go bold! You never know, the next big thing in margarita flavors might be just around the corner.

Brunch Bonanza

Traditionally Mexican ingredients like queso and chorizo pair perfectly with breakfast and brunch dishes like breakfast burritos and eggs (huevos rancheros are one of our favorites). Top it off with Mexican horchata or a Tequila Sunrise and you’ve got the recipe for a perfect Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Cinco de Mayo may be right around the corner, but there’s still plenty of time to add even more excitement to your restaurant. So let’s raise a glass of Corona to the 5^th of May, and cheers to your most profitable holiday yet!