Valentine's Day menu ideas and promotions

Valentine's Day restaurant menu ideas by venue type

Keep it short. Two or three choices at each stage is plenty, and the vegetarian option should be as tempting as the meat and fish.

Restaurants

• To start: baked camembert to share, a seafood plate, or a charcuterie or antipasti board.
• Mains for two: a chateaubriand or large steak to share with a choice of sauces, a whole roast fish, a pie for two, or a vegetarian centrepiece such as a mushroom and chestnut wellington.
• To finish: a chocolate fondant, a sharing plate of small puddings, or something light with berries.
• Small touches: a bite on arrival and a chocolate with coffee make the evening feel generous without much extra work.

Pubs

Dress up what you already do well, rather than trying to be a fine dining restaurant for one night.

• a sharing board to start
• steak night for two, or a proper pie for two with mash and greens
• sticky toffee pudding with two spoons
• a bottle of wine chosen to go with the set menu, a cocktail and mocktail pairing, or a local beer or cider matched to each dish
• a Valentine's Sunday roast for two when the day falls on a Sunday, as it does in 2027

Cafes and coffee shops

• heart latte art and a pink or red velvet treat of the week
• a Valentine's brunch for two
• afternoon tea for two
• heart-shaped biscuits or pastries
• treat boxes to pre-order and take home

Hotels and bars

Hotels can pair dinner with an overnight stay, or offer afternoon tea for two, and our guide to social media for hotels, inns and B&Bs covers how to show off rooms and breaks. Bars can build a short list of cocktails for two, each with an alcohol-free version, and a few small plates to share.

Valentine's meals for two: set menus and how to show the price

A set menu makes the night easier to run. Your kitchen knows what is coming, tables turn at predictable times, and you can buy and prepare with less waste. A simple shape is a starter, main and dessert each, with two or three choices at every stage and a drink on arrival.

Your prices are your call. What matters is showing them clearly, because surprises at the table spoil the night:

• Per person or per couple? Say which, every time. Mixing the two leads to awkward conversations when the bill arrives.
• What is included? The drink on arrival, coffee, any extras.
• Any supplements? If the steak costs more, say so in the post.
• Service charge? Say whether one is added.
• Deposits and cancellations. If you take a deposit or card details, say so and link to your terms.
• Sittings. Give the times, so people can plan the rest of their evening.

The Competition and Markets Authority's guidance on showing prices covers social media posts, and explains which charges belong in the price you show.

Here is a caption you can adapt. Replace everything in square brackets with your own details before you post:

Every new dish needs allergen information ready for your team. The Food Standards Agency's allergen guidance for food businesses covers what to provide in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, see Food Standards Scotland's guide to managing allergens.

If you keep your usual menu running as well, say so. Some guests just want a normal dinner out that night.

Valentine's Day promotion ideas for restaurants and pubs

These Valentine's Day restaurant ideas give you more to post about than the menu alone:

• Let followers choose the dessert. Add a poll sticker to an Instagram story with two pudding options. People can vote and see the results as they come in.
• Valentine's gift cards. Some people would rather give a date than book one. A "date night" gift card post works well in the fortnight before.
• A take-home meal for two. For people who would rather stay in, offer a ready-to-heat Valentine's box for collection, if your kitchen and packaging allow. If you pack the boxes before people order, the allergen guidance above explains the labelling rules for that.
• A late dessert menu. Invite people in for pudding and a drink after dinner elsewhere, or after the cinema.
• Help with proposals. Invite anyone planning a proposal to message you, and agree the table, the timing and who on your team is in on it.
• A giveaway for a meal for two. Check the rules first. Facebook's policies for Pages, groups and events say a promotion must not require or reward sharing, reposting or tagging others. Instagram's promotion guidelines make you responsible for the official rules and eligibility terms, and say the promotion must state that Instagram does not sponsor or run it. The UK advertising rules on promotions are in section 8 of the CAP Code.

Keep drinks offers modest, such as a glass of fizz or an alcohol-free spritz on arrival, and avoid bottomless deals or anything that encourages heavy drinking. Before you post a drinks offer, check it against the conditions of your licence.

Promotion timeline on social media

Work back from 14 February.

To pin a post on Facebook, open its options menu and choose Pin post. In the Instagram app, open the post, tap the options menu and choose Pin to main grid. Add a link sticker to your stories so people can tap straight through to your booking page. Not every sticker is available to everyone, so update the app if you cannot see one.

Captions matter as much as photos. For ideas, see our food and drink captions for Instagram.

Posts that avoid putting off solo diners and groups

Valentine's posts can make anyone who is not half of a couple feel unwelcome, and that can cost you bookings. A few habits help:

• Watch your wording. "Valentine's weekend" and "treat someone special" include more people than "couples only". If the set menu really is for two, say that groups are welcome on other nights or in another area.
• Show more than couples. Use your own photos of friends, families and couples of all kinds, with their permission.
• Give friends a night. A Galentine's or friends' supper around the date, with sharing plates, gives groups their own reason to book.
• Make solo diners comfortable. Mention bar or counter seats, and say your usual menu is available there, if it is.
• Offer an alternative. A quiz or comedy night gives people who would rather skip the hearts somewhere to go.
• Keep the tone warm. The day is hard for some people. Invite, do not pressure.

As with any drinks post, avoid wording or images that could appeal to under-18s.

For the rest of the year's big dates, from Mother's Day to Halloween, see our guide to seasonal marketing ideas.