This year, St Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday, and that could mean the busiest service since Christmas for food-led pubs, potentially spilling into the Friday night and the Sunday.
But it’s never straightforward. Valentine’s is one of those things you’ve got to get right. People expect perfection on a romantic evening. If anything goes wrong you’ll be trampling over a fragile thing of beauty.
There are practical issues, too. Conventionally, couples come in twos and they probably won’t want to share a table or be rubbing elbows, or anything else, with others. Some table juggling may be required.
And after all your hard work, you might find the pub empties rather quickly as couples set off for an ‘early night’ leaving you to twiddle your thumbs while you wait for closing time, having shut out all your regulars.
While there’s no doubt that, for a lot of pubs, Valentine’s is a welcome occasion at a quiet time of year, you need to weigh up whether it might be better to throw a party for singles or ignore the event entirely and attract people looking for night out without all the gush.
Don’t forget, February 14 is bound to be somebody’s birthday. What are they going to do if every pub focuses exclusively on Valentine’s meals? It’s worth thinking about.
Meanwhile, we asked the aptly named Jessica Dahlin, marketing manager of London pub group ETM, what she’s doing for Valentine’s.
What kind of food offer works?
“A lot of hospitality businesses will use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to increase prices and offer set menus that guarantee a certain minimum spend per head. But at ETM, we see it as an opportunity to add value to our customers’ experience.
“We achieve this through starter, main and dessert specials devised by each venue’s head chef, with chocolate and sharing desserts being particularly popular options for romantic couples.”
How do you create a romantic atmosphere?
"Our pubs are naturally warm and intimate in their ambiance, we merely add a finishing flourish of candles to every table and dim the lights to set the tone.”
Will you have any special offers this year?
“All our venues will be offering Valentine’s Day specials. In addition, our exclusive River Room at the Gun, in Docklands, which overlooks the River Thames, will offer the ultimate Valentine’s package including arrival by water taxi, Champagne and a candlelit three-course dinner.
“At the Botanist, in Chelsea, we’ve a slightly cheeky idea to help anyone who may be suffering a first-date disaster. Guests who want to escape their nightmare simply text ‘kiss of death’ to an emergency number and we’ll immediately call them back with a false emergency and help them get straight out of there with a taxi
waiting outside.”
How do you overcome the problem of needing all tables for two?
“Tables of two traditionally turn much quicker than larger tables so the number of covers you end up achieving is not dramatically different to a standard service. And, as this year’s Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday, we expect bookings to be more staggered throughout service and encompass both lunch and
dinner sittings.”
Offer a themed package at a reasonable price-point
Amy Ledger, marketing manager at food and drink supplier CWF, provides her top tips for Valentine’s at the pub:“Make sure you offer good value. Couples might well want to push the boat out, but may still be deterred by exorbitant prices for a meal when they can dine at home for considerably less.
“Offer a Valentine’s themed package and source a keenly priced, but good quality, range of wines and link them to a menu choice at a reasonable price.
“Promote your offer from mid-January on chalkboards and through your email database to get early bookings in.
“Be creative when you’re dressing the pub as a romantic haven, but don’t make it too cheesy. It’s a fine line. Candles, soft music and flowers all add simple, yet classy touches, without going over the top.
“Think about your menu options. Don’t put on anything too heavy. Light, tasty starters such as asparagus wrapped in parma ham or seafood go down well.
“Be creative and add a couple of romantic dishes such as Cuori di Formaggio — heart-shaped pasta stuffed with five varieties of cheese, or Curio Rossi — a pink heart-shaped pasta with buffalo mozzarella, tomato and basil.
“Desserts that can be shared are often well-received. Tasting plates of a selection of your best-selling puddings in miniature are perfect.
“As for wine, CWF’s Kissing Tree range, with its motto ‘a place to share’, is a good choice for a Valentine’s Day promotion such as offering a free red rose with a 75cl bottle.
“To cater for those looking for a fizz, Prosecco is a must-stock. Why not promote rosé Prosecco as a Valentine’s special?
Lighting the road to love
Sarah Swaysland, marketing manager at Be At One bars, explains a previous initiative that worked well.
“Our traffic light party, where customers signal their romantic availability with a colour code, went well last year, but because we’ve done that for the past three years, we’re going for something different this time, partnering up with Chambord to do a competition for two of our customers to win a trip to Paris.
“On a separate note, we’re asking guests about how they met their significant others in our bars and trying to get some nice stories that we can tell.”
Finding the way to customers’ hearts
Francesca Arundel, owner of the Waterwheel Inn, in Cornwall, says:
“Valentine’s is one of the best occasions for us. The restaurant fills quite nicely and we have a lot of regulars who come every year.
“We have a special love-themed menu with heart-shaped shortbreads and cheesecakes, and dishes with red sauces, and sprinkle the tables with love hearts and bits of poetry.”
A range of sexy cocktails
Funkin has come up with a fast and ‘sexy’ bunch of Valentine’s cocktails made with its mixers.
Woo Me
Ingredients: 100ml Funkin Strawberry Woo Woo, 35ml gin, 1 strawberry
Method: Fill a glass with ice, add gin, top with Strawberry Woo Woo mix, stir and serve with a strawberry garnish.
Darling Daiquiri
Ingredients: 100ml Funkin Strawberry Daiquiri, 35ml rum
Method: Fill a glass with ice, add rum, top with the Strawberry Daiquiri mix, stir and serve. Garnish with a strawberry and rim the edge with sugar.
Brazilian Beauty
Ingredients: 75ml Funkin Brazilian, 25ml white rum
Method: Fill a glass with ice, add rum, top with the Brazilian mix, stir and serve with an orange wheel.
Mojo Mojito
Ingredients: 100ml Funkin Mojito, 35ml rum
Method: Fill a glass with ice, add a measure of rum, top with the Mojito mix, stir and garnish with mint.
Lovers’ Colada
Ingredients: 100ml Funkin Pina Colada, 35ml Malibu
Method: Fill a glass with ice, add Malibu, top with Pina Colada mix, stir and garnish with a pineapple leaf.
Valentine’s Kiss
Ingredients: 30ml Funkin Peach Bellini, 100ml Frizzenti Prosecco
Method: Simply add the Bellini mixer to a glass and top with Prosecco.
A mixture of indulgence and meeting the needs of Refuge
“We know consumers are more likely to spend more on Valentine’s Day, so it’s a good time to up-sell customers to luxury food and drink, which can offer great margins,” says James Armitage, head of marketing at Enterprise Inns.
He adds: “Menus should include dishes that are slightly indulgent or have links to love. For example: seafood has long been associated with love and romance due to its alleged aphrodisiac effects, and desserts with chocolate or passion fruit also have great appeal.”
This Valentine’s Day, the Spyglass Inn, on the Isle of Wight, returns with its Steampacket Restaurant, offering customers the chance to experience the level of service reminiscent of the golden age of steam travel and will be compiling a bespoke menu.
Meanwhile, over at the White Hart, in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, a special dinner at £40 per person is lined up for people to take advantage of the opportunity to spoil their loved ones. Last year’s menu showcased delights such as Gravlax with pea shoots and local lobster nori with caramelised mango, sweet pepper and soy.
However, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about indulgence.
Nick Gibson, licensee of the Drapers Arms, in Islington, north London, is donating every penny spent at his pub on Valentine’s Day to the charity Refuge.
“I’m not that comfortable ringing the tills in the name of men’s love for women on the 14th of February and turning a blind eye to men’s collective acts of violence against women the rest of the time. Women should feel genuinely loved by men 365 days of the year.
“This year, and every year until it is no longer needed, we will treat all of our Valentine’s takings as a voluntary donation from our customers to
a charity organisation that supports women affected by the violence of men. This year that will be Refuge.” Virtue personified.