December is when San Antonio eats out the most. Holiday parties, family dinners, office celebrations, and visitors from out of town…everyone’s looking for restaurants. When they search, your Google Business Profile is the first thing they see. Here’s your holiday checklist to make sure it’s working overtime.
Update Your Holiday Hours
This is the most critical update of the year. If your hours change for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, or New Year’s Day, update them on your Google Business Profile immediately. Google even has a specific “Special Hours” feature for holidays…use it.
Nothing damages a restaurant’s reputation faster than a family driving across town based on your posted hours only to find the doors locked. Take five minutes and get it right.
Post Your Holiday Specials and Menus
If you’re offering a special holiday menu, prix fixe dinner, catering packages, or New Year’s Eve celebration, post it on your Google Business Profile. Use the “Update” or “Event” post types with a photo, description, and booking link.
“Christmas Eve at [Restaurant]: four-course dinner featuring prime rib, Gulf shrimp cocktail, and our famous tres leches cake. $65 per person. Reservations required…call or book online.” Post this at least two weeks before the event.
A restaurant in the King William District posted their holiday menu on Google three weeks early and filled every reservation within 10 days.
Push for Reviews From Holiday Diners
Your restaurant is serving more people this month than almost any other. Every happy table is a potential five-star review. Train your servers to mention it: “If you enjoyed your meal tonight, we’d love a Google review…it really helps other diners find us.”
Place QR code table tents with a direct link to your Google review page. During December, you can realistically add 20-30 new reviews. That momentum carries your rankings well into the new year. When January arrives, channel that review momentum into a fresh local SEO push for the new year.
Respond to Every Review Before Year-End
Go through your entire review list and respond to anything unanswered. A profile with 100 reviews and zero responses looks neglectful. A profile with 50 reviews and thoughtful responses to each one looks caring and attentive.
For the holidays, add a seasonal touch: “Thank you for spending your holiday evening with us! We’re grateful to be part of your celebration.” Small details make big impressions.
Upload Holiday Atmosphere Photos
Show what your restaurant looks like during the holidays. Decorated dining room, festive bar setup, holiday dessert display, your team in seasonal attire. These photos set the mood and give potential diners a preview of the experience.
If your patio on the River Walk is lit up with holiday lights, photograph it. If your private dining room is set for a holiday party, photograph it. Atmosphere sells tables.
Add Holiday-Relevant Q&As
Proactively add and answer seasonal questions: “Do you take reservations for Christmas Eve?” “Do you offer holiday catering or to-go platters?” “Is there a special New Year’s Eve menu?” “Do you have a private dining room for holiday parties?”
These Q&As appear on your profile and help match seasonal searches. They also save your team from answering the same phone calls repeatedly. To keep your profile generating leads all year, see how restaurants handled Google Business Profile optimization during summer tourist season.
Make December Count
This month’s effort on your Google Business Profile doesn’t just drive December revenue…it builds the review count, photo gallery, and activity signals that carry your visibility into 2024. For complementary strategies, our guide to football season social media for restaurants shows how to keep that engagement going through every seasonal moment.
Need help managing your restaurant’s online presence year-round? Explore our marketing products…built for San Antonio restaurants.