3-minute read ---

May is packed with food-related holidays, offering restaurants plenty of opportunities to create themed promotions, limited-time menu items, and engaging marketing campaigns. Try some of these notable May food holidays and ideas to promote your restaurant menu in May 2025!

May 4: National Lemonade Day & National Orange Juice Day
Cool, refreshing, and perfect for the warm days ahead, lemonade and orange juice take center stage on May 4th. Celebrate these classics with fun and creative twists.

• Offer unique lemonade flavors like strawberry basil or lavender honey
• Feature fresh-squeezed orange juice cocktails or mocktails
• Run a buy-one-get-one-free lemonade and/or orange juice special

May 10: National Shrimp Day
Seafood lovers rejoice! Shrimp is one of the most versatile proteins, and this day is the perfect excuse to highlight your best shrimp dishes, or feature limited-time additions – especially to highlight your meat-free options!

• Offer shrimp specials like shrimp tacos, shrimp scampi, or coconut shrimp
• Create a "Shrimp Lovers Platter" with multiple sampler options
• Pair shrimp dishes with white wine or craft beer

Second Full Week of May: American Craft Beer Week
Demand for craft beer remains high, and this week is all about celebrating local brews. Draw in beer enthusiasts with exciting pairings and exclusive offerings.

• Host beer tastings, tap takeovers, or food and beer pairing events
• Offer discounts on craft beer flights
• Collaborate with local breweries for a unique brew

May 13: National Crouton Day & National Apple Pie Day
Croutons may be small, but they add big flavor and crunch to salads and soups. Meanwhile, apple pie is a timeless dessert that deserves the spotlight.

Crouton Day Ideas:

• Feature house-made croutons in unique flavors (garlic parmesan, spicy sriracha)
• Offer a "Crouton Upgrade" for any dish
• Promote a soup and salad combo with specialty croutons

Apple Pie Day Ideas:

• Offer traditional apple pie, caramel apple pie, or deep-fried apple pie bites
• Create a limited-time "Apple Pie Sundae"
• Run a social media contest for the best apple pie memories

May 15: National Chocolate Chip Day
Who doesn’t love chocolate chips? Whether in cookies, pancakes, or even drinks, this sweet treat is worth celebrating.

• Feature chocolate chip cookies, pancakes, or even a chocolate chip cocktail
• Offer a "Chocolate Chip Dessert Flight" with brownies, cookies, and cheesecake bites

May 16: National Pizza Party Day, National Mimosa Day & National Barbeque Day
A triple threat of deliciousness! Whether your guests crave pizza, brunch cocktails, or smoky BBQ, there’s something for everyone.

Pizza Party Day Ideas:

• Offer discounts on large pizzas or "Build-Your-Own Pizza" specials
• Host a pizza-eating contest or kids' pizza-making event

Mimosa Day Ideas:

• Feature a Mimosa Bar with juice options like mango and pomegranate
• Offer bottomless mimosas or a mimosa flight

Barbeque Day Ideas:

• Highlight BBQ platters, smoked brisket, and pulled pork sandwiches
• Create a "BBQ Sampler Plate" with different meats and sauces
• Host a mini BBQ festival with live music

May 17: National Walnut Day
Nutrient-packed and delicious, walnuts can enhance both savory and sweet dishes. Showcase their versatility with:

• Walnut-crusted chicken, candied walnut salads, or walnut brownies
• Unique desserts like honey walnut cake

May 25: National Wine Day
National Wine Day is a great day to promote in advance, for wine lovers will love a place to celebrate. Make sure your restaurant is at the top of their list with enticing specials.

• Offer discounts on wine bottles and wine flights
• Host a "Happy Hour Wine Tasting" or "Wine & Dine" pairing special

May 28: National Hamburger Day & National Brisket Day
Burgers and brisket take center stage on this day, making it an ideal time to attract meat lovers with indulgent dishes.

Hamburger Day Ideas:

• Introduce gourmet burgers or a "Burger Battle" where customers vote for their favorite
• Offer a burger and beer combo deal

Brisket Day Ideas:

• Feature slow-smoked brisket plates, brisket sandwiches, or brisket tacos
• Create a "Brisket Feast for Two"

May 30: National Mint Julep Day
A Southern classic with refreshing mint and bourbon, the mint julep is the perfect way to wrap up May with a touch of elegance.

• Offer variations like strawberry mint julep or peach-infused julep
• Host a "Southern Cocktail Night" featuring mint juleps and bourbon drinks

By aligning your menu with these fun food holidays, your restaurant can create buzz, attract new customers, and encourage repeat visits. Even if you do not have time to promote an event with printed signage or pre-emptive marketing campaigns, get creative with promotions on social media to engage with your audience and draw more customers.

As restaurants prepare for May’s marketing opportunities, incorporating Masa+ solutions helps streamline operations, enhance customer convenience, and boost profitability:

• Masa+ QR Code-Activated Online Ordering – Easily print unique QR codes at each table, countertop seat, or outdoor patio table to enable location-specific online ordering.
• Masa+ Scan & Pay – Customers scan a QR code on printed receipts to securely pay from their smartphone, reducing closeout wait times and improving table turnover.
• Masa+ QR Code Fast Pay – Presenting a single-use QR code from the customer’s Masa+ Secure Wallet enables secure, contactless payments, enhancing transaction speed and security from tablet POS terminals.
• Masa+ Multi-Store Physical & Digital Gift Cards – Encourage repeat visits and increase revenue with convenient, shareable gift card options.
• Masa+ Loyalty Rewards & Promo Cards – Reward customer loyalty and drive engagement with customizable promotions and discounts.
• Masa+ Coupons & Digital Wallets – Simplify transactions and incentivize purchases with easy-to-use digital offers and stored payment options.

​By reducing staff workload and increasing efficiency, Masa+ solutions help restaurants serve more guests, enhance customer satisfaction, and maximize revenue during high-traffic events.

Learn more by contacting an Aldelo representative today at [email protected] or 925-621-2410

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​Restaurants that use ultra-competitive
Aldelo Pay or Aldelo Partner Merchant Services
obtain access to
a Centralized Multi-Store Restaurant Technology Platform
that includes Masa+ Online Ordering,
Unlimited Software Releases,
​Unlimited Software Upgrades, and 24/7 Technical Support!


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Please contact an Aldelo representative today for more details, 
including a free Aldelo Express POS demo trial

[email protected] | 877-639-8767 | [email protected]

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