Restaurant Weekday Special Email Template
A weekday special email fills quieter nights by giving guests a specific reason to come in. This template leads with the night, the hours and what's special, without defaulting to a discount. Copy it and fill in the brackets, or have the generator write one for your slow night.
Updated
No. 01Overview
At a glance
- Goal
- Give guests a reason to come in on a quieter night.
- Best for
- Restaurants with quiet weeknights, often Tuesday to Thursday
- Send to
- Regulars and nearby guests who can come in on short notice
- When
- Early in the week, for that week
- What you need
- Which night and what hours
- What's special: a dish, a format, music or a guest
- Your booking link, or that walk-ins are welcome
- An offer and its end date, only if you choose to give one
- Skip it for
- Nights that are already busy
- Last-minute discounts you haven't priced out
No. 02Template
Copy the weekday special email
Three subject lines that take different angles, preview text that adds a second detail, and the full email with every detail only you know in [brackets]. Copy each piece into your email platform, then check the phone preview to see how it reads on a small screen.
Subject lines
Make [Day] your night out
[Day] night at [Restaurant Name]
Your midweek reason to eat out
Preview text
[What's Special] on [Day] from [Time]. Book or just stop by.
The email
Hi there,
Looking for an easy dinner plan this week? [Day] nights at [Restaurant Name] are relaxed and unhurried, a good time to try something new.
This [Day], from [Time]: [What's Special, like a family-style pasta night or a guest chef]. It's the kind of plan you can make at 5 o'clock.
Come with family, bring a friend, or grab a seat at the bar and say hello to the team. [Dish] is on the menu too, if you have a favorite.
Can't make it this week? The special runs every [Day] through [End Date], so there's always next week.
Book a table if you'd like, or just walk in. We'd love to see you.
See you soon,
The [Restaurant Name] team
Book for [Day]
Button link [Reservation Link]
Playful version
Same email, different voice. Use whichever sounds more like your restaurant.
Hi there,
Hot take: [Day] is the best night of the week to eat out. No rush, no waiting for a table, and this week there's [What's Special].
Swing by [Restaurant Name] from [Time]. Bring the family, bring a friend, or bring nobody and grab a seat at the bar. Book ahead or just show up hungry.
Your [Day] dinner plans: handled.
See you [Day],
The [Restaurant Name] team
Book for [Day]
Button link [Reservation Link]
No. 03Timing
When to send a weekday special email
Send it early in the week for that week's slow night, such as Monday morning for a Tuesday special.
- Send it to regulars and nearby guests, who can decide on short notice.
- For a standing night, like every Tuesday, a monthly reminder works better than a weekly email.
- Start without a discount. If you add one, keep it to that night; in our experience a free side or dessert costs less than a percentage off.
Take care
Don't make a discount the default, and don't promise a lively room or a table that's always open. Give a real reason to come in, like a dish or a special format.
No. 04Before you send
Before you send it
Run through this list before the email goes to your whole list. It takes two minutes and catches what guests notice first: a wrong date, an offer your team hasn't heard about, or a button that goes nowhere.
- The night, date and hours are right
- If you add an offer, it has limits and an end date
- Your team knows what's special that night
- The button goes to booking, or the email says walk-ins are welcome
- You sent yourself a test
Common mistakes
- Discounting every quiet night. Guests learn to wait for the deal.
- Sending it the same afternoon. Most people plan dinner earlier; send it a day or two ahead.
- No reason beyond "we're open". Name the dish, the music or the format.
No. 06FAQ
Weekday Special email FAQ
Should a slow-night email include a discount?
It doesn't need one. A specific reason to come in, like a family-style dinner or a dish you only make that night, often works without cutting prices. If you add an offer, keep it to that night, make it modest and give it a clear end.
Which nights count as slow nights?
For many restaurants it's Tuesday to Thursday, but your own sales are the real answer. Compare covers by day over the last two months and pick the night with the most empty tables. Then test one email for that night and see what changes.