Every week someone in your guest database has a birthday. That is a natural moment to get in touch: personal, expected and with a clear reason to book. Not a generic "come visit" email, but a real congratulations with something extra.
Restotailor includes a birthday email as standard in your subscription. Combine it with a personal discount code or a free perk, such as an aperitif or dessert. In this article you learn how to track, automate and convert birthdays into reservations, included in €65 per month.
Why birthdays work
Birthdays are relevant all year round, not only around holidays. Guests more often consider a restaurant visit when it is their birthday, often with family or friends. A personal email at the right moment feels attentive, not pushy. The difference from a general newsletter: the message is about them, on their day. That typically delivers higher opens and more reservations than a broad mailing to everyone.
Collecting birthdays in guest profiles
It all starts with a date of birth in the guest profile. Ask for it when booking online via your widget, or add it for existing guests. The more profiles have a birthday, the more valuable your birthday action becomes. Later, filter on who has a birthday coming up, who has not booked in a while or who subscribed to your newsletter. That way you build a database for targeted communication step by step.
Automatic birthday email
Once the birthday email is enabled, Restotailor sends it automatically on the birthday itself, in the morning. No manual work, no Excel list you forget to update. Adjust the text in your own style: warm, short and with a clear invitation to book. Link to your reservation widget so the guest can book a table immediately. Email is included in your subscription, with no extra cost per message sent.
Discount, code or free perk
Congratulations alone are nice. A small benefit makes it concrete. Enable birthday discount and choose what fits your restaurant: a percentage off, a fixed amount or a free perk, for example an aperitif, dessert or coffee. A unique code is created automatically per guest and included in the email. You set the validity: 7 to 28 days. That gives the birthday guest time to book without the offer lingering for months.
Personal code in the widget
Each code is personal: valid only for that guest and usable when booking online via your widget. The guest enters the code during booking and the benefit is applied. No hassle at the till with generic discount codes everyone can share. Your team sees in the guest profile who received the code and when it expires. Useful on arrival to know it is a birthday visit, so you can give extra attention on the floor.
Filling quieter moments
Birthdays are ideal for filling quieter shifts. A birthday guest often books midweek or a few days after the birthday itself, while the code is still valid. Combine your birthday action with a targeted email to guests who normally come on Tuesday or Wednesday. With the offer feature in your widget you show the same message when booking. Read more about timing and content in our article on email marketing for restaurants.
Follow up and measure
Check in guest profiles who received a birthday email and whether they booked afterwards. In analytics you see whether birthday guests come in via your widget and on which moments. That tells you whether your action pays off and lets you adjust the amount or perk. A free dessert costs less than an empty table on a quiet evening.
Conclusion
Birthdays are one of the easiest ways to strengthen loyalty. You do not need a separate tool or monthly campaign: collect dates of birth, enable the birthday email and choose a discount or perk that fits your venue. Restotailor handles the rest automatically, included in €65 per month. Start with your existing guests: fill in missing birthdays and test for one month. The first reservations often follow faster than you think.