As the cooler wind of autumn approaches, you will find a new season of opportunities—and challenges—for hotels and restaurants. The season of festivities begins, and long weekends encourage planning for travel. Diners are craving comfort food that evokes the warmth of the season.

For all those working in hospitality businesses, October is not just another month—it is the lead-up to your busiest quarter all year. To succeed, operators must plan for two key elements: managing their menu effectively and allocating staff resources efficiently. When planned properly, guest satisfaction can improve, costs can be optimised, and your staff should be prepared for the festivities and weekend rushes.

1. The October Feeling: Comforting, Celebrating & Changing

October occupies a unique place in the calendar. The weather starts to feel a little cooler, and the dining experience feels a little hotter. Your guests want to indulge, and the kitchen has to curate comfort and creativity.

Key dining trends this month generally include:

• The festive dining experience - Navratri, Dussehra, Karva Chauth, Diwali prep menus
• Seasonal markets with pumpkin, sweet potatoes, chestnuts, spinach, and pears
• Warm drinks and broths in place of summer coolers
• Travel and hotel stays are increasing around long weekends and festive holidays

In a nutshell, October is a time to engage with anticipation and appetite - so your menu should reflect that.

2. Creating the October Menu: Harvest to Hospitality 

Be sure your October menu captures the essence of all that is fresh, festive, and familiar, while allowing for practicality in your kitchen and staff. The menu should lead to highlight the seasonal offerings while incorporating regional festivities and considerations within the cost-effective creative process. 

• Highlighting the Seasonal & Local Ingredients: Use the season's best — from vegetables such as pumpkins, beetroot, cauliflower, spinach, and mushrooms, to fruits like apples, figs, pears, and pomegranate, and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, rosemary, and thyme — that create a whole lot of warming visuals. Begin by showcasing the season’s ingredients through weekly specials, perhaps even a seasonal themed “Harvest Menu” to go with it. 
• Adding Some Festive Flavour Features: Coming up, the festive calendar (Navratri, Dussehra, Karva Chauth, and Diwali preparations, etc.), will be an opportune time to boldly introduce creativity into your menus.
• Temperature Adds Warmth & Comfort: As temperatures fall, guests naturally see food as a hearty, soul-satisfying component of the dining experience. Focus on the obvious things like slow-cooked curries, casseroles and stews, or roasted or grilled mains with some earthy accompaniments. Then, move to desserts; think of warmer desserts: puddings, molten cakes, and - of course - caramelised fruits, coupled with beverages like apple-cinnamon sangria, spiced hot chocolate, or saffron lattes, to play off the comforting fall mood.
• Delight Guests with Limited-Time Offers (LTOs): Seasonal offers are a great way to keep buzz and engagement with guests. For example, try launching a “Taste of Autumn” LTO menu, do a Dessert Week highlighting a semi-regional dessert or nut, or even silly harvest Happy Hour themed cocktails. 

3. Staff Allocation: Creating a Smart, Festive-Ready Team

Every menu refresh comes with new operational hurdles. October brings festivals and long weekends, and your team's ability to navigate this period is greatly improved through careful manpower planning. Planning enough staff throughout the weekend, across all departments, enhances your guest experience while keeping your team invigorated and engaged.

• Forecast & plan ahead: You can do this by utilising last year’s demand indicators with occupancy and revenue patterns, predictions with upcoming advanced bookings, the local school and holiday calendar, and so forth. For example, weekends and festivals probably require an increase in F&B service, kitchen and housekeeping staff, while mid-week shifts can be utilised for preparation, training and maintenance. 
• Encourage Cross-Training & Flexibility: During busy and intense front-of-house days, it is invaluable to have cross-trained employees. Consider bartenders serving tables, commis chefs plating food, staff working a buffet, etc. Rotate staff in shifts and allow flexible role possibilities to alleviate burnout and keep operations smooth when demand is unexpectedly elevated. 
• Recruit & Onboard Staff for Seasonal Support: Regular workload challenges become an actual problem during busy periods. However, temporary or contracted staff can ease that workload disruption, with due diligence to onboard and train them properly.
• Strengthening Your Communication Lines: Good communication requires consistency and structure, and is crucial to you and your team's hospitality operations performing like clockwork. Having a daily brief before service to discuss any new menu items, VIP reservations, or any special instructions is very beneficial for all, and having your communication planned and operationally streamlined through digital scheduling and coordination systems. 

4. Aligning Staffing and Menu Planning

When menu design and workforce planning are coordinated, efficiency reaches its maximum. Different plating techniques, preparation methods, and serving times are frequently required for new dishes. Adjust staffing and kitchen workflow as necessary:

• More buffet spreads or live counters? Include cooks and wait staff.
• Cocktails or desserts on the menu, plated? Make sure there is adequate prep and plating personnel.
• Setups for outdoor dining? Assign support personnel to ensure a quicker turnover of tables.

Throughout the month, keep an eye on staff productivity and menu performance, and make any necessary quick adjustments. The guest experience can be significantly enhanced by making a minor adjustment, such as allocating one server per section or prolonging prep time.

5. Promoting the October Experience

After everything is in place, use strategic marketing to boost your October plan. Use a variety of touchpoints to advertise your holiday offerings:

• Social media campaigns featuring brief videos and images with an autumnal theme.
• Email newsletters that give loyalty members access to special menus or deals.
• Partnerships or alliances with regional food bloggers.
• Digital advertisements aimed at tourists and diners looking for festive occasions.

To create urgency, draw attention to the sensory appeal (golden pumpkin soups, sizzling grills, and a glowing atmosphere) and highlight limited-time deals. Your messaging ought to be cheerful, upbeat, and in sync with the holiday beat.

Mastering October Operations

The tone for the upcoming months is established in October.  Delivering unforgettable experiences while preserving profitability is ensured by a carefully thought-out menu coordinated with a well-organised staff.

The key is strategic alignment between people and process, menu and manpower, and creativity and operations.  Every meal, beverage, and gesture, when done correctly, adds to the cosy and joyous ambience.

As the season progresses, allow your menu to narrate tales of harvest and celebration, and allow your employees to be the welcoming presence that your guests seek.

Plan your October operations with precision and inspiration. Follow Foodism Connect for more!!!