16 Mar With Easter around the corner . . .

For many hospitality venues, the period around Easter can be one of the most commercially important trading windows of the first half of the year. With multiple public holidays, increased travel, family gatherings and long-weekend dining, customer demand can spike dramatically. For hospitality operators across Australia, success during this period rarely happens by accident—it’s the result of disciplined forward planning.

Start planning earlier than you think

While many operators begin preparations six to eight weeks out, that timeline can be tight if you expect your leadership team to deliver properly costed rosters, confirm supplier availability and develop menus that maintain margin under public-holiday wage conditions. Ideally, Easter planning should start much earlier. My most organised clients are prompting their leadership team at least 3 months ahead to ensure they’re well prepared. This allows venue managers and head chefs time to model different trading scenarios and ensure the numbers stack up before decisions are locked in. Marketing planning and generation of quality content shouldn’t be rushed either.

Understand the calendar dynamics

Easter brings a rare operational challenge: four public holidays in a row. Penalty rates apply across Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, dramatically increasing wage costs. At the same time, Easter moves around the calendar each year, which can significantly influence customer traffic. Some years it falls at the start, middle or end of school holidays. That shift can change the balance between local family dining and tourism-driven trade.

In some years it’s in the same week as Anzac Day, creating trading patterns that can be difficult to predict. In Queensland, it’s possible to have 6 public holidays within 3 weekly pay periods when Easter falls later in the year. Ouch! Not planning well ahead can wipe out your profit margin in the last quarter of the financial year.

Build the numbers before the menu

With wage costs elevated, menus must be engineered carefully. That means reviewing dish margins, supplier pricing and preparation complexity before finalising the offering. Many venues reduce menu size or introduce set menus to protect kitchen workflow and ensure each dish contributes the right margin.

Prepare your Front-of-House team

Holiday surcharges are now common, but customer perception still matters. Staff should be trained to communicate surcharges clearly and confidently, and how to handle potentially negative customer reactions. If supported by clear signage, most customers understand the reality of public-holiday wage costs.

Lock in staffing and supply early

Public holidays can complicate both rosters and deliveries. Confirm team availability early and speak with suppliers about altered delivery schedules. High-volume ingredients—particularly seafood, lamb and seasonal produce—should be forecast carefully.

Take-away

For venues that plan well, Easter isn’t just a busy weekend—it’s a highly profitable trading window. With early preparation, strong leadership coordination and clear communication with staff and customers, the long weekend can become a highlight of the hospitality calendar rather than an operational stress test.
Happy Easter!