Turn Valentine’s Day 2025 into a celebration of love, connection, and unforgettable dining experiences.
Whether your customers are planning a cozy evening at home or a romantic night out, this special occasion presents a golden opportunity to captivate their hearts—and taste buds—with a thoughtfully curated menu. In this article, we’ll explore expert tips to help you craft a Valentine’s menu that combines innovative flavors, caters to diverse preferences,and leaves a great impression on your customers.
But Valentine’s Day isn’t the only celebration gaining traction this season. Enter Galentine’s Day—the February 13th pre-Valentine’s tradition dedicated to celebrating female friendships. This trend has seen a significant rise in popularity, with mentions related to bakery posts increasing by 76% year-on-year according to our online monitoring1. What’s more, TikTok reports that 77% of users across the EU plan to embrace the occasion2, making it a key date for foodservice businesses to engage with their audience.
With love in the air and friendship on the rise, this season is brimming with opportunities for your business to shine. Let’s dive into how you can make your Valentine’s and Galentine’s offerings
What sells most on valentine's day? Bakery and sweet trends to follow
The winning category for this occasion is sweets and cakes where consumers extensively show their gift creations.
- DIY Valentine sweet treats & gifts: heart-shaped mini cakes, cake pops, multi-textured brownies, Valentine cupcakes, heart shaped cookies. All found with a domination of red and pink glazing or cream topped with a drizzle of shaped sprinkles.3
- Flowers shaped sweets: whether a bouquet of a topping, flowers were certainly recognizable.4
- Heart-shaped Chocolate:France leads the region with the most sales of seasonal Valentine chocolate followed by Germany and the UK. The number of Valentine’s Day sweet treats grew more than 50% in January 2023 versus January 2022.5
- Smash cake: whether 3D or regular, consumers are enjoying breaking the cake and discovering the filling and its stuffing.6
- Chocolate and strawberry flavor domination. 7
Love in business: Strategies for sweet Valentine's Day success
More than just offering special products, create experiences that resonate emotionally with your customers.
Enhance the evening with live music performances or professional photography services to capture precious memories. Many couples appreciate thoughtful touches like personalized dessert plates or handwritten welcome notes.
Draw in early celebrants with pre-Valentine's Day arrangements , featuring special prix-fixe menus at reduced prices. For those seeking a more intimate setting, create private dining spaces decorated with fresh flowers and soft candlelight. Perfect for couples wanting their own romantic corner to celebrate their love story.
Deals & products to enrich the experience
Consider creating a special Valentine's Day themed menu for your restaurant or hotel, bearing in mind the many couples who are planning a romantic dinner to celebrate this special day.
Also make sure that your Valentine's Day offering is varied and suited to different tastes and preferences. Offer both classic and innovative options, as well as trendy recipes. Take care with the presentation of your products: visually stunning desserts will attract attention and arouse the interest of your customers.
Create an atmosphere to boost your valentines booking
Think about creating an attractive experience in your establishment that encourages your customers to come and discover your products. A captivating atmosphere enhances the customer's shopping experience. Turn your bakery into a romantic place with themed decorations. Include romantic lighting, flowers or even hearts and personalised displays that showcase your products.
Create attractive and cost-effective Valentine's gift packages
You can create gift packs with various combinations of your products (dark chocolate biscuits, heart-shaped sweets and cupcakes) to offer a complete gift for that special day. Make sure the packaging looks good and is practical for a gift. To avoid excessive costs, you can add stickers or simply a small red ribbon to the handle of your current packaging.
Love at first bite in 2025: Valentine's day restaurants food offerings
Create an enchanting dining experience with carefully selected dishes that showcase culinary excellence.
Here is a selection of our recipes dedicated to love:
Chef Tips : prepare sauces and garnishes in advance so that you can concentrate on precise cooking and serving. Additionally, suggest beverage pairings such as specialty cocktails, mocktails, or gourmet coffees to elevate the meal.
Indulge your customers: How to make valentine's day special at home?
Help your customers make Valentine’s Day special in the comfort of their own space by offering thoughtful foodservice solutions that enhance their celebration. Consider offering ready-to-serve, high-quality meals that are delivered promptly and beautifully packaged. By preparing pre-cooked, ready-to-heat dishes, you ensure that customers can enjoy a gourmet experience without the long wait.
Discover all our festive recipes and tips to make every season a success : Festive Guide
Explore our guide filled with seasonal recipes and inspirations:
- Seasonal specials for your customers
- Create holiday menus
- Optimize your kitchen operations with versatile recipes
- Reduce food waste with smart and seasonal ingredients
Sources:
1 Délifrance x Synthesio social listening (2025). Galentine (2024 VS 2023) | 2 Tiktok, (2025). To SMBs, With Love: Grow Your Brand this Valentine's Day on TikTok |3 Source: Délifrance x Synthesio social listening (2025). Valentine (Sept-2024-Jan 7) | 4 Délifrance x Synthesio social listening (2025). Valentine (Sept-2024-Jan 7) | 5 World bakers (2023). Valentine’s Day Sweets Up 50% Since Last Year | 6 Délifrance x Synthesio social listening (2025). Valentine (Sept-2024-Jan 7) | 7Délifrance x Synthesio social listening (2025). Valentine (Sept-2024-Jan 7)