Ready-to-use scripts
Christmas & New Year Closure
Thank you for calling [Restaurant Name]. We're closed for the holidays from [start date] through [end date] and will reopen on [return date] at [time]. If you'd like to book a table for after the holidays, please leave your name, phone number, preferred date, party size, and any dietary needs. You can also make a reservation at [website]. Happy holidays from the team at [Restaurant Name].
Thanksgiving (Open with Special Menu)
Hi, you've reached [Restaurant Name]. We're open on Thanksgiving Day from [time] to [time] with a special holiday menu. Reservations are required and filling up quickly. Leave your name, phone number, party size, and preferred time, and we'll confirm your booking shortly. You can also reserve online at [website]. For our full Thanksgiving menu and pricing, visit [website].
Summer Closure / Annual Break
Thanks for calling [Restaurant Name]. We're taking our annual summer break and will be closed from [start date] through [end date]. We reopen on [return date] at [time] with our new [fall/autumn] menu. Leave your name and number and we'll reach out when we're back. To book a table for our reopening week, visit [website].
Easter / Spring Closure
You've reached [Restaurant Name]. We're closed for Easter from [start date] through [end date] and will be back on [return date] at [time]. To reserve a table for after the holiday, leave your name, phone number, preferred date, and party size. You can also book online at [website]. We look forward to welcoming you back.
Emergency Closure (Kitchen / Staffing)
Thank you for calling [Restaurant Name]. We're sorry, but we are closed today due to [reason]. We expect to reopen on [return date] at [time]. If you had a reservation for today, please accept our apologies. Leave your name and phone number and we'll call you to reschedule. For gift card purchases or private event inquiries, email us at [email address].
Customization tips
Always update your holiday message with exact dates and remove it the day you reopen. For holidays where you're open with a special menu, make sure the message reflects availability and that reservations are likely needed. If you use an online booking platform, mention it in every version of the message. An after-hours caller who can book online is better than a voicemail you might not check until the next morning.
Restaurants and Holidays: It’s Complicated
Some restaurants close for every major holiday. Others stay open for Thanksgiving dinner service, close on Christmas Day, and run a special New Year’s Eve menu. Many take an annual summer break. The phone message needs to match whatever you’re actually doing, and it changes several times a year.
The stakes are high because restaurant callers during holidays are almost always trying to do one of two things: confirm you’re open, or make a reservation. Both of those callers are ready to spend money. If your message is vague, outdated, or missing, they’ll call the next place on their list.
When to Use Each Script
Christmas & New Year Closure covers the most common extended restaurant closure. Many independent restaurants close for a week or more between Christmas and New Year. The message should include exact dates, the return date, and an invitation to book for after the holidays. If you use an online reservation system, mention it. Callers during the closure can book for your reopening week without waiting for a callback.
Thanksgiving (Open with Special Menu) flips the usual script. Instead of explaining a closure, this message confirms you’re open and drives reservations. Thanksgiving is one of the busiest dining-out days of the year, and your phone will ring with people looking for a table. Make it easy for them: state the hours, mention the special menu, and give them two ways to book (voicemail and website).
Summer Closure / Annual Break is common in fine dining and chef-driven restaurants. Staff need a break, kitchens need deep cleaning, and many owners use the downtime to develop new menus. Your message should explain the break, give the reopening date, and if possible, build excitement for what’s coming next. “We reopen September 5 with our new fall menu” gives callers a reason to come back.
Easter / Spring Closure is usually a shorter break, often just a long weekend. Keep the message straightforward with dates, return time, and reservation options. If you’re open on Easter Sunday with a brunch service, use a variation that confirms hours and encourages bookings.
Emergency Closure (Kitchen / Staffing) handles the unexpected: equipment failure, a staffing crisis, a health department visit, or severe weather. The key here is honesty and a clear return timeline. Acknowledge existing reservations if you have them. Don’t leave booked guests wondering what happened.
Holiday Calls Are Reservation Calls
Most people who call a restaurant during a holiday closure aren’t calling to complain or ask a random question. They want a table. Maybe they’re planning a post-holiday dinner with friends. Maybe they’re already thinking about New Year’s Eve. These are high-intent callers who are ready to commit.
Your message should make it as easy as possible for them to book:
- Ask for name, phone number, date, party size, and any dietary needs
- Mention online booking if available
- Give a clear timeline for when you’ll confirm their reservation
A message that captures these details turns a holiday closure into a pipeline of confirmed bookings for your first week back. A message that just says “we’re closed” turns that pipeline into nothing.
The Annual Break Deserves Special Attention
The summer (or winter) annual break is unique to restaurants. It’s longer than a holiday closure, often one to three weeks, and it usually coincides with a menu change. This is an opportunity, not just an inconvenience.
Your phone message during the annual break should:
- Explain why you’re closed (annual break, not going out of business)
- Build anticipation for the reopening (new menu, refreshed space, special opening event)
- Give callers a way to book for reopening week
Restaurants that treat their annual break as a marketing moment come back stronger. Those that go silent leave regulars wondering if they’ve permanently closed.
Keep the Reservations Flowing Around the Clock
A recorded message captures some reservation requests, but it misses details, gets garbled voicemails, and can’t ask follow-up questions. Safina answers holiday calls like a host would: asking about party size, date preferences, dietary restrictions, and special occasions. You get clean reservation requests organized and ready to confirm.
The Basic plan at $11.99/month covers the calls that come in during a week-long closure. For restaurants with heavy phone traffic around holidays, the Pro plan at $29.99/month handles 100 minutes of coverage.
See our restaurant greeting scripts for daily call handling and after-hours templates for regular evening coverage. Hotels and restaurants often share similar holiday challenges, so check out our hotel holiday scripts as well. The full script library has templates for every situation.
