Children's birthday parties are a major opportunity for venues in the attractions industry, and they’re getting more and more popular every year. One way to help your venue stand out as a party destination is to incorporate custom, branded activity placemats and party menus into party packages.
In this article, Crissy Saint, Chief Marketing Officer of KidsMenus, shares insights into how personalized party interactive placemats can elevate the guest experience, build brand loyalty, and create valuable upsell opportunities.
Why personalized, branded placemats are a game-changer for venues
Adding personalized, branded placemats to your party packages can make a big difference. By offering unique menu options and interactive placemats, you can increase order values, boost guest engagement, and leave a lasting impression. Let’s explore the key ways these enhancements can add value to your venue.
1. Increased average order values
Offering premium, personalized activity placemat upgrades opens up new opportunities for upselling. Imagine giving guests the option to add a custom pirate-themed menu or a princess-inspired activity placemat to their booking. These simple but impactful upgrades can significantly increase the average order value for each party.
Branded activity placemats offered as an upsell can drive significant revenue for the venue, allowing parents to choose themes that match their child’s party. This tailored approach helps guests feel valued and understood, making them more likely to opt for premium packages that fit their party theme and aesthetic.
2. Enhanced guest experience
A memorable party is more than just decorations and cake—it’s about keeping guests engaged and entertained throughout their visit. Branded interactive placemats add a fun, unique touch that both kids and adults enjoy. Activity placemats featuring mazes, word searches, and personalized themes (like jungle animals or space explorers) keep kids entertained, giving parents a chance to relax and enjoy the celebration.
Kids especially love seeing their name or a special design on their activity mat. Personalized elements make each party feel unique and tailored, adding to overall guest satisfaction.
3. Building brand loyalty and awareness
Branded placemats and menus do more than just enhance the guest experience; they also reinforce your venue’s brand identity. Each time a child sees a fun, branded design or activity at a party, they associate those positive memories with the venue. This connection is even stronger for parents, who appreciate the thoughtful effort to entertain their children.
Branded activity placemats help venues build brand loyalty by creating memorable, engaging experiences for families. Parents often notice these thoughtful touches and are more likely to return for future events.
When these branded experiences are consistently delivered across multiple locations, your brand becomes instantly recognizable, fostering trust and loyalty. This consistency not only strengthens brand identity but also encourages positive recommendations, making families more likely to share their experiences with friends and family—ultimately driving more business and establishing your venue as a go-to party destination.
4. Positive word of mouth and repeat business
When parents see their kids enjoying personalized, themed activity mats, they’re more likely to share the experience with friends and family. Positive word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools, and unique touches like customized placemats can set your venue apart from competitors.
Parents and kids alike remember venues that go the extra mile. Kids often talk about their experiences afterward and express a desire to return. Each positive experience shared helps your venue grow its reputation as a family-friendly, memorable destination.
Practical tips for implementing custom placemats
Now that you understand the benefits, let’s look at how your venue can get started with a branded placemat and menu program.
Create effective and engaging designs
What makes a branded placemat engaging? Kids tend to be the most excited about bold art themes (pirates, safari, princesses, etc.) with expressive characters and age-appropriate activities like mazes, word searches, and connect-the-dots puzzles. These activities keep kids engaged while parents serve party food. For the birthday child, simply seeing their name in print adds a special touch, leaving a lasting impression on guests.
To maximize engagement, choose designs that match popular party themes and include your logo to keep everything on-brand. You could even create activity placemats that match the themes and decor of your party rooms, adding that extra finishing touch to spaces you've already put so much effort into. Little customizations like these make placemats really stand out, and kids will love seeing their names printed next to fun characters and games.
How to streamline implementation with KidsMenus
KidsMenus simplifies the process of creating and customizing branded activity placemats. With multiple subscription options, venues can get up and running in minutes—just add your logo, choose a layout, and select from a library of themed art and activities that align with different seasons, holidays, and events.
If your venue encourages guests to order food in advance, you can dedicate the entire placemat to fun activities for kids, ensuring maximum entertainment throughout the event. On the other hand, if you allow children to order during the party, the placemat can be customized to include a food and beverage menu alongside the activities. This flexibility means the placemat can be tailored to meet your venue’s specific needs, providing a perfect blend of functionality and fun.
For larger, multi-location venues with more specific needs, KidsMenus offers onboarding support to help with setup, user permissions, brand controls, customized templates, and more. This ensures that the platform is tailored to each venue’s unique requirements, making it easy to scale across multiple locations.
Elevate your venue’s parties with branded, custom placemats
Adding branded elements to your party packages can have a monumental impact, driving party bookings and creating lasting loyalty. By offering unique, branded experiences, your venue can stand out in a competitive market and become a go-to choice for families.
Incorporating personalized, branded menus and activity placemats into your venue’s party packages is a powerful way to create unforgettable experiences for guests while increasing revenue. These custom elements not only enhance the guest experience but also reinforce your brand identity, foster loyalty, and encourage positive word of mouth. Start small, see the results, and watch as your venue becomes the go-to destination for family celebrations.
Ready to take your parties to the next level? Visit KidsMenus to create a custom activity placemat, and book a demo with ROLLER to discover how the right technology can help you increase party revenue.
