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More guests despite Lent? Here's how!

Periods of fasting, such as the Christian period of abstinence before Easter or the Muslim Ramadan are firmly rooted in many cultures. What do these periods mean for the restaurant business? How do restaurants react to changing eating habits, new customer needs and special culinary traditions?

A full house despite the Lenten season
How restaurants can score points with flexible opening hours, special menus and cultural events.
More guests despite Lent? Here's how!

What´s it all about?

  • How do eating habits change during Ramadan and Christian Lent?
  • What adjustments to menus, opening times and service, etc. make sense for restaurants?
  • Which traditional recipes are suitable for breaking the fast?

During Ramadan, people fast during the day, but the real fun starts after sunset: hungry guests flock to restaurants and cafés for the iftar, the meal to break the fast, to celebrate breaking the fast together. But it is not only Ramadan that influences eating habits. During Christian Lent, many guests also consciously choose meat-free dishes and avoid alcohol and sweets. During this time, restaurateurs can score points by offering flexible opening hours, adapted menus and iftar buffets.

Fasting is on trend

More and more people in Germany are consciously fasting. According to a Forsa survey for DAK-Gesundheit, 72% of those surveyed consider conscious abstinence to be sensible for health reasons. Most often, people avoid alcohol (75%), sweets (70%) and meat (52%). Ramadan also plays an important role. Around 5.5 million people in Germany are Muslim, and around 6.6% of the total population take part in Ramadan.

Flexible opening hours

When the sun goes down, demand increases – often lasting well into the night. Many guests take their iftar very seriously, so restaurants with longer opening hours in the evening can meet demand. If you have fewer guests at lunchtime, you can consider adjusting your opening hours, for example by extending your lunch break or opening later in the afternoon.

Adjusting staff planning

In businesses with Muslim employees, it may be useful to adjust shift schedules during Ramadan. Fasting employees should preferably work shorter day shifts or later in the evening when they can eat and drink again. At the same time, staff can be spared during the usually quieter lunchtime, while more support should be planned in the evening when demand increases.

Offer special menus

During Lent, dishes should be easy to digest, nutritious and filling. It is important to take different dietary habits into account. During the Christian fasting period, the focus is on vegetarian, vegan and light fish dishes. Plant-based products in particular such as vegan schnitzel or jackfruit goulash can be easily integrated into existing dishes as alternatives. For guests who avoid sugar, alternatives such as chia pudding, fruit compote without sugar or spelt biscuits are available. At iftar, filling but light dishes such as lentil soup, couscous with vegetables or grilled chicken with yoghurt dip are popular. And if temptation gets the better of you, sweet (albeit somewhat less easily digested) specialities such as baklava, honey and sesame bars or rice pudding round off the menu.
Turkish vegan dishes

Plant-based Turkish cuisine

Vegan nutrition is booming – in Türkiye, too. Recognising this trend, METRO Türkiye supports restaurants with its own plant—based products.

Ramadan – the Islamic month of fasting

Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar and one of the most important times for Muslims worldwide. During these 29 to 30 days, believers refrain from eating, drinking and other stimulants from sunrise to sunset, often between 5 a.m. and 7 p.m. Alcohol is prohibited throughout the month. The day ends with the breaking of the fast, known as iftar, which traditionally begins with dates and water. Ramadan is not only a time of abstinence, but also of prayer, reflection and community. It ends with the festival of breaking the fast (Eid al-Fitr), one of the most important Islamic holidays.

Cooperating with delivery services

During Ramadan, the demand for food deliveries can increase in the evening. Working more closely with delivery services helps you to reach more guests. In addition, it is worth cleverly marketing your offers on social media. Exclusive Ramadan offers, discount promotions or combo meals for families can increase the number of orders. Networking with local mosques or Muslim communities can also help you to draw attention to your offers.

Offer special drinks

During the Christian fasting period, alcohol is often avoided. Therefore, non-alcoholic cocktails , fresh smoothies or special teas such as Moroccan mint tea, turmeric latte or cinnamon cardamom tea can be added to the drinks menu and offer a suitable alternative. After a day without food or fluids, dates, water and warm drinks such as tea or ayran are an integral part of iftar.

Colourful mocktails

Mocktails – indulgence without alcohol

Athletes, pregnant women or people who are deliberately abstinent: non-alcoholic drinks should be on every drinks menu.

Organise community events

A shared veggie weekend or iftar meal during the fasting period creates a special atmosphere and brings guests together. In regions with a Muslim customer base, iftar buffets are a good option. They make it easier to break the fast together, offer a wide selection of traditional dishes and appeal to different tastes. Since many guests come in groups, it can also take the pressure off staff, as the buffet concept ensures quick service and reduces waiting times.

Setting up large tables

Periods of fasting, such as Ramadan or Lent, are not only a time of conscious abstention, but also of community. In particular, iftar brings families, friends and even entire neighbourhoods together to eat. Restaurateurs should be prepared for this by setting up larger table groups and special group offers in advance.

Recipe idea for breaking your fast: spicy lentil soup with roasted vegetables

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 200 g red lentils
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 small, sweet potato or potato, diced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1.2 litres vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 handful cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Juice and zest of ½ lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley or coriander to garnish

Preparation

1. Sauté the diced onion and garlic in a large saucepan with a little olive oil until translucent. Add the carrots and sweet potato and fry for 2–3 minutes.
2. Add the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and tomato paste and fry briefly until fragrant.
3. Stir in the lentils and vegetable broth. Bring everything to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until the lentils are soft.
4. In the meantime, roast the cherry tomatoes with a little olive oil and salt in a pan or in the oven at 180°C for about 10 minutes.
5. Purée the soup or crush it roughly with a potato masher to retain a creamy but slightly chunky consistency.
6. Season with lemon juice and zest.
7. Arrange the roasted tomatoes on top of the soup, sprinkle with fresh parsley or coriander and serve.

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