The occasion calendar
The US F&B occasion calendar
The moments that decide whether a month of posting works: seasonal and national dates, festivals, and the food micro-days that fill a content calendar. Each page carries the lead time, the angle, and a campaign you can start from.
Coming up
Back to school (US)
parent mornings, kids-eat-free and after-school traffic
August 1, 2026
start by July 2, 2026 · fixed date
Labor Day
end-of-summer BBQ blowout, patio last-call specials and long-weekend catering
September 7, 2026
start by August 28, 2026 · fixed date
New York Fashion Week (SS27)
show-week crowds and brand-event demand downtown
September 10, 2026
start by August 11, 2026 · festival
National Coffee Day
free or $1 coffee to pull morning traffic and convert first-timers into loyalty sign-ups
September 29, 2026
start by September 24, 2026 · food micro-occasion
National Taco Day
taco bundle deals and a build-your-own social contest; pairs with margarita upsells
October 4, 2026
start by September 29, 2026 · food micro-occasion
Halloween
themed cocktails, spooky limited-edition desserts, and costume-photo UGC promos
October 31, 2026
start by October 21, 2026 · fixed date
Thanksgiving
heat-and-serve holiday feast catering and 'let us cook Thanksgiving' pre-order campaigns
November 26, 2026
start by November 12, 2026 · fixed date
Black Friday
gift-card bonus offers (buy $50 get $10) and shopper-refuel meal deals
November 27, 2026
start by November 13, 2026 · fixed date
Cyber Monday
delivery-only deals and gift-card bonuses
November 30, 2026
start by November 16, 2026 · fixed date
Christmas Day
holiday feast catering, group party bookings and gift cards
December 25, 2026
start by December 4, 2026 · fixed date
New Year's Eve
prix-fixe countdown dinners, champagne toasts and ticketed party packages
December 31, 2026
start by December 21, 2026 · fixed date
Earlier this year
New Year's Day
brunch, hangover-cure plates, and 'new year, same comfort food' resolutions positioning
January 1, 2026
start by December 22, 2025 · fixed date
Super Bowl LX
game-day wing/pizza party packs and group catering bundles for delivery
February 8, 2026
start by January 25, 2026 · fixed date
Valentine's Day
prix-fixe date-night menus plus a heart-shaped takeout option for the stay-home crowd
February 14, 2026
start by January 31, 2026 · fixed date
Presidents' Day
long-weekend family covers and a Monday that trades like a Sunday
February 16, 2026
start by February 2, 2026 · fixed date
Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday)
Cajun/Creole specials, king cake, and hurricane cocktails
February 17, 2026
start by February 7, 2026 · festival
Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse)
prosperity menus, dumplings and longevity noodles, red-and-gold visuals
February 17, 2026
start by February 5, 2026 · lunar date (approximate)
St. Patrick's Day
green beer, Irish stew and corned-beef specials; a high-traffic bar-and-pub occasion
March 17, 2026
start by March 10, 2026 · fixed date
Easter Sunday
family brunch reservations, glazed-ham feasts, and kid-friendly egg-hunt promos
April 5, 2026
start by March 26, 2026 · fixed date
US wedding season opens
rehearsal-dinner and catering enquiries as the season opens
May 1, 2026
start by April 1, 2026 · festival
Cinco de Mayo
margarita and taco specials, patio energy
May 5, 2026
start by April 28, 2026 · festival
Mother's Day
the single busiest US restaurant day — push brunch reservations early, gift cards, 'treat Mom' tables
May 10, 2026
start by April 26, 2026 · fixed date
Memorial Day
kick-off-of-summer cookout catering, BBQ platters, and long-weekend patio specials
May 25, 2026
start by May 15, 2026 · fixed date
National Hamburger Day
signature-burger hero shot with a BOGO or free-upgrade to drive a slow weekday
May 28, 2026
start by May 23, 2026 · food micro-occasion
National Donut Day
free-donut-with-purchase foot-traffic play (first Friday of June)
June 5, 2026
start by May 31, 2026 · food micro-occasion
Father's Day
steak, BBQ and beer/whiskey pairings; 'bring Dad in' reservations and grill-master catering
June 21, 2026
start by June 9, 2026 · fixed date
Independence Day (July 4th)
red-white-and-blue cookout bundles, party platters and delivery for backyard gatherings
July 4, 2026
start by June 22, 2026 · fixed date
National French Fry Day
loaded-fries feature or free side-of-fries with any entrée
July 13, 2026
start by July 9, 2026 · food micro-occasion
National Ice Cream Day
scoop deals and sundae specials on the hottest Sunday of summer (third Sunday of July)
July 19, 2026
start by July 14, 2026 · food micro-occasion
National Chicken Wing Day
buy-a-dozen-get-free-wings offer and a flavor-flight social poll
July 29, 2026
start by July 24, 2026 · food micro-occasion