How to Capture the College Crowds in Boston: A Restaurant’s Guide to Student Events
Boston, a city rich in history, culture, and, let’s face it, an incredible number of college students! Look out your window into the city on any given weekday. See that river of students walking to class? That’s not just foot traffic; it’s a massive, renewable customer base. From Cambridge to Fenway, Boston’s students are hungry, social, and always on the lookout for their next favorite spot. The question is: how do you get them to walk through your restaurant’s door?
This guide breaks down the actionable strategies to turn your restaurant or venue into a go-to hub for the city’s powerful college crowd.
Quick Wins: 4 Ways to Start Today
- Offer a Student Discount: A simple 10% off with a valid student ID is the easiest way to get on their radar.
- Launch a Weekly Trivia Night: The classic for a reason. It builds community and guarantees repeat business on a typically slow night.
- Create One Group Dinner Package: Make it effortless for groups of 8+ to book for birthdays or club events.
- Designate an “Instagrammable” Corner: Identify one spot in your venue with good lighting and a cool background, and watch the user-generated content roll in.
1. Master the Themed Event, Boston-Style
Standard dinner service won’t create a buzz. College students crave experiences. Themed events transform a simple meal into a memorable night out, giving them a reason to choose you over the countless other options.
- Trivia & Game Nights: This is the gold standard. A weekly trivia night focused on pop culture, The Office, or Boston history can build a loyal following.
- Pro Tip: Partner with a student from a nearby campus (like Emerson or Suffolk) to host the event. They’ll ensure the questions and vibe are spot-on and promote it within their network.
- “Decades Night” Dinners: Easy to market and fun to execute. Think a 90s grunge brunch if you’re in Allston or a Roaring 20s cocktail hour if you’re in the Back Bay.
- Local Pride Events: Don’t just be a restaurant; be a Boston restaurant. Host packed viewing parties for the Beanpot hockey tournament in February. Offer specials in maroon and gold when Boston College plays or in Terrier red when BU has a big game.
First Step: Plan ONE themed night for next month. Create a simple flyer and a Facebook Event page. Reach out to the Student Activities office at the nearest university and ask them to include it in their weekly student newsletter.
Sunset Cantina, a Tripleseat customer, does an amazing job promoting its lively Boston Trivia Night—a favorite among local students.
2. Become the Go-To Spot for Celebrations
Birthdays, club formals, end-of-semester blowouts—the student calendar is packed with reasons to celebrate. Make it incredibly easy for them to celebrate with you.
- Frictionless Group Packages: Students organizing events are busy. Offer clear, tiered packages (e.g., $25/person for appetizers and one drink, $40/person for a full meal).
- Pro Tip: Create a visually appealing one-page PDF of your group packages that you can instantly email to anyone who inquires.
- Birthday Perks: The birthday person is the decision-maker. Offer them a free dessert or a discount on their meal to sweeten the deal and ensure their friends choose your venue.
- Highlight Your Space: Do you have a semi-private back room, a large communal table, or an outdoor patio? Market it specifically for student groups on your website and social media.
3. Market with the Academic Calendar
The student year has a predictable rhythm. Align your marketing efforts with it to maximize impact.
- Move-In & Parents’ Weekend (Aug-Oct): This is your first impression. Offer “Welcome to the Neighborhood” specials for students and create prix-fixe dinner menus for when their parents visit.
- Midterms & Reading Period (Oct/Mar): Stress levels are high. Run “Study Break” specials with discounted coffee, appetizers, and free Wi-Fi. Promote delivery options for late-night study groups.
- Finals & Graduation (Dec/May): This is a huge opportunity. Market your private dining spaces and group packages for graduation celebration dinners months in advance. These bookings are lucrative and planned far ahead.
4. Speak Their Language: Digital Outreach & Student-Friendly Value
To reach students, you have to be where they are—online—and offer them value they can’t refuse.
- Get Hyper-Local on Social Media: Don’t just use
#BostonFoodies. Use hashtags they actually follow, like#BostonCollegeEats,#NortheasternU,#BUDining, or#HarvardSquare. Engage with their posts and partner with student-run food accounts for a feature. - Embrace Student Discounts: A 10-15% discount with a student ID is non-negotiable if you’re serious about this market. Consider a “T-Pass Tuesday” where showing a CharlieCard gets you a small discount.
- Simplify Online Booking: Ensure your website has a clear, mobile-friendly booking system. For large groups, have a simple self-booking form like TripleseatDirect. If it takes more than a minute to book, they’ll move on.
5. Create a Vibe Worth Sharing
Your restaurant’s atmosphere is one of your most powerful, free marketing tools. Students are constantly documenting their lives and sharing on Social Media. You want your venue to be the backdrop!
- Identify Your “Photo Moment”: You don’t need a full renovation. Just one corner with a cool neon sign, a unique mural, interesting wallpaper, or great lighting can become a magnet for photos and social media tags.
- Presentation is Everything: A colorful cocktail or mocktail, a beautifully plated dessert, or even latte art can be the difference between a forgotten meal and a viral Instagram story.
- Encourage Tagging: Have your Instagram handle clearly visible somewhere in the restaurant. Offer a small incentive, like a chance to be featured on your page or a 10% discount on their next visit if they tag your location.
First Step: Walk through your restaurant and identify the best-lit spot. Add one interesting element to it—a plant, a small neon sign, or a funny framed print—and see what happens.
Check out this vibrant social post from Tripleseat customer Sunset Cantina, featuring a colorful cocktail that’s sure to be a hit with local of-age students!
Become the Go-To Spot for the College Crowd and Boost Your Reputation
Tapping into Boston’s college crowd is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about building a reputation for being fun, reliable, and a great value. By creating memorable experiences, understanding the rhythm of their academic lives, and making it easy for them to connect with you, you can do more than just fill tables on a Tuesday night. You can cultivate a loyal customer base that will stick with you long after they’ve traded their student IDs for alumni cards.
It’s time to take action—select one strategy from this list and start planning it this week. And if you haven’t tried Tripleseat for your event management yet, now’s the perfect time to start.
