There’s nothing as comforting as a warm, hearty bowl of soup in the winter. That’s why January is National Soup Month—a time to celebrate this beloved comfort food. 

While we enjoy our favorite soups throughout “soup season,” January was officially designated as National Soup Month in 1984 by Campbell Soup Company.1 To commemorate the first National Soup Month, Campbell Soup Company created a soup called Pennsylvania Pepper Pot. 

Celebrate the comforting power of soup with these delicious promotional tips. 

Launch a Soup Limited Time Offer

If soup isn’t already on your menu, National Soup Month provides the ideal opportunity to introduce it. Or, consider unveiling a new, exciting flavor to captivate your customers’ palates. 

Here are some inspiring LTO examples:

  • Pollo Tropical’s Corn Soup: A tropical twist on classic corn soup, perfect for infusing warmth into the winter season.2
  • Miguel’s Jr.’s Pozole: A hearty Mexican pozole that delivers a burst of flavor to your winter menu.3
  • Just Salad’s Broccoli Cheddar Seasonal Soup: Creamy broccoli cheddar soup that pairs delightfully with a fresh salad.4

Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve line has a variety of on-trend, ready-to-eat soup options that are perfect for launching a low-lift LTO, including Broccoli Cheddar and Loaded Baked Potato Soup.

Promote a Soup Combo

Enhance your National Soup Month celebration by crafting special offers such as soup-and-sandwich combos. For example, Quiznos ran a National Soup Month promotion by offering a cup of soup for just $1 with the purchase of an 8-inch sub for all members of their rewards program.5 

Collaborating with delivery services to offer exclusive soup-and-sandwich bundles is another great way to leverage the ongoing popularity of comfort food takeout. In 2023, Panera Bread and Grubhub teamed up to give away free cups of soup for the whole month of January. Grubhub+ members were able to get one free cup of soup from Panera Bread with an order of $25 or more.6

Consider these delectable pairings using Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve soups:

 Celebrate on Social Media

In today’s digital age, celebrating National Soup Month offers an excellent opportunity to engage with your customers online. 

Some ideas for social promotion include: 

  • Showcasing your seasonal soup offerings across platforms with high-quality visuals and engaging captions.
  • Using popular hashtags such as #nationalsoupmonth and #nationalsoupmonth2024.
  • Crafting short, visually captivating videos of your soups being prepared and served.
  • Encouraging customer interactions with fun soup-themed polls and contests.
  • Sharing customer testimonials and stories about your signature soups.
  • Participating in TikTok trends.
  • Encouraging user-generated content featuring your delicious soups.

You can use social media to call out existing soups on your menu or to promote LTOs, like Din Tai Fung’s Instagram post.7

Partner with Nonprofit Organizations

In the spirit of giving, consider partnering with a local soup kitchen or charity organization during National Soup Month. This not only aligns with the theme but also allows you to make a meaningful contribution to your community. 

An inspiring example is Reno Soup Week, where several restaurants came together to raise money for Reno, Nevada-based nonprofit STEP2.8 Customers were able to purchase a $40 Soup Passport, which allowed them to buy a cup of soup at any of the eight participating establishments. 

Consider Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve

If you’re in search of a high-quality, labor-saving option to celebrate National Soup Month, look no further than Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve. These frozen, ready-to-eat soups make it effortless to feature scratch-quality soups on your menu. 
Learn more about Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve.

1 Campbell Soup Company National Soup Month Press Release, 1984

2 Pollo Tropical, Facebook

3 “Miguel’s Jr. Adds Pozole to the Menu for a Limited Time,” The Press Enterprise

4 “Just Salad Launches Winter Menu and New Wrap Menu Partnership With Hero Bread,” QSR Magazine

5 Mace, Jody, “National Soup Month at Quiznos: $1 Soup With Sub Purchase (and Another Deal),” Charlotte on the Cheap

6 Weaver, Stephanie, “Grubhub, Panera Bread offer free soup in January amid winter storms,” Fox 9, Jan. 6, 2023 

7 Din Tai Fung USA, Instagram  

8 Haddad, Evan, “Get Your Passport for Reno Soup Week and Help Struggling Women in the Process,” Reno Gazette Journal, Jan. 6, 2023