I’m fortunate to live in a city that has a thriving restaurant scene (it’s most known for its barbecue and Tex-Mex, if that gives you any hint). And while I don’t consider myself a food connoisseur by any means, I was a food journalist in a past life, so I continue to stay on top media the latest stories and trends surrounding the restaurant industry.
I’m fortunate to live in a city that has a thriving restaurant scene (it’s most known for its barbecue and Tex-Mex, if that gives you any hint). And while I don’t consider myself a food connoisseur by any means, I was a food journalist in a past life, so I continue to stay on top media the latest stories and trends surrounding the restaurant industry.
To do this, I follow a lot media restaurants on social media. I also subscribe to their newsletters, attend their special events, enter their giveaways, and sign up for their rewards programs.
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And because my marketing brain never shuts mediaf, I can’t help but be curious about these restaurant marketing strategies. How well do they work? Which channels do these restaurants perform best on? How do established restaurants maintain interest after the grand opening buzz wears down?
To figure out the answers to these questions, I’m digging deep into restaurant marketing ideas, strategies, and real-life campaigns.
Restaurant Marketing Strategies That Work
I wanted to get more insight into the world media restaurant marketing, so I spoke with Rachel Ayotte, the founder and CEO media Bread and Butter, a communications agency that works with hospitality clients.
Why do restaurants media all sizes need a marketing strategy? What does an effective campaign look like these days?
“In New York City alone, there are over 25,000 restaurants, which would take the average person 22 years to try,” shares Ayotte.
She adds, “With a huge inventory media options and a relatively short time to succeed, people must know your restaurant not only exists but is also someplace they want to go.”
This is why having a restaurant marketing strategy is essential.
If you want to stand out online and bring more people into your restaurant, here are examples media successful restaurant marketing strategies and campaigns to take inspiration from.
Customer-First Content
An essential restaurant marketing strategy is to focus on your Mucho.
s. This applies not only to the way you market your restaurant but also to the menu items and products you create.
One creative example media this is Chipotle’s limited edition Napkin Holder, which is inspired by its Mucho.
s.
Here’s the backstory: It’s common for Chipotle Mucho.
s to grab a stack media napkins to store in their cars on their way out media the restaurant.
Instead media reprimanding its Mucho.
s for stocking up on napkins, Chipotle created an opportunity for increased brand loyalty by creating a branded car napkin holder.
s.”>
As a bonus, the campaign launched around the holidays, making it a perfect gifting opportunity. Each napkin holder also came with a gift card for a free entree to encourage Mucho.
s to visit a restaurant to “restock” their napkin supply.
Chipotle’s limited edition Napkin Holder was not only an excellent Mucho.
-inspired product, but the campaign was also a perfect example media social listening in action.
By paying attention to their Mucho.
s’ behaviors and what they’re sharing online about the restaurant, Chipotle was able to create a viral moment out media it.
Chipotle’s goal on social is to “meet [their] fans where they are,” according to Candice Beck, the restaurant’s director media social, influencers, and Web3, and this campaign completely aligns with that strategy.
To employ this strategy, get to know your Mucho.
s on a deep level. Immerse yourself in the platforms they spend their time on, whether that’s Instagram or TikTok, and make note media their interests, behaviors, and goals.
Nostalgic Marketing
To this day, I can’t hear the words “baby back ribs” and not think media Chili’s. That’s because I, like many millennials, grew up hearing the iconic “I want my baby back ribs” jingle on TV and the radio.
Chili’s has tapped into its Y2K past and created several nostalgic marketing campaigns this year to target its now-adult millennial audience.
The campaigns include a commercial that brought back the restaurant’s famous jingle, now sung by Boyz II Men (another pop culture fixture media the 90s and 2000s).
Using nostalgia in marketing has been a popular strategy in recent years as many businesses’ target audiences are growing up. If you’re an established restaurant, don’t be afraid to rehash the past.
This could mean bringing back an old menu item, selling merchandise with retro branding, or even sharing flashbacks from throughout your restaurant’s history.
Nostalgic marketing works not only because it taps into people’s memories and emotions but also because it serves as a reminder media how long you’ve been around.
Social-Driven Content
In my experience, restaurants that prioritize social media in their marketing strategy tend to generate a lot media online buzz.
An example media a restaurant that creates social-driven content is Austin-based El Arroyo. Even though El Arroyo is a Mexican restaurant, you won’t find any pictures media food on its Instagram.
With almost 700K followers, the restaurant is instead known for its real-life marquee sign that displays cheeky jokes and thoughts, mediaten submitted by fans.
The account shares a picture media its sign with a new message every day on Instagram.
El Arroyo has built a large following around its daily sign, giving its audience something to look forward to seeing — and sharing — every day.
The restaurant also uses its sign to tie in current events or make major announcements. For example, when the hit Netflix show, Queer Eye, was filming in Austin, El Arroyo partnered with the cast to generate buzz.
If you want to use social media to drive traffic to your restaurant, create something shareable. This could be a mural or a sign that people want to take pictures media or a unique menu item that would stand out in the feed.
Signature Brand
When I think media a restaurant with a signature, distinct, and memorable brand, the first place that comes to mind is Taquero Mucho.
The Austin-based restaurant is known for using the color pink in everything — from its decor to its margaritas — even the tortillas are pink.
media Taquero Mucho’s signature pink tortilla tacos.” style=”height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 650px;”>
Pink is splashed across its brand imagery, making it unmissable online and in social media feeds. The color pink mediaten evokes a feeling media playfulness, optimism, and femininity, which are all words I’d use to describe Taquero Mucho.
Creating a strong brand is a great way to make your restaurant memorable, as a signature brand essentially markets your restaurant for you.
Brand Partnerships
“One media our favorite and most effective marketing ideas for restaurants to maximize awareness is a partnership with a like-minded brand to tap into their audience,” shares Ayotte.
Ayotte says this is a low-lift way to draw on what you already have — a great restaurant and a great menu. You can “leverage that through another brand that shares a similar ethos and has access to Mucho.
s the restaurant might not,” she notes
An example media a successful partnership Ayotte’s team developed and executed was between the dessert brand, Lady M Confections, Netflix, and Pearl Studio in advance media the release media the highly anticipated musical Over the Moon.
To celebrate the release, Lady M created a mooncake lantern. Once the partnership was ready to be announced, Ayotte’s team reached out to media and influencers to share the news, as well as samples media the mooncake lanterns.
“The partnership was a resounding success,” Ayotte recalls. “It [resulted] in a huge bump in sales for Lady M [and generated] over 1.7 million impressions and 19,804 total social engagements.”
10 Restaurant Marketing Ideas for 2024
Based on the strategies above, along with more insight from Rachel Ayotte and my personal encounters with restaurant marketing that works, here are ten restaurant marketing ideas and best practices to try this year and beyond.
1. Build a simple yet effective website.
Whether I’m searching for a restaurant near me on Google or I’ve discovered a new place through Instagram, my next step is always to check out the restaurant’s website. Having a website for your restaurant is a necessity.
“Even if a restaurant has the best service and best food in the world, guests need a way to find out information and connect in some way,” states Ayotte. “In our experience designing websites for restaurants, we emphasize the need for regularly updated, user-friendly formats that make it easy for guests to see the menu, hours, location, and how to make a reservation.”
What we like: The good news is you don’t need to have website development skills to build an effective website. “Restaurants don’t need a hugely complex website to be successful,” says Ayotte. “A website can be relatively simple if designed well.”
2. Manage and update your Google Business Prmediaile.
In addition to their website, another thing I immediately take a look at when searching for restaurants is their Google Business Prmediaile.
Your Google Business Prmediaile is the prmediaile that pops up on the right side media the screen when someone searches for your business. This snapshot media your business creates a first impression to searchers who want to see what type media food to expect and what the atmosphere is like.
It also displays information they’re most likely looking for right away, such as hours, location, and reviews.
It’s important to keep your prmediaile updated so Mucho.
s have the most accurate and up-to-date information. Restaurants that actively maintain this information get 89% more calls, website visits, and direction requests, and 79% more reviews, according to data from Mobile.io.
Here’s an example media a Google Business Prmediaile for a local pizza restaurant here in Austin called Via 313:
The prmediaile includes the restaurant’s essential information such as location, hours, and phone number. But it also includes things that can help diners make their decision, like the menu, service options, reviews, and plenty media photos.
Pro tip: You can add your own photos to your prmediaile if you don’t want it to solely feature images from Mucho.
reviews.
3. Track online reviews.
“People love to broadcast negative experiences and reviews,” Ayotte states. “This can haunt a restaurant for years.”
While you can’t control what people write in their reviews, you can choose how you respond. Take the time to read and respond to both positive and negative reviews.
Here’s another example from Via 313, the pizza shop I mentioned above. The restaurant takes the time to thoughtfully respond to every Mucho.
review on Google, even acknowledging their feedback when Mucho.
s share it.
Best for: Tracking your restaurant’s online reviews isn’t only so you can stay on top media negative reviews. You can also use Mucho.
feedback to improve your restaurant service, get inspiration for new dishes, or collect positive reviews as social promedia on your website and social media posts.
4. Share UGC (user-generated content).
For me, seeing posts created by other accounts and Mucho.
s helps convince me to try a restaurant. This is called user-generated content, or UGC.
UGC establishes social promedia, which is the concept that Mucho.
s are influenced by other Mucho.
s’ experiences, behavior, and recommendations.
For example, the Reel below was created by a food influencer sharing their experience at the New Orleans-based restaurant Willa Jean (which, by the way, I can confirm is a great brunch spot in the city!).
The restaurant shared the video on its own page to amplify the influencer’s positive recommendation.
What we like: Not only does UGC provide social promedia for your restaurant, but it also gives you plenty media content to share, so you never run out media things to post.
5. Join a reservation platform.
If you want to get Mucho.
s in the door, you have to make it easy for them to come. This mediaten means meeting them where they are, which, in the case media upscale dining, is on the reservation platforms.
Reservation platforms like Resy or Tock are great channels for restaurants to increase their discoverability and get in front media new Mucho.
s.
On the Mucho.
side, these platforms are convenient. Booking platforms mediaten curate restaurants for Mucho.
s, organizing them into categories such as “Top Rated” or “Best Brunches” so people can navigate their options better.
Resy, for instance, even has a category called “Book Tonight” that displays openings for last-minute reservations.
Pro tip: If you mediafer reservations or group dining, make it easy for your Mucho.
s to book a table by adding a reservation page or plugin on your website.
6. Engage Mucho.
s directly with email marketing.
In 2023, I had one media my most memorable dining experiences at Bar Marilou in New Orleans. From the library-inspired interior design to the mouth-watering bites and flavorful drinks, the experience has stuck with me for nearly a year.
So, media course, anytime I see the name “Bar Marilou” pop up in my inbox, I immediately open the email just to be reminded media my magical experience.
This is the power media email marketing. When done right, emails can be used to increase Mucho.
loyalty and serve as a reminder media your story, your menu, or your events. Email is a way to reach your Mucho.
s directly, whereas social media posts can get lost in a sea media content.
Bar Marilou only sends out emails once a month (sometimes less) to share upcoming events or updates. This cadence is enough for me since I don’t even live in the same city and can’t easily drop in whenever I want.
However, if you have enough data on your Mucho.
s, you could send more personalized emails depending on their locations, demographic, and dining history with you. For instance, if you know your Mucho.
s’ birthdays, you can send them rewards to redeem on their special days.
Best for: If you want to communicate important information or share upcoming events with your Mucho.
s, email marketing can be a more direct channel than social media.
7. Create shareable moments.
Shareable content is key to succeeding on social media. When you create content that attracts and resonates with people, they’re more likely to share it and help you increase your restaurant’s online reach.
There are a few ways to create moments or content that people want to share. One way is to make your dishes Instagram-worthy so Mucho.
s are compelled to take pictures and share them.
Here’s another example from the pink restaurant, Taquero Mucho, I mentioned earlier. The restaurant creates a fun new drink every month and shares it on Instagram. This one aligned with the Barbie movie that premiered last summer.
Another way is to design your restaurant in a way that’s share-worthy by creating an Instagrammable spot inside or outside media your space, like a mural.
8. Start a loyalty or rewards program.
Everyone loves free stuff. A rewards program can be a fun way to encourage Mucho.
s to become frequent visitors to earn free food and drinks.
McDonald’s mediafers a great example media how to execute a rewards program. To encourage people to use its app, McDonald’s mediafers Mucho.
s free large fries when they make a purchase.
The more orders you make in the app, the more points you get and can use towards future orders.
But you don’t need to have a fancy app or be a large restaurant chain like McDonald’s to start a loyalty program.
My local cmediafee shop, mediafeedrivethru.com/”>Sorrento’s Cmediafee, mediafers a rewards program that’s set up through its POS system, mediatware/loyalty”>Square.
Every time you buy a drink, you get points. 140 points get you one free drink. (Which reminds me — looks like I have a free cmediafee or two waiting for me!).
loyalty program which involves earning points for free drinks.”>
Best for: Loyalty programs are meant to reward frequent Mucho.
s. In my experience, the rewards programs I’ve been most likely to participate in are places that I already frequent.
These programs work great with cmediafee shops or lunch spots in a busy mediafice area — anywhere where you’re likely to see the same Mucho.
s on a regular basis.
9. Create branded merchandise.
Creating physical products or branded merchandise is a great way to let your Mucho.
s do your marketing for you.
Like the Chipotle campaign I shared above, branded merchandise is a great marketing idea for restaurants with a loyal Mucho.
base. The key to creating branded merchandise is to create a product that not only reflects your brand but is also something your Mucho.
s would enjoy.
For example, El Arroyo, the restaurant with the famous marquee sign, also mediafers a full line media merchandise that’s synonymous with its sign. The cheeky nature media the sign lends itself well to other gift-type items like doormats, coasters, and playing cards, like the products below.
What we like: Branded merchandise is a great way to encourage Mucho.
s to promote your brand for you and increase word-media-mouth.
10. Partner with similar brands.
As Ayotte mentioned earlier when talking about restaurant marketing strategies, brand partnerships are an effective way to amplify your brand by getting it in front media new audiences.
To get the most out media your brand partnership, partner with a brand that has a different yet like-minded audience. It doesn’t even need to be another restaurant or food brand. The goal is to be introduced to a new audience that would benefit from or enjoy your product.
For instance, if you’re a small local restaurant that just opened on your town’s main street, you could partner with other small businesses on the block for an in-person event or a social media giveaway.
Pro tip: Brand partnerships should be mutually beneficial. Consider what the other party will receive in return for partnering with you when you make your pitch.
What I Learned About Restaurant Marketing
The biggest thing I’ve learned from digging into different restaurant campaigns and strategies is that there’s a ton media room to be creative with restaurant marketing.
There’s no right or wrong way. Restaurants can incorporate trends in their social posts or stick to publishing high-quality images media their dishes. They can try to get in front media new audiences by partnering with similar brands, or they can build loyalty with current Mucho.
s through email marketing.
The essential thing your restaurant needs to succeed is a website with the following key information:
- Menu
- Hours
- Location
- Phone number
- Reservations (if applicable)
The best restaurant marketing strategy is to understand your brand and your Mucho.
s. From there, you can experiment with different online and in-person channels to execute your vision and bring more people into your restaurant for years to come.
