Marketing a restaurant effectively requires a multi-faceted approach that combines digital innovation with authentic customer engagement. With competition in the hospitality industry at an all-time high, restaurant owners must utilise the right marketing strategies to stand out. And that’s where the stress and doubt come in, naturally… Where to start?
From building an engaging online presence to leveraging social media, collaborating with local businesses, and offering unique in-restaurant experiences, every effort should focus on enhancing brand awareness and fostering customer loyalty.
This guide explores some of the best marketing ideas for restaurants to help attract new diners while keeping regular customers coming back.
1. Develop a strong online presence via your website
A well-designed, user-friendly website is a restaurant’s digital storefront. Unlike social media, a website is an owned channel, giving restaurant owners complete control over branding, content, and customer data.
A high-quality, engaging website that makes a good impression on potential customers should include:
Responsive design: Ensure your site is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate on all devices. If it only works well on a PC or MacBook, you’ll lose over half of your potential traffic.
Clear UX/UI: The user experience should be seamless, with intuitive navigation and fast-loading pages. If someone can’t find what they’re looking for quickly, guess what? They’re gone.
Essential information: Display menus, opening hours, contact details, and an easy-to-use booking system. Think about your website like a customer – what information would you be looking for?
Email capture: Offer incentives like discounts or exclusive deals in exchange for email sign-ups to build a mailing list for future marketing efforts. Email subscribers are more engaged and loyal and are more likely to visit and return.
Understand the importance of local SEO
Restaurants rely on local customers, making local SEO critical for visibility. Optimising your website with relevant keywords, listing your business on Google My Business, and encouraging customer reviews can significantly improve search engine rankings.
For a deeper dive, check out our local SEO blog on mastering local SEO for hospitality, giving you all the insights on:
- Why local SEO is important in hospitality
- How to optimise your Google My Business
- Generating online reviews
- How to deal with negative reviews
- Benefits of local SEO
2. Engage customers through social media
Social media is a powerful tool for engaging with customers and showcasing a restaurant’s unique personality. By posting consistently and encouraging interactions, restaurants can build a loyal following and set themselves apart from competitors.
Effective social media strategies for restaurants:
Regular content updates: Post about menu changes, promotions, special events, and behind-the-scenes moments. If it’s important to your restaurant, it’s important to your followers – and even if it isn’t, they’ll be thinking about you.
User-generated content (UGC): Did you know that 93% of people trust people more than brands? So, get your customers to speak for you! Encourage your customers to share their dining experiences then feature that content on your page, creating a sense of community and increased trust in what you do.
Influencer collaborations: Partner with local influencers to tap into niche audiences and enhance credibility. Hint: Don’t just look for the influencers with the biggest follower count – look for people who fit the ethos of your business, who care about the kind of thing you do, so their loyal fanbase will believe them when they say, “You need to try this restaurant.”
Employee-generated content (EGC): Showcase staff personalities and camaraderie to add authenticity and relatability to your brand. These days, no one needs “polished content.” They want real content by real people. Show off your team!
Find out more: 2025 UK marketing dates in hospitality
3. Collaborate with other local businesses
Partnering with local businesses can expand reach and create unique experiences for customers, catching the eye of potential customers who might like what you do.
Ways to collaborate with local business:
- Cross-promotions: Partner with nearby businesses, such as coffee shops, breweries, or bakeries, to offer joint promotions. These are not competitors; they’re friends and tools in your journey to local business success.
- Community events: Participate in local craft fairs or food festivals and cross-promote these events on social media. Give as good as you get – giving back to the local community means becoming a part of it.
- Supplier spotlights: Feature local suppliers by incorporating their products into dishes and sharing their stories with your audience. They may also give you a budget to promote their products, dishes, or ingredients further – which promotes you at the same time.
4. On-site marketing and engagement
Enhancing your on-site dining experience encourages customers to interact and share their experiences online.
Engaging in-site strategies for restaurants:
- QR codes: Place QR codes on menus, tables, and receipts that link to special offers, social media pages, or feedback forms. Get as much as value out of customers being at your restaurant as possible (while also making their video as engaging as you can).
- Instagrammable decor: Create photo-worthy spaces with unique designs, neon signs, or creative food presentations to encourage social sharing. It works for brands like All Bar One and Tonight Josephine – so why not you?
Random acts of kindness (#RAOK)
Surprise diners with free desserts, drinks, or small gifts to enhance their experience and boost word-of-mouth marketing.
- Hidden messages and Easter eggs: Include small surprises, like messages under plates or fun facts inside menus, to create interactive moments for customers (who will usually share the moment on social media).
- Selfie-worthy bathroom mirrors: Install well-lit mirrors with quirky messages such as “You look delicious” or “Serving looks & meals” to encourage social media engagement.
Random acts of kindness are also great ways to increase social media engagement, as your followers never know when they might be treated for replying to something on one of your channels. Offer gift cards or free drinks as #RAOK on social and watch your engagement spike.
5. Implement email marketing campaigns
Email marketing remains one of the most direct and cost-effective ways to communicate with customers without the interference of social media algorithms.
Effective email strategies for restaurants:
- Personalised promotions: Send tailored offers based on customer preferences and past visits. This makes a customer feel seen, valued, and increases the chance of them returning.
- Event and menu announcements: Keep subscribers informed about upcoming events, seasonal menus, and exclusive dining experiences. New menus often see some of the highest open rates in email marketing – who doesn’t love new chances to tickle their tastebuds?
- Birthday offers and special occasion deals: Encourage repeat visits by offering discounts or complimentary items for birthdays and anniversaries.
Did you know? Restaurants using marketing automation see an average open rate of 70%. So, make sure that you have email marketing automation in place for:
- Pre-visits
- Post-visits
- Birthdays
- Holidays
- Un-engaged for a determined amount of time
Not sure where to start with email automation? Get in touch!
Find out more: 5 email marketing tips for 2025
6. Monitor and analyse marketing efforts
Regularly tracking marketing performance ensures strategies remain effective and relevant. If you’re not analysing how well your marketing is performing… you may as well not do it.
Key metrics to monitor:
- Social media engagement: Analyse likes, shares, and comments to understand audience preferences. Find out more with our case study on successful paid social strategies.
- Website analytics: Use tools like Google Analytics to track traffic sources, bounce rates, and conversions. See how people are finding your website and which pages they’re most interested in – then make sure these areas are perfected for conversion.
- Customer feedback: Collect insights through surveys, online reviews, and direct interactions to improve service and marketing tactics.
- Sales data: Assess which promotions or menu items drive the most revenue and adjust strategies accordingly. Highlight your biggest sellers and give less airtime to your lesser-loved dishes and drinks.
By continually assessing performance and refining strategies, you can optimise your marketing efforts to align with customer needs and industry trends.
Find out more: Pub marketing tips for 2025
Marketing ideas for restaurants: Conclusion
Successful restaurant marketing is a combination of digital engagement, community involvement, and personalised experiences. From creating a compelling online presence and leveraging social media to forming local collaborations and implementing unique in-site experiences, each marketing strategy plays a crucial role in attracting and retaining customers.
By staying innovative, data-driven, and customer-focused, restaurants can build a strong brand presence, boost foot traffic, and cultivate lasting customer relationships.
Marketing ideas for restaurants FAQs
What are some low-cost marketing ideas for restaurants?
- Use Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to showcase your menu.
- Create a Google My Business profile to improve local search visibility.
- Encourage customer-generated content by running photo competitions with discounts as prizes.
- Partner with local businesses for cross-promotions
- Offer loyalty programmes with simple discounts for repeat customers.
How can I attract new customers to my restaurant?
- Optimise your website for local SEO to appear in searches like "best Italian restaurant near me."
- Use influencer marketing by inviting local food bloggers for a free tasting.
- Run seasonal promotions (e.g., Valentine’s Day meal deals, or Christmas set menus).
- Offer discounts for first-time visitors, such as a free dessert with their meal.
- Host community events like quiz nights, live music, or themed food nights.
What online platforms should I focus on for restaurant marketing?
- Instagram & TikTok: Best for visual content and viral marketing.
- Google My Business: Essential for local searches and Google Reviews.
- Facebook: Useful for engaging with local communities and running paid ads.
- TripAdvisor: Important for credibility and reviews.
- Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats: If offering delivery, these can boost sales.
How can I increase repeat customers?
- Introduce a loyalty scheme with discounts or free meals after multiple visits.
- Collect customer emails and send exclusive deals or birthday offers.
- Personalise service by remembering regulars’ favourite dishes.
- Offer a referral programme where customers get discounts for bringing friends.
What are some effective ways to boost restaurant sales during off-peak hours?
- Run happy hour deals on drinks or small plates.
- Offer weekday lunch specials to attract office workers.
- Provide takeaway deals for quiet days.
- Launch a pre-theatre or early-bird menu with affordable pricing.
- Host workshops or tasting sessions (e.g., wine pairings, cooking classes).
Matt Bowell
Matt has been in marketing for 25 years, clocking up many years for institutions like the NHS, the BBC, Comic Relief, Goodyear Dunlop, and Lonely Planet in the UK and abroad. Matt leads the client service team as one of Brew’s directors.
