You can cook the best food in town, but if no one hears about it, your tables will stay empty. In the restaurant world, marketing is as essential as your menu. At Erahaus Creative Agency, we’ve worked with restaurants from busy downtown lounges in Canada to cozy bistros in the UAE—and one thing has become clear: effective restaurant marketing strategies are the difference between surviving and thriving.
From local giants like Tim Hortons to global players like Pizza Hut, each brand applies its own unique methods to stay top-of-mind—and top-of-menu. Let’s break down what works, what doesn’t, and what we’ve learned firsthand, with the kind of detail and honesty only experience can provide. So, read on to find out the best restaurant marketing strategies that actually work! The last one is the best one and we highly recommend it!
1. Own Your Story and Make It Memorable
People don’t just buy food. They buy atmosphere, memories, and stories. Whether it’s the tale of your grandmother’s recipe or your journey as a self-taught chef, storytelling builds brand loyalty. When we were branding Lavender Grill in Ottawa, we leaned into their signature dishes and the chef’s heritage to build a compelling digital identity. We weren’t just designing a logo—we were designing a feeling. Sales and organic followers increased by over 30% in the first month.
A strong story can also help you stand out in competitive environments. Instead of sounding like every other steakhouse or café, you become “that place with the handmade baklava” or “the spot with live jazz on Thursdays.” In a digital world, memorable means shareable.
2. Location-Based Social Media Ads
Hyper-local targeting isn’t optional. It’s everything. Running a general ad campaign that doesn’t consider physical proximity is like putting up a billboard in a desert. We’ve tested geo-targeted campaigns for clients near college campuses and corporate centers. The ROI from a $100 Instagram ad targeting users within 3km outperformed broader ads by 2.3x.
Facebook and Instagram’s local ad tools allow you to reach people based on precise neighborhoods, behaviors, and even food interests. For example, during a Valentine’s Day campaign for a Mediterranean lounge, we pushed a local ad with a call-to-reserve limited couple tables. It filled up in less than 48 hours. Geo-targeting also pairs perfectly with restaurant automation systems like online bookings and digital waitlists.
3. Google My Business is Your Digital Front Door
94% of diners read online reviews before choosing a place to eat. Yet many restaurants neglect their GMB profile. We make it a weekly task for our clients: respond to reviews, update hours, post fresh photos, and answer FAQs. It’s not glamorous, but it builds trust.
Google prioritizes businesses that stay active and consistent. For one Dubai café, simply optimizing their GMB listing—adding proper service categories, updating holiday hours, and responding to each review—pushed them from 12th to 2nd in local search rankings within 60 days. These kinds of changes align perfectly with advanced local SEO tips that help boost visibility.
4. Run Flash Promotions With a Twist
Standard discounts don’t turn heads anymore. But well-timed platform-specific offers still work. For Lavender Grill, we launched a Buy One, Get One Free promotion on Uber Eats during slower weekday hours. The results were clear: a noticeable spike in delivery orders and a 23% lift in platform visibility, thanks to the offer being featured under Uber Eats’ “Special Offers” tab.
These campaigns work best when they align with your audience’s behavior—late-night cravings, weekend splurges, or lunchtime convenience. A smart discount, placed where people are already scrolling and ordering, can outperform traditional advertising.
5. Email Marketing Isn’t Dead—It’s Just Boring (for Most)
The truth? Most restaurant newsletters are snooze-fests. But when done right, email can drive real results. One of our clients, a fine dining restaurant, saw a 44% open rate by sharing behind-the-scenes prep videos, limited-time dish drops, and exclusive chef interviews.
Segment your list: VIP customers, first-time visitors, regulars. Then customize the message. An automated email reminding past guests about upcoming events or birthdays builds retention and community. Email campaigns become even more powerful when paired with online restaurant ordering systems that support fast CTA conversion.
6. Learn From the Big Players
Each major chain leaves clues:
- Pizza Hut marketing strategy revolves around app-based loyalty programs and strong delivery UX. Their recent AR menu integration boosted customer interaction by 16%.
- Taco Bell marketing strategy thrives on absurd humor and TikTok-native formats. They once launched a hotel.
- Tim Hortons marketing strategy is built on heritage marketing and community nostalgia, like their iconic Roll Up the Rim campaign.
- Chipotle marketing strategy focuses on clean ingredients and user-created content on TikTok.
- Subway marketing strategy leans heavily into celebrity endorsements and limited-time meal bundles.
We study them not to copy, but to contextualize: What are they doing that can scale down to a local level? For instance, Subway’s campaign with NFL athletes sparked a client idea to partner with local sports teams and create ‘team meal boxes.’
7. Invest in UGC (User-Generated Content)
You can post a photo of your burger, or you can repost a happy customer doing a taste test. Guess which one converts better?
One of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to build trust online is to encourage real customers to share their experience. A smart way to do this is by offering a small reward—like a free drink or a discount on the next visit—for anyone who tags your restaurant in a post or story. This not only generates authentic visibility but also gives your brand a steady stream of content that feels personal and genuine.
Restaurants that reshare these posts create a sense of recognition, which encourages more customers to participate. Over time, it builds a community of loyal guests who see themselves as part of the brand. For a full breakdown, see our guide to user-generated content and the difference between UGC and eWOM.
8. Highlight Limited-Time Offers (LTOs)
Scarcity and exclusivity still work—and they work fast. Limited-Time Offers (LTOs) create urgency, trigger curiosity, and encourage impulse orders, especially when paired with strong visuals or a countdown timer on platforms like Instagram or Uber Eats.
One effective idea we’ve proposed to clients is building short-term seasonal dishes—think a summer-only pasta or a festive dessert—with a digital countdown across social platforms. This kind of strategy can be combined with a small behind-the-scenes clip or a chef note explaining the inspiration behind the recipe, giving it a personal touch and encouraging shares.
LTOs also help test new items without a full menu commitment. Whether it’s tied to a holiday, an ingredient in season, or even a pop culture trend, these limited-time additions keep the brand relevant and invite repeat visits from curious diners.
9. Partner With Local Events or Influencers
Sponsor a jazz night, pop up at a gym, or collaborate with a micro-influencer. At Lavender Grill, special events with live jazz music always get fully booked!
You don’t need to chase blue-check influencers. Look for people who have real engagement in your city—people whose friends actually show up when they post. Our success with these campaigns has made us a leader in restaurant marketing in Canada, particularly when supporting regional dining spots.
10. Track the Numbers or Stay in the Dark
Good taste can’t replace good tracking. Use Google Analytics, Meta Ads Manager, and POS data to measure:
- Average ticket size changes during promotions
- Which ad creatives brought the most clicks/bookings
- Peak engagement windows on your channels
Restaurants that review their marketing analytics monthly outperform competitors in ROI by up to 35%. Data isn’t optional anymore—it’s foundational. This is where understanding the long-term impact of local SEO can give you a true competitive advantage.
11. Show the Humans Behind the Plates
The best restaurant marketing strategy we 10/10 recommend is definitely this one and has been booming lately! One trend that’s quietly redefining restaurant marketing strategies—and we’ve seen this firsthand—is human-centered content. Customers don’t just want to see what’s on the plate; they want to know who made it, who serves it, and what stories walk through your kitchen every day.
We started testing this strategy with a family-run restaurant in Dubai by introducing simple Instagram Reels: one showed the head chef plating his childhood favorite dish and sharing its story; another was a 20-second time-lapse of the prep team joking during their morning rush. These videos received 4x more engagement than polished food-only photos. Why? Because they felt real.
Here are examples of what works right now:
- Introduce Your Staff: A weekly “Meet the Team” post gives your brand a heartbeat. Customers connect more easily when they recognize the face that brings them their food. We’ve seen this increase return visits—especially in community-based restaurants.
- Behind-the-Scenes Reels: Whether it’s a flour-covered chef prepping dough or the bartender practicing latte art, people love authenticity. These visuals lower the barrier between the business and the audience.
- Chef Q&As and Podcasts: Hosting short podcast-style clips with your chef or founders, even recorded casually on phones, adds storytelling depth. One of our Canadian clients saw their Q&A clip shared over 70 times locally, simply because they answered “How do you actually pronounce tzatziki?”
- Recipe Shares and Suggestions: Give away a little. Share a simplified version of a customer-favorite sauce. Ask followers to suggest what they’d like to see next on the menu. The interaction alone builds community.
- Celebrate Milestones Publicly: Did one of your line cooks just become a citizen? Is your sous-chef celebrating five years at the restaurant? Post it. Celebrate it. Humanize it.
This isn’t just a content strategy—it’s emotional marketing. It invites people into your world instead of shouting offers from a distance.
This works exceptionally well alongside your user-generated content campaigns or while nurturing trust in markets where large franchises dominate. Local loyalty is built on familiarity—and familiarity is built by showing faces, not just food.
We recommend combining this strategy with an internal content calendar that aligns staff moments with ongoing promotions or long-term SEO goals.
Restaurant Marketing Strategies and Their Expected Impact
| Strategy | Cost | Time to See Results | Typical ROI (based on Erahaus projects) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geo-targeted Ads | Mid | 1–2 weeks | 2x–5x |
| Email Campaigns | Low | 3–4 weeks | 1.5x–3x |
| User-Generated Content Drive | Low | 1 week | 2x |
| Local Influencer Collaboration | Mid | Immediate – 1 week | 3x–7x |
| Google My Business Optimization | Low | 2–3 weeks | Search ranking improvement |
Restaurant Marketing Strategies That Are Worth Your Time
What we’ve seen at Erahaus—again and again—is that successful restaurant marketing isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things consistently and with your own flavor.
You don’t have to outspend the competition. You have to outsmart them.
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FAQs about Restaurant Marketing Strategies
How much should a restaurant spend on marketing monthly?
A healthy benchmark is 3–6% of monthly revenue, with newer restaurants needing to invest more aggressively.
What’s the best social media platform for restaurant marketing in 2025?
Instagram is still king for food visuals, but TikTok is rapidly growing in influence, especially for Gen Z audiences.
What if I don’t have time for content creation?
Encourage your staff and customers to help. Incentivize them to share, and repost what they create. Authenticity beats perfection.
Can small restaurants really compete with giants like Pizza Hut or Tim Hortons?
Not in budget—but in personality, yes. Use your size to your advantage. Local, personal, and responsive wins over generic any day.
How can I measure if my strategy is working?
Track web traffic, social engagement, bookings, and sales spikes after each campaign. Use tools like Google Analytics and your POS system.
How does automation help restaurant marketing?
Automation in ordering, reservation, and marketing follow-up reduces workload and increases precision in audience targeting.
Is it better to invest in SEO or paid ads?
It depends on your goals. SEO builds long-term visibility, while paid ads deliver faster results. The best strategy often combines both.
