Why restaurant marketing is important 

In today's competitive landscape, restaurant marketing isn't just a bonus – it's a critical component of success.  

Here's why: 

• Discoverability - Marketing is extremely important to the success of your restaurant business as it is your marketing activity that helps new customers discover your venue; 
• Repeat Business - Effective marketing reminds existing customers why they love your place, turning them into loyal regulars; 
• Competitive Edge - Your competitors are doing it, and an effective marketing strategy could be the difference between a customer choosing your venue or a competitor's. 
• Brand Storytelling -Your marketing strategy is also an important opportunity to communicate your brand identity, whether that’s supporting other local businesses with your chosen products, promoting sustainable business practices or sourcing local ingredients. Simply put - it's vital to tell your customers what makes you special. 

The Good News: You're Already Doing Some of it! 

For example, if you have a Google listing and customers are leaving you reviews – this is part of your marketing activity. If you have an Instagram account that you post pictures on – this is also a marketing activity. 

However, effective marketing begins with a strategy. That means considering your budget, your desired results, and the steps you can take. 

1. Know your diner: your key to a successful restaurant marketing plan

Picture this: Your competitors are fine-tuning their marketing game, attracting new customers and enticing regulars back with fresh offers. Meanwhile, you're feeling adrift. Don't stress! The first step to taking control of your marketing is creating a solid plan. It's your restaurant's roadmap to success, ensuring your efforts are focused and effective. 

Think of your marketing plan as the blueprint for building a thriving business.  

Here are a few key elements to include in your plan to maximise your marketing efforts: 

• Know your audience: Who are you trying to attract to your venue? Are you family-friendly or cocktail-focused? Do you offer an intimate romantic dining experience? Don't try to please everyone. Target your efforts for maximum impact by thinking about who is your target audience and consider that this might change from weekdays to weekends or over the day. 
• Tailor your offer: Now that you have defined your target audience, make sure you cater to them with your offer and think beyond the menu. Do "kids eat free" nights or sleek cocktails align with your target market? Learn about what is important to your audience and make sure you deliver it. 
• Set clear goals: What's your top priority? More online bookings, delivery orders, walk-ins, return visits? Each of these objectives may need different strategies. 
• Pick your channels:  How are you going to communicate with your customers? And how do you want to communicate with them in the future? Are you collecting email addresses currently that you can request marketing communication permission for? Are you on social media? Do you have the budget available for paid marketing activity? 
• Budget wisely: Even a small budget can be effective if used strategically as there are different levels of marketing investment to match your business. But as your business – and customer data - grows, you’ll want to think about more efficient ways to market to your customers, and this is where restaurant marketing software can come in. 
• Track your success (and learn from it): As well as defining your goals and objectives you need to know how you will measure the success of your marketing activity, therefore understanding how your marketing efforts are performing is crucial. For website traffic, Google Analytics (GA) is invaluable. But for broader marketing campaigns, lean on your CRM to track metrics like conversion rates, customer acquisition cost and return on investment (ROI). By linking your CRM data to specific marketing efforts, you gain powerful insights into what works best for your restaurant. 

Now that you have the framework for your plan, let's put it into action. Below you'll find strategies to boost your visibility and reach new customers online.

2. Own your online presence

In today's world, your online presence is just as important as your physical restaurant. From search engines to social media, this is where customers discover you, connect with you, and decide whether to visit. 

Revamp your website (it's your digital storefront) 

First impressions count! Did you know that three in five consumers look online for menus, photos and reviews before visiting a venue? A poor website experience can be enough to put a potential customer off visiting at all. Emphasise a user-friendly design, enticing food photography, clear menus, and easy online reservations (link to your Google listing if possible).  

Bonus Tip: Optimise for mobile viewing – most restaurant searches happen on phones. 

Gather reviews 

Online reviews help new customers decide if a restaurant is worth visiting. According to our own Tech Shift Report, 56% of consumers said they would be put off visiting a venue if they couldn’t find reviews online ahead of their visit. Ensure you always leave a response to online reviews, even if they are negative, with a personalised answer or thank you. 

Proactive approach: Emphasise actively asking for reviews. You can train your staff to suggest leaving reviews or send automated post-visit emails or texts requesting feedback and a review on your preferred platform. 

Get social and build an online community 

Restaurant social media marketing can be very effective as your products are so visual. Perfect for Instagram! The key to growing an organic following on social media is to post regularly. Think about investing in either a photographer to come and take pictures of your menu items or a good-quality camera to take pictures yourself. The other great thing about social media is that you can utilise user-generated content – make sure your dishes and drinks are suitably Instagrammable and encourage visitors to post images and tag your venue in the pictures.  

Bonus tip: partner with local influencers. Connect with food bloggers or social media influencers in your area for increased reach. 

Invest in targeted ads 

Targeted ads let you put your restaurant directly in front of potential customers in your area. Platforms like Google and Facebook allow you to pinpoint ads based on location, interests (think "foodies" or "date night spots"), and even demographics. This ensures your ad budget is only spent on reaching the most relevant audience. 

Bonus tip: Track success and see which ads drive the most traffic by using unique links. Know your click-through rates and ROI for smarter ad spending.

3. Be easy to find - get on Google

The majority of searches for restaurants include "near me" – is your business positioned to capture that traffic? A strong local SEO strategy ensures you're visible at the right moment. 

Claim your spot in search results 

Sign up for or claim your business page in Google My Business to create a free Business Profile on Google that will allow your venue to show up in local searches and on Google Maps. This is an easy marketing avenue that anyone can implement for their restaurant as it is free and requires only some basic information from you and verification that you are the owner of the business. Once verified you can fill in your profile, ensure you display up-to-date opening times and also ask your customers to leave you reviews on your profile. You can also add a reservation link so customers can book a table directly from your Google listing.  

Here's our local SEO checklist to boost visibility:  

• Keywords are key: Research relevant keywords that describe your restaurant (type of food, location, atmosphere) and include them throughout your online presence. 
• Mobile-first matters: Ensure your website loads quickly and looks great on smartphones.  
• Make information easy: Clear menus, updated operating hours, and reservation/booking links should be prominently displayed on your website. 
• Reviews as ranking signals: Monitor review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor and respond thoughtfully to both positive and negative feedback. 
• NAP consistency: Make sure your business name, address, and phone number match accurately across all listings (website, directories, etc.). 
• Adapt for voice search: Use natural language and conversational phrases in your website content to capture how people talk to their smart speakers. 
• Accessible images: Include descriptive alt text with these images for accessibility and better SEO. 

Now that customers can find you easily, make that first step of engagement seamless with a convenient online booking system.

4. Generate more visits with an online booking platform

Online is where it's at!  54% of diners won't consider your restaurant if they can't book online. 

You can generate more visits to your restaurant by giving customers the option to reserve a table at your venue online. An online restaurant booking system will help optimise the booking process for customers and allow you to accept bookings at any time of day.  

• 24/7 convenience: Customers can book anytime, anywhere – not just during your operating hours. This captures those potential diners who research and plan outside your open hours. 
• Reduced staff workload: Online systems automate bookings, taking pressure off your staff to answer every phone call or take manual reservations. 
• Maximise table fills: Booking software can optimise seating capacity and handle waitlists, increasing potential revenue per night. 
• Data for your marketing: Reservation systems capture customer data – preferences, visit frequency, etc. – that can be used to personalise offers and build loyalty. 
• Reduced no-shows:  Automated reminders and confirmation options make customers less likely to forget their reservations. 

A strong online presence is how you stand out in the crowded restaurant scene. Now that you've optimised your website, social media, reviews, and Google SEO, let's explore how to turn online connections into loyal customers through email marketing and loyalty programs.

5. Master engagement & rewards - a.k.a. the power of having regulars

Businesses often chase new customers, but your existing ones are a goldmine - studies show existing customers have a 67% higher average order value. Therefore, a well-rounded digital marketing plan for a restaurant must go beyond attracting new customers – think email campaigns and loyalty programs that build lasting relationships. 

Email marketing 

Email marketing for restaurants remains an effective strategy despite consumers receiving around 126 emails every day. The key to successful email marketing is personalisation. Tailor your subject lines to grab attention and segment your email list for the most relevant content. For example, you wouldn’t want to send your vegan customers a picture of a juicy steak. Consider factors like dietary preferences, visit frequency, or age groups for highly-targeted messaging. 

But how can you gather more valuable insights about your diners? The key to personalisation lies in your data. 

Customer relationship management (CRM) software is invaluable for gathering data. It empowers you to understand your customers better, send emails at the right time, and go beyond basic promotions. Use emails to announce new menus, highlight events, or even share recipe ideas – it's all about building a meaningful connection with your diners. 

Bonus tip: learn more about How to Use Your Hospitality CRM Data  

Loyalty programs  

It's never a bad time to start or upgrade your loyalty program, especially as they're extremely popular among UK customers. Based on one survey, a large majority of consumers (81%) currently engage in a loyalty program, while an additional 8% have participated in the past. This number highlights not just a trend, but a consumer preference that businesses can leverage to their advantage.  

Many restaurants adopt a points-based loyalty scheme that allows customers to collect points against money spent to eventually exchange points for items. These work particularly well as an app and are popular with fast-food restaurants. For smaller operations, you might consider offering a discount voucher such as ‘buy one get one free on main courses’ or ‘free dessert with every main course’ through an email campaign to regular customers. 

Bonus tip: If you wonder what sets successful businesses apart and if a loyalty program is the secret ingredient you’ve been missing, join our CRM and hospitality experts as they discuss all things loyalty in this 60-minute webinar.

Loyal customers love dining in, but they also crave convenience. Online ordering and delivery let you offer your great food wherever they are, boosting sales and widening your customer base.

6. Offer food delivery

Home delivery service boomed during the pandemic, and it looks like it’s here to stay – according to research from CGA, delivery sales at Britain’s leading restaurant and pub groups in April 2022 were 357% higher than pre-covid levels. And offering home delivery isn’t just a way to diversify your revenue stream but is a great marketing tool that may help new customers discover your venue.  

To maximise your reach and help your business embrace the home delivery trend, consider investing in a food delivery management system. Such software is a digital solution that enables customers to place food orders from your restaurant through different online channels: websites, mobile apps and third-party delivery platforms and feeds those orders back to a single point-of-sale in the venue to be processed.  

Bonus tip: Don't miss upselling opportunities! Use your online ordering platform to suggest add-ons like sides, drinks, or desserts to increase your order value. 

An average UK consumer orders a takeaway once every three weeks, making it a huge potential to turn those frequent takeout customers into loyal diners.

7. Get the word out

Why not think beyond traditional advertising to generate buzz and get those tables filled every night with creative marketing ideas for restaurants? 

Get on a discovery platform 

Utilising an online discovery platform for hospitality venues such as DesignMyNight is a great way to get your venue noticed. A discovery platform will already have an engaged audience on its website and social media channels who are interested in discovering new restaurants.  

Weekday specials 

If you have slower days midweek, then come up with a themed offer to help drive more custom such as ‘Taco Tuesdays’ or ‘Curry Night’ where customers can benefit from discounted prices on special menu items.  

Host an event 

Restaurants make great event spaces and you can showcase your venue by hosting your own event. A launch party is a great way to make a splash in the local community for a new restaurant, especially if you can invite local influencers and VIPs. And if you’re not a new venue, consider throwing birthday parties for your restaurant’s opening anniversary – this is another way you can showcase your venue, invite influencers and celebrate with money-saving offers or special menu items.  

Discounts and offers  

Platforms such as Groupon are a good option for an introductory offer to help new customers discover your venue. The good thing is that you can set the terms of the offer, for example, setting dates and times the offer can be redeemed. The downside is that many people will only be interested in the offer and might have a low chance of converting into regular customers.  

Get creative 

Give your local community something to talk about with unique restaurant marketing ideas that showcase your brand’s identity. This could mean producing themed items to coincide with local events or even big stories that are capturing the nation’s attention. This could be coming up with a new rainbow milkshake to support the local Pride event, a themed pizza to celebrate a sporting event or a dish named after a local hero.  

Staff picks and recommendations  

Your teams should be well-trained and familiar with all the dishes on your menu so they can talk about and recommend dishes to guests with confidence, and you can utilise this information to make your business seem more personable in your marketing communications. Get your staff to rate their favourite drinks and dishes and then feature these on your website and social channels along with a discount. This is also another great idea for generating ongoing content for your website and social channels. 

You've mastered getting customers in the door – but are you using your data to future-proof your business? Let's explore how to understand changing trends and adapt for even greater success when creating a restaurant marketing strategy.

8. Future-proof your business

The restaurant industry is constantly evolving and while today's tactics bring in customers, the most successful businesses will need to adapt should they wish to stay ahead of the game. Balancing consumer demands with cost control requires forward-thinking and future-proofing your tech stack with strategic solutions. As predicted in this 2023 report, digital innovations are expected to be the key to unlocking growth over the next three years.  

So, how can you build a restaurant that thrives? 

Embrace data-driven insights 

We've discussed how personalisation builds loyalty...but how do you achieve it? That's how your restaurant EPoS system and hospitality CRM become your secret weapons.  

Your EPoS tracks more than just sales - it records item popularity, peak order times, transaction methods (card vs. cash), and even table turnover rates. Analysing this data lets you spot trends, forecast customer needs, and make smarter decisions about staffing, inventory, and even your menu. Your CRM data, however, takes those insights even further. It reveals not just what your guests order, but who they are – their birthdays, preferences, and how they like to be contacted.  

Every order and every reservation are a goldmine of data about your customers and their habits. Use this data to build deeper connections and boost your bottom line.  

Optimise for efficiency and cost-saving 

Automating and digitalising manual and repetitive processes is the quickest way to efficiency in your restaurant. Why is this important? Because it gives you the time to focus on what matters most – creating an exceptional dining experience for your guests while minimising food waste and controlling costs.  

Prioritise customer experience 

Providing an outstanding customer experience is a key factor in generating return customers, therefore keeping the needs of the customer at the heart of everything you do can help secure the long-term success of your restaurant.  

It's easier than ever to deliver an excellent customer experience with the use of technology. Here are some ways to make your customer's lives easier: 

• Order & Pay: Allows customers to order and pay in under 60 seconds and reduces your staff workload.  
• Online ordering convenience: Your online system needs to be super simple to use - think one-click checkout, options like Google Pay and Apple Pay, and secure payment processing. Did you know over a third of online orders in the UK are already done through mobile wallets? If you're not making it easy for customers to pay how they want, you could be missing out on sales. 
• Digital loyalty integration: Forget clunky punch cards and introduce a digital program tied to your customer phone number.  

Invest in staff development 

Staff turnover is a bummer for everyone. One major reason people leave? Feeling like they're stuck in the same place. Investing in your team's growth makes them feel valued, which is good for them AND your bottom line. Technology can play a major part in improving your team's happiness levels - from onboarding to training. Offering regular opportunities for skill enhancement through a hospitality LMS enhances your business and gives your employees a chance to progress in their careers.   

Stay ahead of trends 

Your customers aren't the same as they were a few years ago. To keep them coming back, you've got to keep up with changing tastes and expectations. Staying ahead of those trends means more than just a new menu item – it's about showing you understand what matters to them. 

• The rise of the solo diner: Don't neglect solo customers - in the past year alone, this trend grew by 4%. Offer smaller portion options, bar seating, and a welcoming atmosphere that makes them feel comfortable dining alone. 
• Sustainability matters: Sourcing local ingredients and minimising waste isn't only something modern operators should have in mind, but that's a great thing to shout about in your marketing communications.  
• Dietary inclusivity: Expand your menu with diverse options – vegan, vegetarian, and allergen-free selections are increasingly in demand. With an estimated 2.5 million vegans in the UK, adding plant-based options caters to this growing market, plus those seeking healthier or meat-free choices.  
• Tech-savvy expectations: From online reservations to contactless payments, ensure your technology aligns with how customers want to interact with your business. 

Bonus tip: Staying informed about industry publications, attending conferences, and monitoring social media conversations will help you spot emerging trends and adapt your restaurant to meet the evolving needs of your customers. 

Ready to invest in restaurant marketing?  

In this article, we’ve covered pretty much everything a restaurant operator needs to know to get started with restaurant marketing. We have looked at the importance of marketing for your restaurant and how different venues can adapt their marketing strategy according to their budget. In planning, we have assessed how different investments can unlock a wider scope for targeted marketing campaigns and how to set objectives.  

If you’re ready to invest in software to help with your restaurant marketing strategy, talk to our team about different online solutions that can help you depending on your objectives. Discover how Access can simplify your restaurant marketing strategy and boost your bottom line.  

You might also be interested in:

• How to increase revenue in your restaurant
• Restaurant CRM software
• Restaurant booking system
• Software for restaurants