Many people think restaurant marketing is easy. Isn’t it just about taking a few pictures of your dishes and posting them on social media?
While that’s a good idea to market your restaurant. It’s certainly not the only one. It’s also an overused tactic.
Marketing is experimental in nature. However, there are several ways you can create buzz around your restaurant, whether it’s your first venue or your fifth.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of traditional and out-of-the-box restaurant marketing ideas to help you drive sales, engagement, and retention.
Restaurant Marketing Statistics for 2026
Roughly 77% of US consumers, in an MGH survey, said they’re likely to visit a restaurant’s website before deciding to dine in or order takeout. Of that figure, 68% reported being “discouraged” after visiting the restaurant’s website.
Research also shows that 79% of consumers decide to go to a restaurant based on online reviews.
In terms of budget, a restaurant’s average marketing budget ranges from 3% to 6% of their total sales.
Digital marketing for restaurants
The top social media marketing channels for restaurants continue to be Facebook and Instagram. TikTok comes in third.
Research also shows restaurant guests prefer personalized marketing, including discount vouchers, and promotions.
If you’re using a restaurant reservation system like Servme, you can use the auto-tagging feature to personalize guest communications and marketing.
Video content for restaurants
Video content remains a popular form of marketing for various types of businesses, including F&B.
According to Wistia, 1-minute videos have a 50% engagement.
Restaurant technology
Research by the National Restaurant Association has found that 80% of restaurants use technology to efficiently run their business.
Tips Before You Start Marketing Your Restaurant
1) Consider where your customers are
To begin marketing for your restaurant, you need to first be where your guests, your target audience, are.
2) Review the competition
Take a moment to review your closest competitors. See what they have in the restaurant marketing strategy, what platforms they’re using.
3) Don’t be everywhere at once
It’s ok to start small. You can start marketing on one or two platforms or channels and then expand as you grow.
If you’re investing in reservation and table management software like Servme, you get access to email and SMS marketing.
4) Don’t go for everything all-at-once
Marketing can be overwhelming. So, besides starting small, don’t try to ‘do it all, all at once.’
5) Start marketing early
Create your restaurant’s marketing strategy early. Start marketing even before you open your first venue.
What Are the Top Ideas for Marketing Your Restaurant in 2026?
1) Create a website
A restaurant’s website is often the first point-of-contact before a guest comes to dine at your venue.
Nearly 69% of those surveyed said a restaurant’s website “specifically helps them decide if they want to dine in at the restaurant.”
Information to share on your website can include:
- Social media links
- Phone number and email
- Reservation, cancellation, and no-show policies
- Venues with addresses and links on Google maps
- Dress code
- Availability of takeout
- Partnerships
2) Create buzz before opening your venue
You can create several social media posts ahead of this launch. For great results, combine organic with paid advertising.
3) Share mouth-watering images
Share mouth-watering, but real images of your restaurant’s dishes, including main courses, appetizers, and desserts.
4) Offer seasonal dishes, beverages
Keep guests on their toes by creating seasonal or limited-time dishes, beverages, and menus.
5) Enable online reservations
You can direct guests to make online reservations using Facebook and Instagram, using Reserve with Google, or using a reservation widget on your website.
6) Special birthday offers
Guests love personalization! One way to do so is to make a special offer for or ahead of their birthday.
If you’re using a table management system or app like Servme, you can collect and add guest information to your guestbook and automate email and SMS marketing campaigns.
7) Create a monthly newsletter
Consider creating a newsletter for your restaurant. Newsletters are an opportunity to market several things at once.
8) Corporate events
Becoming a location popular for corporate events not only increases your restaurant’s revenues, but also entices guests to come independently.
To manage large groups, including corporate events, consider using Servme’s event management software.
9) Consider special events
Consider creating special events like ‘Quiz Nights’ or ‘Valentine’s Day menus’ or ‘Music Nights’ to entice guests to come.
If you’re using Servme, our built-in floor planning software allows you to manage and combine tables easily.
10) Partnerships with third-parties
You can integrate your table management system with platforms like Tripadvisor and Zomato, which allow guests to make online bookings.
11) Create a referral program
Nearly 92% of global consumers trust recommendations from friends and family “above all other forms of advertising,” according to research by Nielsen.
12) Create a loyalty program
Another opportunity is to create a restaurant loyalty program.
13) Optimize your Google My Business profile
To appear to potential, curious guests, make sure your restaurant appears by optimizing your Google Business Profile.
14) Get reservations from social media
One of the top ways restaurants can increase reservations and sales is to get bookings from social media platforms.
15) Share positive reviews
Roughly 70% of global consumers said they trusted others’ reviews.
If you’re using Servme, you can automate guest surveys via the platform.
16) Use influencer marketing
The Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2024 shows 60% of respondents saying they plan to ‘increase their influencer marketing budget’ in 2024.
Food influencers can:
- Increase brand awareness
- Boost your social media following
- Boost foot traffic and sales
- Help you expand to new markets or countries
17) UGC
User-generated content (UGC) remains one of the leading and most-trusted methods of online advertising.
18) Consider creating a giveaway
Create a contest with a giveaway, where one or several winners get a reward.
19) Add images of your venue
Sharing images from your venue can give newcomers an opportunity to learn more about you before they visit you.
20) Shoot short videos
You don’t have to break the bank to shoot video content. In fact, you can do it from your smartphone.
21) Limited-time offers
Creating offers is a great way to market your restaurant and boost footfall — especially on weekdays when traffic may be limited. However, don’t overdo it with the offers.
Wrapping It Up
There isn’t a single way to market your restaurant.
Some F&B concepts may prefer one of the above methods over the others. However, it’s important to experiment with different restaurant marketing ideas and tactics to see what works.
Now that you have all these ideas, save this post and write down which ideas you want to experiment with first.
Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more tips.
If you need help managing your restaurant, marketing, and reservations, check out Servme’s table management and reservation platform.
