The Beginner’s Guide to Restaurant Marketing

Everything you need to know to market your restaurant for business growth

Welcome to The Beginner’s Guide to Restaurant Marketing!

Running a restaurant can be an incredibly satisfying adventure. When done right, it can also be an incredibly successful one. A key part of that success is marketing.

If you’re opening a restaurant, marketing is essential for raising your brand’s profile in a crowded marketplace. If you already have a restaurant, it’s always a good idea to reassess your marketing to see what’s working and what could be improved. If previous efforts fell as flat as a bad soufflé, it’s not too late to get your marketing back on track.

This guide will cover all the basic aspects of successful restaurant marketing. Why do you need a marketing strategy? What are the most important traditional marketing methods? Which digital marketing channels should you invest in? 

We’ll consider everything from social media marketing to digital advertising to direct mail marketing and much more.

Each section will provide ideas and tips for immediate use. We’ll also share links to useful articles and further insights. If you’d like more information about anything we cover, you can always contact our marketing team at [email protected].

Ready to get started? Here’s a breakdown of what each chapter in this guide will cover. 

1. CHAPTER 1: An Overview of Restaurant Marketing
2. Chapter 1 goes over all the basic touchpoints of restaurant marketing, including strategies and current trends.
3. Topics covered:
4.  Restaurant Marketing Strategies
5.  Research Your Audience and Competitors
6.  Why You Need a Restaurant Marketing Plan
7.  The Importance of Branding for Restaurants
8.  Should You Use a Restaurant Marketing Agency?
9.  Restaurant Industry Trends in Marketing
10. CHAPTER 2: Restaurant Marketing (Non-Digital and Traditional)
11. In this chapter, we consider classic marketing and PR tactics. 
12. Topics covered:
13.  Restaurant PR
14.  Restaurant Flyers, Signs, and Print Marketing Materials
15.  Traditional Restaurant Advertisement
16.  Restaurant Direct Mail Marketing
17.  Restaurant T-Shirts and Other Branded Merch
18.  Guerilla Marketing for Restaurants
19.  Restaurant Gift Cards
20.  Restaurant Coupons
21.  Restaurant Loyalty Program
22.  How to Get Customer Feedback to Grow Your Restaurant Business
23.  Restaurant Special Events
24.  Restaurants That Do Fundraisers and Other Community Engagement
25.  Restaurant Promotion Ideas
26. CHAPTER 3: Restaurant Digital Marketing
27. In this chapter, we cover the basics of digital marketing, from launching a website to making sure your restaurant is listed in online directories.
28. Topics covered:
29.  Build a Restaurant Website Designed to Draw In Customers
30.  Restaurant SEO Tips
31.  How to Use Your Restaurant Online Ordering System to Market Your Business
32.  How to Use Google My Business and Other Online Directories to Grow Your Restaurant Business
33.  How to Get Your Restaurant Reviewed Online
34.  Restaurant Newsletter and Email Marketing
35.  Text Message Marketing for Restaurants
36.  Market Your QR Code Menu
37. CHAPTER 4: Social Media Marketing for Restaurants
38. This chapter goes over one of the most popular methods for raising brand awareness: social media marketing.
39. Topics covered:
40.  General Tips for Restaurant Social Media Marketing
41.  Facebook Marketing Strategy for Restaurants
42.  Restaurant Instagram Marketing
43.  Restaurant Food Photography Tips
44.  Twitter for Restaurants
45.  Restaurant Video Marketing
46.  Should You Work with Food Influencers?
47.  Optimize Your Restaurant’s Social Media Marketing With Food Hashtags
48. CHAPTER 5: Restaurant Digital Advertising
49. In Chapter 5, “Restaurant Digital Advertising,” we consider some of the main channels for digital advertising.
50. Topics covered:
51.  Google Restaurant Advertising
52.  Facebook Ads for Restaurants
53.  Other Social Media Advertising for Restaurants
54. CHAPTER 6: How to Create a Restaurant Marketing Budget
55. How much should you invest in restaurant marketing? We break it down.
56. Topics covered:
57.  The Basics of Restaurant Marketing Budgets
58.  Market Your Restaurant the Right Way
59.  Key Restaurant Marketing Budget Areas
60.  Restaurant Marketing ROI
61.  Restaurant Marketing Hidden Costs to Look Out For
62.  What Every Restaurant Should Be Doing to Succeed

How Much of This Guide Do I Need to Read?

Although this is a beginner’s guide, the information in it is also suitable for people already in the restaurant industry. If you want to get a full understanding of restaurant marketing, we recommend reading the guide from front to back. On the other hand, if you’re only interested in specific aspects of this topic, you can skip ahead to the relevant chapters. Take notes, and be sure to check out the links in each section for further reading and insights. Enjoy!