Top restaurant marketing strategies to grow your business in 2024

Why restaurant marketing is important  

• 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 sorytelling - 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 or you have an Instagram account that you post pictures on – you're already carrying out some marketing activities.  

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

Best restaurant marketing ideas and where to start

Effective restaurant marketing takes a wide range of forms, and each of them has an important role to play in helping you to promote your business. But it's impossible to do everything at once, so you'll need to take a strategic approach. 

Whether you're a small restaurant owner, or you're operating multiple sites, there are a range of strategies you can use to help you to attract customers to your business and improve your bottom line. 

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 to increase their sales and profits. Meanwhile, you're feeling adrift.

Think of your marketing strategy 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 and creative restaurant marketing ideas to boost your visibility and build relationships with your audience.

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

Gather reviews 

Use social media management to build your online community 

Invest in targeted ads - the power of Google ads and social media advertising

3. Be easy to find - The importance of SEO

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 

4. Generate more visits with an online booking platform

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

Loyalty programs  

6. Offer food delivery

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, from our UK neighbours 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 digitising 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 your customers 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, only 3% of Irish consumers do not use digital forms of payment, with 65% of Irish people using digital wallets, with 1 in 4 using a digital wallet to make an online purchase multiple times a day. In the UK, over over a third of online orders 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 – we’ve noticed it’s a big trend hitting Irish restaurants, alongside the list of wines by the glass, and labelled as ‘mindful eating’. Offer smaller portion options, bar seating, and a welcoming atmosphere that makes them feel comfortable dining alone. 

• Sustainability matters: 60% of Irish consumers say they want more sustainable products. 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 Ireland ranked among top ten countries globally for veganism, 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 your restaurant marketing?