By Sam Lauron

I’m fortunate to live in a city that has a thriving restaurant scene (it’s most known for its barbecue and Tex-Mex, if that gives you any hint). And while I don’t consider myself a food connoisseur by any means, I was a food journalist in a past life, so I continue to stay on top of the latest stories and trends surrounding the restaurant industry.

To do this, I follow a lot of restaurants on social media. I also subscribe to their newsletters, attend their special events, enter their giveaways, and sign up for their rewards programs.

And because my marketing brain never shuts off, I can’t help but be curious about these restaurant marketing strategies. How well do they work? Which channels do these restaurants perform best on? How do established restaurants maintain interest after the grand opening buzz wears down?

To figure out the answers to these questions, I’m digging deep into restaurant marketing ideas, strategies, and real-life campaigns.

Restaurant Marketing Strategies That Work

I wanted to get more insight into the world of restaurant marketing, so I spoke with Rachel Ayotte, the founder and CEO of Bread and Butter, a communications agency that works with hospitality clients.

Why do restaurants of all sizes need a marketing strategy? What does an effective campaign look like these days?

“In New York City alone, there are over 25,000 restaurants, which would take the average person 22 years to try,” shares Ayotte.

She adds, “With a huge inventory of options and a relatively short time to succeed, people must know your restaurant not only exists but is also someplace they want to go.”

This is why having a restaurant marketing strategy is essential.

If you want to stand out online and bring more people into your restaurant, here are examples of successful restaurant marketing strategies and campaigns to take inspiration from.

Customer-First Content

An essential restaurant marketing strategy is to focus on your customers. This applies not only to the way you market your restaurant but also to the menu items and products you create.

One creative example of this is Chipotle’s limited edition Napkin Holder, which is inspired by its customers.

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Here’s the backstory: It’s common for Chipotle customers to grab a stack of napkins to store in their cars on their way out of the restaurant.

Instead of reprimanding its customers for stocking up on napkins, Chipotle created an opportunity for increased brand loyalty by creating a branded car napkin holder.

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As a bonus, the campaign launched around the holidays, making it a perfect gifting opportunity. Each napkin holder also came with a gift card for a free entree to encourage customers to visit a restaurant to “restock” their napkin supply.

Chipotle’s limited …read more

Source:: HubSpot Blog

Author: Aaron