04 Dec Cooking Up Success: How Restaurants Can Gear Up Their Marketing for 2025

As we round the corner on 2024 and look ahead to 2025, it’s time to refine the menu—not just the one you serve to diners, but your marketing menu as well. With plates and palates evolving, let’s explore how you can enhance your marketing strategy to ensure your restaurant remains a favorite for patrons both old and new. Ready to dig into this exciting journey? Let’s feast on these insights!

1. Embrace the Visual Feast on Social Media

In 2025, an irresistible visual presence will be essential, making platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook key components of your marketing strategy.

Instagram Stories & Reels: These are your quick bites of content, perfect for showcasing what happens behind the kitchen doors or highlighting special dishes. They give potential customers a flavorful preview of your brand’s personality.

TikTok Campaigns: Engaging challenges or brief, engaging clips of a day in the life at your restaurant can captivate an audience and entice them to drop by for a taste. People are always interested in how food is made and this is a great way to showcase special menu items or particular processes that make your restaurant unique.

Engage with your audience: Don’t just post! Liking, following, & sharing are all part of being on social media and your restaurant’s account is no different. Follow local foodies and travel accounts to immerse yourself in the scene and be sure to interact with them! A few “that looks delicious” or “what a great idea” comments can go a long way in terms of having people remember you online & ultimately have them check out your profile and restaurant.

The Cost: Nothing is lower than free! If you think of your social media as a form of advertising, it is a free platform that allows you to show all the best parts of your business. With consistency & great content, every bar or restaurant can benefit from being on social media.

Take the next step: Once you feel comfortable posting and creating content for your restaurant, the next step up would be to actually advertise your restaurant on social media. For a comparatively low budget compared to traditional advertising, you can see a significant impact on both your online presence and foot traffic to your establishment. Our previous blog on Digital Advertising can offer some insight into how to get started.

2. Harness the Power of Data for Personalization

Think of data as the unique spice in your marketing pantry—indispensable for crafting personalized dining experiences.

Loyalty Programs: Develop these based on customer preferences and behaviors. By offering personalized rewards or dining suggestions, you turn casual visitors into loyal patrons. Many POS systems offer this feature and once set up, can essentially run on their own. Not to mention the added benefits of tracking customer data, spending habits, & other metrics that can be utilized for future marketing campaigns. 

Our blog on the importance of the Customer Journey offers insights into why this data is an essential part of long term strategy and why this aspect is so valuable to restaurant owners.

Email Campaigns: Use targeted content to cater to different segments. Sharing curated wine pairings with connoisseurs or new recipes with food enthusiasts can make your customers feel catered to and valued. While email marketing may seem archaic compared to other forms of digital advertising, it can bring significant returns. 

Cost: When combined with other campaign aspects, email marketing strategy can be a low cost way to reach previous customers and remind them of the great experience they had with your brand in the past along with an incentive to revisit. You can see the great results we had with email marketing for our client, Smashin Crab, here.

Take the next step: As previously mentioned, several POS systems offer these two marketing tools as either part of or as an add-on to their system. While they may not be the best solution for eateries just starting out, as your audience grows, paying for this feature can add revenue dollars to your pocket and loyal customers through your doors. We have seen great success with the Toast POS system, which you can request a free demo of here.

3. Lead with Sustainability

Sustainable dining isn’t just a current trend; it’s the trajectory of the industry.

Eco-Friendly Practices: Highlight how sustainability is embedded in your operations, from sourcing ingredients locally to minimizing waste. This can appeal to diners who are environmentally conscious and increase your brand’s credibility.

Storytelling: Share the journey of your ingredients from farm to table, showcasing your commitment to quality and sustainability. This not only attracts like-minded customers but also builds trust with your audience. It also makes for great social media content!

4. Leverage Influencer Partnerships & PR Worthy Events

The influence of food bloggers and local advocates can dramatically elevate your restaurant’s reputation. Special events can keep customers engaged with your brand and coming back on a consistent basis.

Local Influencers: Collaborate with community-focused influencers who can authentically champion your restaurant. Their endorsement often translates into tangible patronage. You can even host exclusive tasting events with influencers to create buzz and draw in curious diners eager to experience what they’ve seen praised by trusted voices.

Cost: Influencer pricing can vary wildly depending on several factors Smaller or “micro” influencers may post on their account in exchange for their meal while larger accounts require payment. Research each one and make sure they seem legitimate, with lots of views and comments from real people, not just bot accounts.

Special Events: Most restaurants will celebrate their grand opening and maybe an anniversary or two, but a major money maker can be monthly or quarterly special events. Whether it is a limited time menu item, a special cocktail party to welcome summer, or a sophisticated NYE shindig, special events can be great investments in your marketing strategy arsenal.

Cost: Marketing-wise, these events can give your patrons something to be excited about and give you material for your advertising campaign and social media efforts. Additionally, if you add in reservations or a ticket system, you can be guaranteed a good night for the books for your efforts.

Conclusion

And there you have it—a recipe for invigorating your restaurant’s marketing strategy for 2025. With a blend of creativity, innovation, and a sprinkling of expertise, you can ensure your restaurant not only satisfies taste buds but also captures hearts with its messaging.

Are you eager to see how these strategies can transform your restaurant? We’ve partnered with dozens of restaurants all over the US and can provide comprehensive support for your bar or restaurant business’ marketing efforts. Sign up for a complimentary assessment here.