7 Food Advertisement and Promotion Ideas For Your Restaurant

Great food and quality service is simply not enough for a business to thrive considering how competitive the hospitality industry has gotten today. To get more customers to come in and to keep them coming back, it’s all about grabbing their attention and piquing curiosity. One great way to do that is through good copywriting and promotion ideas that stand out to get your audience engaging with your restaurant. 

But how do you come up with surefire ad-copy that will make customers remember your promotions and what you want to talk about your restaurant? From choosing the right words to fuelling your ad-strategies, we’ve come up with some tried-and-true tips along with some samples that are as nice as pie to help you find inspiration and strengthen your marketing game. 

1. Offer A Solution

Customers are always on the lookout for solutions to their problems and needs. To win your customers, over show them that you understand what they are looking for and how your products are the solution to their needs. 

Compelling food advertisements are a surefire way of overcoming customers' hesitation and gaining their trust.

Here are some inspirations on how to convince customers that you are what they are looking for: 

“Calorie counting can be a pain especially when eating out. But don’t you worry! We’ll save you the stress with our protein-packed power bowls that ticks all the nutrient boxes and most importantly, with calorie counts included.”

“Can’t find time to fit cooking into your busy schedule? That’s what we’re here for! Say goodbye to meal-planning and microwave dinners with our range of scrumptious, wholesome and family-friendly meals delivered to your doorsteps.” 

2. Create Urgency

If you’re promoting your restaurant on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook, one way to get the audiences’ attention is by creating a sense of urgency. 

Making people feel as if they’re about to miss out on a great opportunity creates a fear of missing out (FOMO) that can boost conversion rates and drive sales. For example, using phrases such as “Last chance to grab them” and “Sale ends this week” can remind customers to act on your offer soon. 

Here are some ideas for advertisements to dial up your sense of urgency:

“It’s starting to feel like spring with our new tangelo grapefruit slushie. It’s only available this season, so get it while you can!”

“This week’s your last chance to try our Thai-flaming tomyum chips! The perfect side for your favourite smashed burgers from our menu, head to DoorDash or UberEats for local delivery to your doorstep!”

3. Come Up With Exciting Discounts

Another proven way of promoting your restaurant is by offering special discounts, cashbacks and offers. Limited time offers are a great way to get your customers to spend in your restaurant.

For instance, you can draw attention to your ongoing promotions and discounts with ad copy like these:

“More shakes for less! Get your favourite milkshakes at 40% off for a limited time at our nearest store right now.”

“Taking a day off from cooking dinner? You deserve it! Enjoy 20% off when you order our family meals from 5PM - 8PM every weekday.”

“One coffee is never enough to get you through the day. Grab your coffee fix or invite someone for a cuppa with 50% off on your second beverage. See you in stores!

4. Flaunt Your USPs

Do you have a concept that no other restaurant can pin down? Is your restaurant passionate about plant-based cuisine? Highlighting what’s unique about your restaurant differentiates you from your competitor and gives customers a reason to order from your restaurant. 

This promotional method works especially well if your restaurant caters to customers with specific dietary needs or adopts a certain diet like vegan, keto, gluten, dairy-free and so forth. Here's how you could promote your USPs using creatively positioned adverts for food:

“Whoever said plant-based food is boring clearly haven’t tried our cauliflower steak served with sweet potato fries. Tender in the middle with a lightly charred, caramelised, crispy outside, we promise you’re gonna love it!” 

“Not everyone likes their pizzas with pineapples or olives. That’s why here at #PizzaLab, we let you build your own pizza with all the toppings you love, minus the ones you don’t fancy. So, what’s on your pizza?”  

“Barbecue nights are never complete without our char-grilled Iberico pork ribs served farm to plate with a side granny’s signature dip sauce.” 

5. Freebies & Giveaways

Discounts and offers aside, freebies and giveaways also work well with attracting crowds. Freebies attract two types of customers -- those that intend to try your restaurant and customers who are just ordering for the gift-with-purchase. Because of that, choosing the right gift-with-purchase item can increase the exclusivity and urgency of your promotion. A great example would be how restaurants, especially fast food chains offer free toys to market their kids’ meals.  

For inspiration on how to use this promotional tactic, check out these copy examples:

“Saving the planet starts with your daily morning coffee! We’ve collaborated with @coffeecupproject to come up with our very own travel mugs. Collect 15 points to redeem it for free and enjoy a dollar off everytime you grab your coffee with your own #coffeecupproject.” 

“Fancy a night in? Get your favourite movie-night dinner with a free cocktail (on us!) when you order from DoorDash or UberEats today!”

6. Piggyback Off Viral Trends

Riding on what’s trending can bring more customers in your door and boost your bottomline at the end of the day. Create a limited-time menu based on what’s trending to get customers, especially those who are trend chasers to come to your restaurant. 

However, considering how trends come and go, it’s important to be aware about changing customer tastes and the latest trends to make sure that your restaurant stays relevant. Here are a couple examples of how you can take advantage of viral trends to promote your restaurant:  

“Think classic tequila, whiskey and gin sans alcohol. We’ve recreated the old fashioned spirits into our new range of non-alcoholic booze that will make your dry months a little less dry.”

“Have you tried our version of the #TikTokRamen? 🍜  We’re talking instant ramen, elevated and decked out with toppings to fulfil those noodle cravings.”

7. Make Your Food Advertisements Relevant

At the end of the day, it’s all about what works for your target audiences and making sure that your promotions and marketing strategy can get more customers coming to your restaurant. For example, a low pricing strategy could actually harm how your product is viewed and get customers questioning the quality of the food you serve. Therefore, it’s extremely important to have the right brand positioning to reach the right audience. 

Another thing you should take note of is to avoid being vague or confusing when connecting with your customers, either through promotions or advertising materials. No matter where you’re promoting your restaurant or product, the key is to grab their attention instantly and get them to remember your restaurant.