Restaurant promotions – not the easiest thing to get your head around. Ever feel like you can’t think of a good idea? Fear not – we have 11 restaurant promotion ideas for you. So go on, give it a read.

#1 Offer a free coffee

Free coffee for a customer? That sounds like a great deal! Bring in new customers by offering them a free drink, like coffee.

Why pay for advertising when you can get your own loyal customer for the price of a coffee? Offer anyone a free coffee at your restaurant and watch them come back for more – your own loyal customer in the making!

#2 Connect with other restaurants

You can also connect with other restaurants because they may have their own dedicated following that may not have heard of you. One simple way to do this is by collaborating on a regional dish. By featuring that dish on your social media, you’ll be able to reach their audience.

#3 Showcase your chef 

With the rise of social media, it’s important to show off your new dish or staff member.

Sometimes the smallest things can make the biggest difference. Introduce your new dish to the world or your chef to your customers. Celebrate every new addition to your company and get to know them!

#4 Create & promote your videos

Restaurant promotions can be tough. You want to offer the customers what they want, but you may not always have time to do it. That’s why video tutorials are a great way to show off your restaurant, even when you don’t have time to do in-person cooking lessons. 

Video tutorials are also a great way to get customers involved with your restaurant and create an online following for your restaurant that is super excited every time you post something new.

#5 Design mouth-watering pictures

Food photography has the power to make your customers drool. All of the big food brands know this and use it to their advantage. 

When you look at an image of food, your brain is triggered to experience powerful rewards. This can encourage impulse purchasing. The next time you’re updating your own dishes’ photos, keep in mind the power of food photography.

Hire a professional food photographer in Singapore and get those mouth-watering pictures done for your restaurant. 

#6 Create an artistic food menu

If your restaurant needs a way to attract customers, try this suggestion: a creative menu. Not just for branding, this can also be a powerful tool for grabbing the attention of hungry diners.

Yes, it’s not just the food you serve that will grab your customers’ attention. Artistically designed menus can be an incredibly powerful marketing tool to promote your brand and garner attention for your restaurant.

Recommended post: Why food photography is important for your restaurant business

#7 Make your customers famous on Instagram

A proven method to make your customers feel good is to make them feel famous. So why not validate those Instagram foodies by making them famous for a day? Take their pictures and put them on your account to get a good laugh out of it. And remember that, in the end, you’ll get the best food too!

Reward your customers with digital validation on Instagram.

#8 Place your windows seats first

Want to make your restaurant look way more full?

Place your customers by the window! It’s a simple hack, but every passerby can get food envy when they see that your customers are enjoying themselves. When a passerby sees your restaurant bustling with customers, they’ll be more likely to take a seat at your establishment.

#9 Showcase your expensive food item on the menu

They say a picture says 1000 words, and it will sell an expensive dish much better than just a price tag. You just have to make sure the dishes are mouth-watering. If you can get your customer distracted with drooling over the appetizing images, then they’ll forget about the high price and you’ll have a new customer on your hands.

Recommended post: 8 Common mistakes on the food menu design

#10 Engage a celebrity guest chef

How are you getting your foot in the door? One way is by hiring a celebrity chef. These culinary geniuses range from local to international, so they’ll have plenty of following. What’s more, they can help foster relationships with other restaurants—think cross-promotion! Want to make it even better? Reach out to them online, and get one that’s already well-known

#11 Let your customers post you on Instagram

People take a lot of photos these days. Sometimes they’re of their food. Maybe even more than they eat it! If you’re a restaurant owner, find out how to encourage your diners to share their food photos on Instagram. It’s a free and effective marketing & branding technique that can be used in this article.

Recommended post: 12 Effective ways to promote your restaurant on social media platforms