Leaderboard · Local services
Restaurants & cafés
Marketing plays for restaurants & cafés, ranked by votes.
Photo: Rosa Stone
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1
Text your SMS list before a known slow night
Look at your reservation and point of sale data to find the slowest night of the week, often Tuesday or Wednesday. The Sunday before, send a text to your SMS opt-in list with a specific offer just for that night, such as a discounted second entree after 5 pm, and ask them to mention the text when they arrive.
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2
Post today's specials to Google Business Profile every morning
Each morning before opening, add a Google Business Profile post with the day's special, a photo of the dish, and the hours you're serving it. Do this five days a week using your phone and the Google Business app, and keep each post live until you swap it the next morning.
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3
Resturant fidelity system
I created a free fidelity system for all restaurants in town and then linked them with an ads ssytem where we recommend a new restaurant to users depending on their allergies and affinities
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4
Reservation confirmation text with a reminder the day before
Set up your reservation system to send an automatic text 24 hours before each booking that confirms the time, party size, and a phone number to change it. Add one line naming a seasonal dish or the patio, so the reminder also sells the visit.
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5
Email your list a week before a holiday to book early
Ten days before a holiday such as Mother's Day or New Year's Eve, send an email to your full list explaining that seating is limited, listing the special menu or format for that day, and linking straight to your booking page. Send a second, shorter reminder three days before the date.
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6
Ask for a Google review with a printed card at the table
Print small cards with a QR code that links directly to your Google Business Profile review form and leave one on the table with the check for parties of two or more. Train servers to mention the card only after a visibly positive interaction, not as a blanket habit.
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7
Partner with the office building next door for a lunch discount
Contact the property manager or HR contact at a nearby office building and offer employees a fixed discount on weekday lunch when they show a badge. Print simple flyers for the building's break room and set a start date you can track in your point of sale by a discount code.
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8
Instagram Stories poll to pick next month's special
Post a Stories poll on Instagram with two dish photos and ask followers to vote for next month's feature. Announce the winner in a follow-up post and put it on the menu board the day it launches, tagging the original poll post in your caption.
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9
Direct mail postcard to the three blocks around a new location
In the two weeks after opening, mail a postcard with a map, your hours, and a one-time offer such as a free coffee with any breakfast item to every address within three blocks. Use a code on the postcard so you can count exactly how many were redeemed.
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10
Birthday club sign-up at checkout with a free dessert offer
At checkout or on your website, offer guests a simple sign-up for a birthday club that asks only for name, email, and birth month. Two weeks before each birthday, send an automatic email with a code for a free dessert or appetizer redeemable that month.
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11
Slow-season email offering a private event package to local businesses
During your slowest month, email a list of nearby offices, real estate agents, and event planners you've served before with a private dining or event package for that month, including a flat price per person and available dates. Follow up by phone with anyone who opens the email but doesn't reply within a week.
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