Best Restaurant Marketing Strategies for 2024 (Extended Edition)

Welcome! If you are a restaurant owner or operator looking for surefire ways to grow your business in 2024, you’ve come to the right place. In today’s landscape, it can be challenging to acquire new diners and keep them coming back. Fortunately, advancements in technology—especially artificial intelligence (AI)—can help you do it more efficiently than ever before.

Below, you’ll find a comprehensive deep dive into three powerful strategies: acquiring new customers (without overspending on ads), increasing profit per order through strategic upselling, and turning one-time visitors into loyal regulars through AI-driven follow-up. Each strategy draws on real experiences from thousands of restaurants nationwide, encompassing everything from Google SEO to automated text/email campaigns. If you implement them properly, you can expect to see measurable improvements in both revenue and profit margins.

Why Social Media Alone Isn’t Enough

Many people assume that Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook are the best channels to get restaurant customers. While social media can be fantastic for brand awareness and engagement, it often falls short in driving local diners who are ready to order.

  • Global vs. Local: Social media is global by nature. Your mouthwatering post can reach users in different states—or even continents. But the reality is that a restaurant typically needs local residents who live or work within about 10 miles. Only a small fraction of your social media views are likely to convert into in-person visits or deliveries if the viewers aren’t local.
  • No Immediate Intent to Buy: People swipe through social feeds largely for entertainment, not to make a purchase decision. If you appear in their feed at a random time, you’re relying on impulse. By contrast, consider someone who goes on Google and searches “best Thai food near me.” Their intent to buy is significantly higher.
  • Long-Term Value vs. Viral Fads: Even if your post goes viral and earns thousands of likes, those metrics might not translate into consistent, paying customers. Maintaining a social media presence is good for your brand, but it’s not necessarily the best primary engine for new-customer acquisition.

Strategy #1: Acquire New Customers with Google SEO & AI

When someone is hungry and searches “best pizza in [Your City]” or “tacos near me,” they already have the intent to buy. Appearing at the top of Google search results is crucial. The best part? Most restaurants still focus more on social media than on SEO, meaning there’s less competition at the local level.

1. Dedicated Menu Item Pages

Instead of having one giant menu page, create individual pages for your most popular dishes. For example:

  • Best Birria Tacos in Miramar, Florida” could be a dedicated page that Google can index. People who search for “birria tacos in Miramar” are more likely to find your site if you have a page specifically optimized for that phrase.
  • This can be repeated for each notable dish, from “best pad thai in [City]” to “best lasagna in [City].”

If you use a regular website builder, you can do this manually, but it can be time-consuming. AI-driven solutions can automate much of the process, pulling your existing menu data and generating dedicated SEO-friendly pages quickly.

2. Alt Text for Images (Google Images)

Another underutilized trick is to label your images so that Google understands what they contain. If you have a photo of your garlic bread, you can give it an alt tag like “Best garlic bread in [City].” Searchers using Google Images often spot your dish and click through—especially if you have appealing photos.

Always think about the terms a hungry customer would type. If your dish name is too quirky, rename it in alt text to something more likely to be searched. For instance, “house special cheesy bread” might simply become “cheesy garlic bread.”

3. CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization)

Once visitors arrive on your site, you want them to take action: place an online order, call for takeout, or book a reservation. Streamline your site by answering the following:

  • What makes us special or unique? (Family recipes, award-winning chef, local ingredients, etc.)
  • What are our top menu items? Include mouthwatering photos and quick “Add to Cart” or “Order Now” buttons.
  • Why should they order direct? Highlight benefits of ordering from your site vs. third-party apps (e.g., lower fees, loyalty points, local support).
  • How do guests view us? Curated reviews right on your site help people feel confident. Let them see rave feedback without having to jump to Yelp or Google Reviews, where negative remarks might derail them.

By combining these elements—dedicated dish pages, well-labeled images, and a conversion-focused layout—you can attract far more local and ready-to-buy traffic than you’d get from random social media users scrolling past your content.

Strategy #2: Increase Order Profit through Upselling

One of the most effective ways to boost profitability (not just revenue) is to increase the average check size. The key lies in offering low-cost, high-margin items at the perfect moment: appetizers, sides, desserts, or drinks.

1. The “Amazon” and “McDonald’s” Approach

When you visit Amazon and look at a product, you immediately see a section labeled “frequently bought together.” This isn’t a random guess; it’s data-driven. McDonald’s has the legendary upsell line: “Would you like fries with that?” The principle is the same: nudge the customer to add an item that pairs well with what they’re already buying.

2. Doubling Profit on a Single Order

Suppose the average online order is about $50 at a 10% profit margin. That means you make $5 in profit. If you successfully upsell a $5 side or dessert that costs only $1 to produce, you’ve effectively doubled your $5 profit to $10. So, even small upsells can have a dramatic impact on bottom-line profitability.

3. Manual vs. AI-Powered Upselling

  • Manual Setup: If your online ordering system supports modifiers, you can add prompts like “Add a dessert?” or “Add a drink?” This is a simple solution but can be cumbersome to maintain across dozens of menu items.
  • AI-Powered Systems: More advanced platforms integrate with your point-of-sale (POS), analyze purchasing patterns, and suggest the most relevant add-ons automatically. They might even rotate suggestions based on time of day or customer order history.

By making sure every entrée on your menu triggers an upsell prompt for sides/drinks/desserts, you can steadily boost your average order size—and, by extension, your profitability.

Strategy #3: Turn New Customers into Regulars Automatically

Regulars are the backbone of many successful restaurants. It’s not uncommon for the top 20% of customers (by visit frequency) to generate 80% of total revenue. The question is: how do you get a first-time customer to become a repeat visitor?

1. Automated Email & SMS Campaigns

You might think email and text blasts require significant time and a knack for marketing. Enter AI-driven automation. Modern platforms allow you to set up follow-up sequences so you can “set it and forget it.” These sequences can:

  • Welcome new sign-ups who provided an email or phone number on your website. Show them your top dishes, current specials, or a coupon code to encourage that first purchase.
  • Convert first-time buyers into regulars by sending them “Hey, are you craving that [dish] again?” messages around the time they might naturally reorder (e.g., a Friday night if they first ordered on a Friday).
  • Win back lapsed customers who haven’t visited in a while, with “We miss you!” deals or special promotions.

This can work wonders for your repeat business without you having to manually handle each campaign. The AI can also personalize messages based on dishes people have ordered or liked in the past.

2. Building Your Email/Text List

Make it easy for visitors to sign up. For instance:

  • Website Banner or Pop-up: “Join our loyalty program and receive 10% off your first order!” This ensures you capture the contact information of people who might otherwise leave your site without ever placing an order.
  • On-Premise Reminders: Table tents, receipts, or signage near the register that mention your rewards program, prompting customers to sign up for future perks.

Once you have their info, automated messaging helps keep you top-of-mind—critical for turning a one-time visitor into a die-hard fan.

Bonus Insight: Mobile Apps & the Guest Experience

Have you noticed that almost every major restaurant chain—from Starbucks to Chick-fil-A—now boasts a dedicated mobile app? There’s a simple reason for that:

  • Frictionless Ordering: A customer can reorder favorites in seconds.
  • Easy Loyalty Integration: Rewards points, birthday freebies, and other perks can all be tracked automatically.
  • Push Notifications: Remind customers about limited-time promos or new menu items without depending on email open rates.

Though building a custom app might sound daunting, there are now platforms that help you create a “white-labeled” mobile app quickly, often as part of a broader online ordering and marketing suite. As consumer expectations grow—thank you, Starbucks!—having your own app can position you as a modern, tech-savvy eatery that encourages repeat visits and direct ordering.

Conclusion & Recap

1. Attract New Customers with Google SEO & AI
Focus on local searches, dedicated dish pages, alt text for images, and a website that helps visitors find what they want quickly. That “ready to buy” traffic on Google is arguably the most valuable audience you can tap.

2. Boost Profits with Smart Upselling
Small add-ons can dramatically improve your bottom line. Whether you do it manually (via POS modifiers) or use an AI-based system, making sure customers see relevant sides, drinks, or desserts increases your average order significantly.

3. Automate Retention & Loyalty
New business only matters if you can keep it. Use email and SMS to remind visitors about your menu, highlight promotions, and win back lapsed diners. Automation tools (often AI-driven) can personalize these communications and send them at just the right time.

For those looking to go above and beyond, investing in a branded mobile app can make it easier than ever for your guests to re-order, earn rewards, and stay connected with your restaurant.

Ultimately, when you combine these three strategies—search engine visibility, higher-value orders, and consistent follow-up—you create a self-sustaining growth engine for your restaurant. Whether you’re a single-location family-run diner or a rapidly expanding concept, these tactics will help you thrive in the evolving restaurant scene of 2024 and beyond.