From Janky to Juicy: Why Your Restaurant Needs Better Marketing (Yes, Yours)
Insights by Justin Tortorice
Let’s be honest, if your website still looks like it was made in 2006, and your menu is a PDF from 2020, it’s probably not making anyone hungry. In today’s digital-first world, your online presence is often the first taste customers get of your restaurant. And if that experience leaves a bad impression, chances are they’ll never show up to taste the real thing.
But this isn’t about shaming anyone. It’s about understanding how much marketing actually matters, especially for local restaurants trying to compete in a crowded (and hungry) market.
Let’s dive into the ways restaurants commonly find themselves in the weeds when it comes to marketing and explore ways to get set up for culinary success.
First Impressions Start Online
According to recent stats, a staggering 77% of diners visit a restaurant’s website before dining in or ordering out. That’s a huge percentage, and it means your homepage is more than just a placeholder. It’s your digital host, your brand ambassador, your first “hello.”
To top it off, nearly 70% of that group change their minds based on what they find, or sometimes, don’t find. Maybe the menu was outdated. Maybe the photos were unappetizing. Maybe they couldn’t navigate your website effortlessly. Or maybe they just couldn’t figure out if you were even open.
As of late 2024, 63% of internet users visit websites through their phones. It is clearer now, more than ever, that your site must have mobile optimization. Just because your website looks good on a desktop or laptop, doesn’t mean it looks good on your phone. Often overlooked due to its tedious nature, a lack of mobile optimization is one of the biggest mistakes restaurant owners make when building a website. Those tiny screens need to load quickly, look great, and convey everything users need and want to know.
The Menu Matters (A Lot)
People go to your site for one thing first: the menu. If it’s buried, hard to read, or requires downloading a PDF, you’re making site visitors work too hard. That little bit of extra effort alone could send them to the restaurant down the street instead of yours.
Your menu should be up to date, easy to navigate, and mouthwatering, just like the dishes you serve.
The Essentials: Hours, Location, Accuracy
Nothing frustrates potential customers more than showing up excited with a grumbling belly, only to find the doors locked. Make sure your hours and location are current and consistent across your website, social media, and Google Business listing. It’s a small detail that makes a huge difference.
Photos That Actually Make People Hungry
Food photography doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does have to be appetizing. Dim lighting, poor angles, or heat-lamp orange filters can have the opposite effect of what you want.
High-quality images taken with visual intention and proper lighting can move the needle for both your website and social media. Lucky for you, great resources exist all over with some simple tips on improving the quality of your food photography if you prefer to do it yourself. Alternatively, you can leave it to the pros if you'd rather focus on other essential tasks.
If you intend on selling food online with apps like Doordash or GrubHub, this is the only chance you have for customers to see the food before they buy it. It’s paramount that you provide them with the best visual representations of your dishes as possible to help close the sale.
Why Good Marketing Isn’t Just for Big Chains
You don’t need a national agency or a massive budget to look polished and professional. But you do need to take marketing seriously.
Local restaurants often rely on word of mouth, but that can keep your margins low or leave you barely breaking even in today’s online world. Marketing helps you:
Stay visible in search results
Keep your branding consistent and recognizable
Create customer loyalty through email, events, and promos
Show off your personality (and your food) on social media
And most importantly, it helps bring people through the door.
You Deserve a Strategy That Fits
No two restaurants are the same. A cozy cafe in a college town has different needs than a seafood spot on the coast. That’s why your marketing approach shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all.
From website refreshes to Instagram-worthy photography, from SEO help to smartly targeted email promos, there are plenty of tools out there to help you grow without overwhelming your schedule or budget.
Take a Bite Out of Better Marketing
Marketing shouldn’t feel like an afterthought or a chore. It should feel like an extension of your passion, your people, and your plates. Whether you work with a boutique firm, an in-house pro, or a DIY combo of tools and support, the point is this: investing in your digital presence pays off.
Because in today’s market, a successful restaurant business is not just about having great food. It’s about ensuring people know about you and where to find you.
Need help figuring out where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got your cost-effective solutions at Brayer Marketing. Let’s get you seen, remembered, and revisited.
Brayer Boost Tip:
Instead of sending out a blank promotion to everyone on your marketing list, make your promos target-specific. For Valentine’s Day, target customers who are in relationships. For a kid’s special, target families. This will help your budget stretch farther and yield better results. Seventy percent of customers are most likely to visit a restaurant that offers a personalized promotion.
Your digital reach goes well beyond your website, too. With 45% of customers visiting a restaurant for the first time because of a post they saw on social media, you better believe your ability to create and maintain a social presence matters.
When you find yourself at that fork in the road, you have two choices: You can stay stuck in the past or level up. Set up a 15-minute consultation with Brayer Marketing today. Let us help you get out of the fire and back in the kitchen.