Marketing
for restaurants

What hungry people search

Marketing for restaurants in the US is mostly a Google Maps game. People type "tacos near me", "brunch open now", "pizza delivery" or a dish plus a neighborhood, then compare the top three listings in seconds. Photos, rating, price level, hours and an "Order online" button decide the click. A menu entered as items in the profile, not just a PDF link, helps your dishes appear for those searches.

Yelp, Apple Maps and TripAdvisor still matter in some markets, especially for tourists. I claim and align them with the same hours and links, which takes an afternoon and stops the classic "Google says you're open, the door is locked" review.

Your own ordering beats commission

Delivery apps are useful for discovery but expensive for loyalty. Once a guest has ordered twice, the goal is to move them to your own ordering page. The Da Diego pizzeria in Poland did exactly that and now takes about $4,000 a month in delivery orders through its own site; read the Da Diego case to see what was built. I build these as an online store on a custom CMS: no page-builder subscription and no commission to me per order. Hosting and the payment processor are agreed separately.

Small moves help the switch: a flyer in every app bag with a reason to order direct next time, a QR code on tables and receipts, and an ordering link in the Instagram bio.

Local ads that respect the kitchen

Local social ads work well for restaurants because the audience is a few miles around you. I schedule them for the hours before lunch and dinner and pause them when the kitchen is slammed. Google search ads help for catering and high-intent searches like "private dining room" or "office lunch catering".

A US restaurant calendar

Super Bowl Sunday for wings and pizza. Valentine's Day and Mother's Day for reservations. Graduation season and summer patios. Labor Day cookouts, back-to-school family dinners, then Thanksgiving pre-orders, office holiday parties and New Year's Eve. Lent brings fish fridays in many regions. I build a simple calendar with you so each campaign launches two or three weeks before the date, not the morning of. More ideas in the US seasonal marketing calendar.

Rules worth knowing

Marketing texts need prior written consent and a working opt-out; email needs a real sender, a postal address and an unsubscribe link. Reviews must be genuine. Prices on the menu and ordering page should show what people actually pay, since hidden fees draw complaints and, in some states, legal trouble. None of this is legal advice; when in doubt, ask your attorney.

I work remotely with restaurants across the US, from family places in Chicago to busy spots in New Orleans. Calls happen on Zoom in your morning before service, and I reply to messages within one business day. The ordering site, Google profile and ad accounts are registered in the restaurant's name, so you keep everything if we part ways.