As a restaurant owner, you might wonder, “How to get more customers in my restaurant?”
From years of working with restaurants, I’ve seen that the real challenge isn’t just having the right strategies—it’s executing them. Many restaurateurs struggle with marketing and visibility, not due to a lack of great food, but because they lack the time or tools to make it work.
That’s why I’ve rounded up 16 proven ways to attract more diners and keep them coming back.
Key Takeaways
- Best way to get new customers: Set up a restaurant website with an online ordering system to take orders directly.
- Marketplaces like UberEats and Doordash: Are very effective and can quickly attract thousands of customers, but they charge a 30% commission. In the long run, invest in your own sales channels.
- Discounts and Promotions: Don’t try to attract customers by giving away discounts – it’s a short-sighted strategy that lowers profit margins. Instead, use bundles to increase the average order value and offer happy hours to boost traffic during off-peak times.
- Build Loyalty: Implement a restaurant loyalty program. There are two types: a stamp card system or a points-based system. Both are designed to attract customers and build long-term loyalty.
- Quality of Service: No customer acquisition strategy will work if your food, service quality, and delivery speed are poor. Continuously analyze customer feedback.
- Encourage reviews: After every order, ask your customers to leave a review on Google Maps or TripAdvisor. You can display QR code stands linking to Google Maps or print the QR code on receipts.
- Target the right people: Choose promotional activities based on your customers’ habits, focusing on where they engage most and how they prefer to interact with your restaurant.
- Test and refine: Experiment with different restaurant marketing strategies to measure their impact on customer visits and order sizes. Use built-in analytics in your POS systems or set up Google Analytics on your website.
How Do I Choose The Right Strategy For My Restaurant?
Choosing the right strategy for your restaurant depends on your goals, customer base, and current challenges. Here’s how to find the best fit:
- If you want more foot traffic: Focus on local SEO, Google Business optimization, and in-store promotions like happy hours or restaurant loyalty programs.
- If you need to increase online orders: Invest in an easy-to-use online ordering system, optimize your restaurant’s website, and run targeted social media ads.
- If you struggle with customer retention: Implement a loyalty program, personalized email marketing, and exclusive deals for repeat customers.
- If competition is tough: Differentiate your brand with unique menu items, strong social media presence, and partnerships with influencers or local businesses.
- If you’re working with a limited restaurant’s marketing budget: Leverage free marketing tactics like engaging social media content, customer referrals, and collaborations with local events.
The best strategy for attracting customers depends on your restaurant’s strengths and customer behavior. Start by testing one or two approaches, track your results, and adjust based on what drives the most engagement and sales.
- Young customers: Combine restaurant influencer marketing with social media activities to gain extensive exposure to your target audience.
- Local families: Offer discounts and promotions on your restaurant’s food alongside a loyalty program to attract and retain this group.
- Busy professionals: Provide efficient ordering option through your website and/or a branded restaurant mobile app to increase convenience and boost repeat business.
- Health-conscious individuals: Highlight your restaurant’s healthy menu options through high-quality photos and partner with food influencers to reach this specific restaurant target audience.
Strategies to Attract New Customers to Your Restaurant
Once you start a restaurant and create buzz about it, everyday restaurant life begins. You need to make efforts to attract new clients and ensure that existing customers return constantly.
I’ve tried and tested dozens of restaurant marketing strategies to see what truly works for most restaurants. Here’s what I’ve found out:
1. Create a restaurant website (if you don’t have one)
A restaurant website isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a must. It’s your digital storefront, giving customers instant access to your menu, hours, location, and online ordering.
A well-designed site builds credibility, improves visibility, and makes it easier for diners to book a table or place an order.
Without one, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to connect with potential customers and stand out from the competition.
You can create a restaurant website using a dedicated restaurant website builder. Just select a restaurant website template, add your logo, menu, and content to reflect your brand identity.
Here you can read more on how to create a restaurant website.
2. Enable online ordering on your website
Restaurant owners I worked with confirmed that launching an online ordering system helped them increase their revenues. They no longer pay a 30% commission on completed orders but a fixed monthly fee.
Customers who order directly from the restaurant spend 35% more per transaction compared to those using third-party apps. To boost direct orders, consider offering first-time promotions.
Online ordering provides a convenient and efficient way for diners to browse a restaurant menu, place orders, and make payments.
Furthermore, customers who order directly from the restaurant spend 35% more per transaction than those using third-party apps.
To boost direct orders, consider offering first-time promotions.
3. Build a branded mobile app
Building a mobile app for your restaurant can be a game-changer when offering convenient ordering options.
It simplifies the ordering process, increases customer engagement, and can be a powerful tool for growing your restaurant business.
51% of all orders from one of our top clients originate from their own mobile app, highlighting its effectiveness in driving direct sales and customer engagement. Read full case study.
Learn how to create a food delivery app like Uber Eats.
Not sure if you need a mobile app for your restaurant? Read our article on the 10 best food delivery apps and explore the pros and cons of them.
4. Use marketplaces like Uber Eats or Doordash
Partnering with food delivery apps such as Uber Eats or DoorDash can help expand your restaurant’s reach by connecting you with a more extensive customer base.
These platforms provide customers with convenience and can drive more orders, especially from customers who prefer using established third-party delivery services.
Be mindful of the commission fees and ensure that the partnership with marketplaces aligns with your overall marketing strategy. Before deciding, learn more about:
5. Offer discounts and promotions
Offering specific discounts and promotions is an inseparable part of restaurant management and can help your business stand out from competitors who don’t offer similar deals.
Restaurant promotions increase foot traffic, boost customer engagement, and create a sense of urgency. When customers see you offering something extra, they are encouraged to choose your restaurant over others, driving both sales and brand loyalty.
Below, I’ve shared the most effective promotions that have proven to be successful for the restaurants I’ve worked with.
Here you can find other examples of restaurant promotion ideas.
6. Implement a loyalty program
A restaurant loyalty program is a customer retention tool that encourages repeat visits. With every visit, customers can collect points or stamps and redeem them for rewards like a free meal, discount, or exclusive offer.
According to the 2025 State of Restaurants Report, 63% of full-service restaurants currently offer a loyalty program. This shows that loyalty programs are becoming a standard strategy for retaining customers, encouraging repeat visits, and increasing customer lifetime value.
The 2025 State of Restaurants Report reveals that 63% of full-service restaurants now offer a loyalty program. This highlights that loyalty programs are increasingly seen as a key strategy for retaining customers, encouraging repeat visits, and boosting customer lifetime value.
7. Create Google Maps and TripAdvisor profile
43% of diners have checked a restaurant’s Google reviews in the last three months. Looking at this statistic, we cannot forget to mention creating and claiming your restaurant’s profile on Google Maps as one of the important strategies.
Also, it is recommended to create a TripAdvisor account and ensure that your business information, including your location, hours, contact details, and menu, is accurate.
Regularly update your Google Maps and TripAdvisor profiles, respond to customer reviews, and add high-quality photos to make your restaurant more appealing and improve its visibility in search results.
Learn more about how to create a Google Business Profile for restaurants.
8. Get online reviews
Online reviews significantly influence customers’ decisions, with 94% relying on them when choosing a restaurant. That’s why it is crucial to encourage restaurant customers to share their opinions and leave positive online reviews.
Having more reviews increases the likelihood that people will trust their choice to dine at your restaurant, especially when those reviews are mostly positive.
9. Leverage email marketing on auto-pilot
Your email audience is engaged and likely interested in your offer, so consider using restaurant email marketing.
A study by GetResponse found that the restaurant and food industry has an average open rate of 38.52%.
Once you have their consent, send emails and newsletters promoting new menu options, featuring photos and menu descriptions.
Also send emails with offers for free food as part of your promotions.
Make customers feel special with personalized emails, and inform them about your latest special offers and events.
Remember not to send too many emails—limit them to once a week.
10. Take advantage of social media platforms
Social media marketing is a great way to strengthen your online presence, along with having a restaurant website, which confirms the data below.
44% of Gen Z diners are finding restaurant deals and coupons on social media.
Create social media accounts, such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for restaurants and post regularly to engage with potential customers.
Post attractive photos and videos of your delicious food on your social media sites, and interact with your customers.
To learn more, check this guide on restaurant social media marketing.
11. Get higher in search results with SEO
With so many restaurants in the market, standing out can be challenging. Implementing SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for your restaurant is a key strategy for getting noticed by potential customers.
Optimizing your restaurant’s website for local search with relevant keywords and location-based information can help you rank higher in search engine results.
This will make it easier for potential diners to find you when they search for places to eat in your area.
To learn more, check out this beginner’s guide on restaurant SEO.
12. Provide excellent customer service
Excellent restaurant customer service leads to satisfied customers who become your word-of-mouth referrals.
This means having friendly staff who welcome guests warmly, prepare orders accurately, and ensure everyone has a good time.
When problems arise, your staff should handle them professionally and politely, as this helps build a good reputation and keeps customers coming back.
13. Use high-quality photos of your food
People eat with their eyes, and amazing photos attract customers and are essential for a restaurant’s success. 66% of consumers say that food presentation on social media influences their dining choices.
You can hire a professional photographer to take stunning photos of your meals or take pictures on your own. To improve your photography skills, check our list of food photography tips.
Once the photos are ready, you can use them on your website, social media channels, flyers, etc.
14. Offer gift cards
You can offer gift cards and vouchers in your restaurant and sell them via your online ordering system. People like to give them as presents, and it attracts more customers.
When people use the gift cards, they may come back again, which helps many restaurants generate more revenue and grow.
15. Partner with food influencers
Collaborating with local influencers, who have significant social media followings, can be a smart strategy for attracting more customers to your restaurant. These influencers can promote your restaurant to a wide audience.
Influencers sharing their positive experiences at your restaurant make your brand seem more credible and trustworthy. Their recommendations can spark interest and excitement among their followers, motivating them to try your restaurant.
16. Collaborate with local businesses
Partner with local businesses by catering to neighborhood events or running cross-promotions, such as offering discounts to a nearby gym’s customers in exchange for gym discounts for your loyal diners.
You could also create exclusive discount programs for local business employees or customers to encourage repeat visits.
Additionally, source ingredients from local farms and promote these collaborations on your menu. This will show customers your support for the local community.
How Much Does It Cost to Acquire a New Customer in a Restaurant?
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) depends on various factors such as your marketing strategy, location, type of restaurant, target age group, delivery method, and more. Here’s a breakdown of the costs that contribute to acquiring a new customer:
- Advertising Costs: Online ads, print, and media promotions.
- Discounts and Promotions: Special offers to attract new diners.
- Referral Programs: Incentives for existing customers to refer others.
- Loyalty Programs: Rewards for repeat customers to encourage new ones.
- Marketing Materials: Flyers, brochures, and digital assets for promotion.
- Social Media Marketing: Managing profiles, influencer partnerships, and content.
- Events and Sponsorships: Costs for local events to attract customers.
- Delivery Method: Commissions and fees from delivery platforms like UberEats and DoorDash.
CAC = Marketing Expenses / Total New Customers
Example Customer Acquisition Cost Calculation
The restaurant owner spends $1,500 on Google Ads targeting first-time online ordering customers. The promotion offers a 10% discount on orders over $40.
After the campaign, the owner reviewed the restaurant’s sales data and found that the average ticket size for online orders is $45. The promotion was used 50 times, acquiring 50 new clients.
Variables:
- Google Ads: $1,500
- Discounts on online orders: 10% off of 50 orders of $45, which equals $225.
- Total new clients: 50
Calculation:
Marketing Expenses = $1,500 (Google Ads) + $225 (Discounts) = $1,725
CAC = Marketing Expenses / Total New Customers = $1,725 / 50 = $34.50
In this example, the restaurant owner spent an average of $34.50 to acquire each new customer through the Google Ads campaign.
How Important Is a Location in Attracting New Restaurant Customers?
A strong restaurant location strategy is key to driving traffic and ensuring long-term success. Here are some types of restaurant locations to consider:
- High-Traffic Areas: Busy streets or shopping districts with high foot traffic, but typically higher rent and more competition.
- Residential Areas: Neighborhood-based locations offer a steady customer base, lower restaurant foot traffic, and potential for repeat business.
- Business Districts: Ideal for quick lunch or after-work dining, with peak customer flow during weekdays.
- Tourist Areas: Popular for attracting visitors but often seasonal, with diverse customer preferences.
- Suburban Locations: Affordable rent with steady local clientele, often family-oriented.
- Food Halls or Malls: Lower rent and built-in foot traffic, but competitive environment with other food vendors.
When choosing a restaurant location, consider factors like cuisine type, target demographic, foot traffic, and accessibility. The location should align with your brand, attract your target customers, and offer repeat business potential.
Balance short-term visibility with long-term stability, considering competition and parking availability to make the best choice for success.
What Role Does Customer Feedback Play in Attracting New Diners?
Customer feedback is essential for attracting new diners, as positive reviews enhance credibility and influence potential customers’ decisions.
A restaurant can demonstrate its commitment to satisfaction by actively responding to both positive feedback and bad restaurant reviews. This will show that the restaurant values its customers and help build trust and loyalty.
Making improvements based on customer preferences can significantly enhance the dining experience and strengthen the restaurant’s reputation.
To effectively deal with feedback, it’s important to address complaints professionally, apologize when necessary, and offer solutions to show your dedication to improvement. Learning how to get customer feedback in a restaurant can be done through comment cards, online surveys, or follow-up emails.
Encouraging reviews through these methods helps stay in touch with customer needs and identify areas for growth.
