9 Essential Steps for a Winning Marketing Strategy for Restaurant

Marketing strategy for restaurant businesses can no longer rely on third-party delivery platforms alone. Online food delivery continues to grow rapidly, more than one in four internet users order food online,but rising commissions are eating directly into restaurant margins. In an increasingly crowded digital space, the key marketing challenge is clear: marketing must actively redirect demand to the restaurant’s own channel. The most important marketing decision today is investing in an omnichannel ordering strategy, where delivery is just one element, and consistently promoting owned online ordering as the central pillar across the entire restaurant chain.

Pillar 1: Building Your Own Channel (Direct Ordering)

A strong restaurant marketing strategy starts with full control over the ordering experience. Today, the biggest challenge for restaurant chains is direct competition with third-party aggregators, which dominate visibility but charge high commissions and take ownership of customer relationships. While these platforms may drive short-term volume, they significantly limit profitability and long-term growth.

The solution is investing in a direct ordering channel powered by your own online ordering system. By promoting owned ordering across all touchpoints, restaurants eliminate third-party aggregator fees, regain customer data ownership, and build a consistent omnichannel experience. A proprietary system becomes the foundation for effective online ordering promotion, enabling smarter marketing decisions, lower customer acquisition costs, and sustainable growth without dependence on external platforms.

Pillar 2: Strengthening Local Visibility (Local SEO)

For restaurants, proximity matters. An effective restaurant marketing strategy must prioritize local SEO for restaurants to capture customers who are ready to order now. Google My Business (Google Business Profile) plays a central role here, connecting restaurants directly with Google Search, Google Maps, and paid ads. Nearly half of all Google searches are local, and the vast majority of those searches result in a visit to a nearby location – making local visibility one of the fastest ways to drive real demand.

Optimizing Google My Business allows restaurants to appear at the exact moment customers search for food nearby. Accurate opening hours, menus, photos, reviews, and direct links to a direct ordering channel significantly increase conversions. In delivery, distance and time are critical – customers prefer restaurants that can deliver quickly, which makes strong local positioning essential for effective online ordering promotion and for reducing dependence on third-party aggregator fees.

Equally important is visual content marketing. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok strongly influence food choices, often before hunger even turns into intent. High-quality, visually appealing food content captures attention, drives engagement, and reinforces brand recognition. Regularly sharing photos and short videos - from kitchen preparation to finished dishes – helps restaurants stand out in a highly competitive feed-based environment. While producing visual content requires basic investment in equipment and consistency, it directly supports discovery, lowers customer acquisition cost (CAC), and drives traffic to owned channels.

By combining optimized local SEO with strong visual storytelling, restaurants build visibility where it matters most: in their immediate area and on the platforms customers use daily. This synergy strengthens the mobile ordering experience, increases order volume through owned channels, and lays the groundwork for long-term growth based on visibility, speed, and relevance.

Retention is where long-term profitability is built. A strong restaurant marketing strategy goes beyond acquiring new customers and focuses on turning first-time buyers into repeat guests. This starts with loyalty – rewarding customers for choosing the restaurant’s direct ordering channel instead of third-party platforms.

Launching a dedicated loyalty program marketing initiative encourages customers to order through the restaurant’s own online ordering channel by offering points, discounts, or exclusive offers. This approach not only increases order frequency but also reduces reliance on third-party aggregator fees, while strengthening the overall mobile ordering experience. Loyal customers spend more over time, and even a small reduction in churn can significantly increase profitability.

The second key element is data. Unlike aggregators, owned ordering channels provide full customer data ownership, enabling precise targeting and personalization. Restaurants can use collected data – such as order history, preferences, and visit frequency – to run effective email marketing campaigns and personalized offers. Well-executed email marketing helps maintain brand awareness and drives repeat purchases with a low customer acquisition cost (CAC).

Social media advertising further amplifies retention and acquisition efforts. With access to first-party data, restaurants can run highly targeted campaigns based on location, demographics, and dining behavior, as well as reach new customers similar to their existing audience. This data-driven approach improves digital advertising ROI and ensures marketing budgets are spent efficiently.

By combining loyalty programs with data-driven targeting, restaurants build stronger customer relationships, increase lifetime value, and create a sustainable growth model centered on their own channels – not external platforms.

Pillar 4: Omnichannel and Testing (Conversion)

Conversion happens when all channels work together seamlessly. A modern marketing strategy for restaurant brands requires blurring the lines between online and offline touchpoints and consistently guiding customers toward the direct ordering channel. The physical restaurant is not just a place to serve food – it is also a powerful marketing asset. QR codes on tables, leaflets in takeaway bags, and in-store promo codes can effectively support online ordering promotion, encouraging guests to reorder digitally after their visit.

An omnichannel approach is reinforced through brand awareness campaigns. These activities focus on visibility and inspiration rather than immediate sales. Social media plays a critical role here, as many customers discover restaurants and menu ideas while browsing platforms like Instagram or TikTok. Combined with visual content marketing, brand awareness campaigns help restaurants stay top of mind and improve long-term digital advertising ROI.

Mobile is at the center of conversion. Most ordering decisions are made quickly and emotionally –often when hunger strikes. That’s why a fast, intuitive mobile ordering experience, whether through a native app or a Progressive Web App, is essential. Making ordering simple and accessible on smartphones reduces friction, increases conversion rates, and lowers customer acquisition cost (CAC) compared to paid aggregator traffic.

Finally, continuous testing is what turns omnichannel presence into measurable results. A/B testing landing pages, ads, QR placements, promotions, and messaging allows restaurants to observe behavior, learn what works, and optimize performance. This hypothesis–test–evaluate cycle is a core element of every effective marketing strategy for restaurant businesses. By constantly refining both online and offline activities, brands increase conversions while reducing dependence on third-party aggregator fees and strengthening their owned ecosystem.

Conclusion

The most effective marketing strategy for restaurant businesses is built on ownership of digital channels. By investing in a direct ordering channel, strengthening local visibility, leveraging customer data, and executing a true omnichannel approach, restaurants regain control over margins, relationships, and long-term growth – without relying on third-party platforms.

See how our system can help you build and promote your own online ordering channel.