Restaurant Marketing Trends to Watch in 2023

It is essential for business owners to know the latest restaurant marketing trends for 2023.

If you successfully promote your restaurant, you can differentiate yourself from the competition in a crowded market and attract more customers to your place of business. You’ll be able to construct a powerful brand for your restaurant if you keep abreast of the latest developments in the business and employ techniques that are proven to be effective in marketing. In this piece, we’ll take a look at some of the most recent developments in restaurant marketing and discuss how you might put those developments to work for you.

If you own a restaurant and want to keep one step ahead of the other business owners in your industry, read on to find out more about the most recent developments in restaurant marketing.

Let’s start knowing first…

What is Restaurant Marketing ?

Restaurant marketing trends refer to the strategies and techniques that restaurants use to promote their business and attract new customers.

Staying up-to-date with the latest trends in restaurant marketing can help restaurants reach a wider audience, improve customer engagement, increase sales and revenue, gain a competitive advantage, and improve the overall customer experience.

In ESTRAT 360 Marketing Company, a full restaurant marketing agency, which is a sister company of this platform, knowing the latest restaurant marketing trend is essential.

Here are their inputs on the…

Benefits of Knowing Restaurant Marketing Trends

There are several benefits of knowing and staying up-to-date with restaurant marketing trends for 2023:

1. Increased awareness and visibility: The use of contemporary advertising strategies in restaurants enables businesses to increase their visibility and the number of customers they serve. This can be beneficial for acquiring new customers as well as increasing brand recognition.

2. Improved customer engagement: The use of contemporary advertising strategies in restaurants enables businesses to increase their visibility and the number of customers they serve. By utilizing social media and other forms of interactive marketing, restaurants are able to create closer relationships with their consumers and enhance customer engagement, both of which can lead to an increase in new customers as well as increased brand recognition, as a result of this.

3. Increased sales and revenue: Restaurants may create more foot traffic and enhance their sales by employing successful marketing methods. This has the potential to contribute to an increase in revenue as well as the bottom line.

4. Competitive advantage: Restaurants have the opportunity to separate themselves from their rivals by remaining consistently one step ahead of the curve in terms of the practices and trends they employ. They will be able to distinguish themselves from the other businesses in their industry and attract new clients by doing that.

5. Improved customer experience: If a restaurant can stay one step ahead of its rivals in terms of new practices and trends, it may attract more customers than its rivals. That’s an excellent strategy for setting them apart from rivals and attracting new clients.

6. Greater efficiency: Restaurants can save time and money by implementing the latest marketing strategies and tools. Therefore, they’ll be free to concentrate on growing the company in other ways.

7. Better targeting: Using data-driven marketing strategies, eateries may better direct their messages to the most receptive customers at the most optimal times. As a result, their advertising efforts will provide better results.

8. Improved customer loyalty: Restaurants may strengthen ties with their patrons and boost repeat business with the help of customer loyalty programs and other marketing strategies.

9. Increased online presence: Restaurants are also able to strengthen their relationships with their patrons and urge them to return by implementing customer loyalty programs and other marketing strategies that stimulate engagement with the consumer base.

10. Greater adaptability: Restaurants can become more flexible and adaptable to shifting market situations if they keep up with the most recent trends and practices in the hospitality industry. This can help them maintain their competitive edge and achieve success in an industry that is undergoing fast change.

Restaurant Marketing Trends for 2023

In collaboration with other agencies, we sum up all the restaurant marketing trends for 2023 that you should know and consider when you create your next marketing plan, or as you update it for next year.

1. Increased focus on online and digital marketing: With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to impact the restaurant industry, many businesses are focusing on digital marketing efforts such as social media, email marketing, and online ordering to reach customers and promote their business. This trend is likely to continue as more people become accustomed to using digital channels for food ordering and delivery.

2. Personalization and targeting: With the proliferation of data and analytics tools, restaurants will be able to better target and personalize their marketing efforts to reach specific audiences and deliver more relevant messaging.

3. Influencer marketing: As social media continues to grow in popularity, influencer marketing is also likely to become an increasingly important tool for restaurants looking to reach new audiences and build buzz around their business.

4. Virtual and hybrid events: With the ongoing impact of COVID-19, restaurants may continue to host virtual or hybrid events, such as virtual cooking demonstrations or in-person events with limited capacity and social distancing measures in place.

5. Sustainability and social responsibility: Consumers are increasingly interested in sustainability and social responsibility, and restaurants may focus on promoting their commitment to these issues in their marketing efforts.

6. Email marketing: Restaurants can also use email marketing to stay in touch with customers and send them updates about new menu items, special promotions, and events.

7. Mobile marketing: As more and more people use their smartphones to search for restaurants and make reservations, it’s important for restaurants to have a strong presence on mobile. In addition, this can include having a responsive website, a mobile app, and using SMS or push notifications to communicate with customers.

8. Influencer marketing: Many restaurants are partnering with food bloggers and social media influencers to help promote their business. Also, this can involve offering free meals or discounts in exchange for positive reviews and social media posts.

9. Customer Experience and loyalty programs: As competition in the restaurant industry remains fierce, restaurants will likely focus on delivering a great customer experience to differentiate themselves from competitors and drive repeat business. Furthermore, restaurants can use customer loyalty programs to reward repeat customers and encourage them to keep coming back. This can include offering points or rewards for purchases, or providing special discounts or perks for members.

10. Integrated marketing: Restaurants will likely focus on integrating their marketing efforts across different channels and platforms to create a cohesive and consistent brand experience for customers.

11. Artificial intelligence and automation: Restaurants may use artificial intelligence and automation to streamline marketing tasks, such as email marketing campaigns or social media posting, and to gather insights about customer behavior and preferences.

12. User-generated content: Encouraging customers to share photos and reviews of their experience at the restaurant can be a powerful marketing tool, and restaurants may focus on promoting user-generated content through social media and other channels.

13. Omnichannel marketing: With customers using a variety of channels to research and make purchasing decisions, restaurants will likely focus on creating a seamless and consistent experience across different channels, such as their website, social media, email, and in-person interactions

14. Interactive marketing: Restaurants may use interactive marketing techniques, such as quizzes, polls, or games, to engage customers and gather insights about their preferences.

15. Video marketing: Video content, such as cooking demonstrations, behind-the-scenes looks at the restaurant, or virtual tours, can be an effective way for restaurants to showcase their brand and engage with customers.

16. Voice search optimization: With the growing popularity of voice assistants, restaurants may focus on optimizing their website and online presence for voice search to make it easier for customers to find them.

17. Social commerce: Social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, are increasingly offering shopping and purchase options, and restaurants may use these platforms to sell products and services directly to customers.

18. Virtual and augmented reality: Restaurants may use virtual and augmented reality to create immersive and interactive experiences for customers, such as virtual tours or AR menu options.

19. Partnering with Gaming Publisher Restaurants partnering with gaming publishers is a relatively new marketing trend that has emerged in recent years. Additionally, in this type of partnership, a restaurant may work with a gaming publisher to promote their business within a video game or mobile app. For example, a restaurant might offer in-game discounts or promotions to players, or create virtual versions of their restaurant within the game. 

20. Autonomous Food Delivery Autonomous food delivery, or the use of self-driving vehicles or drones to deliver food to customers, is a potential restaurant marketing trend that could emerge in the coming years. Moreover, this type of delivery service could offer a number of benefits for restaurants, including increased efficiency, reduced delivery costs, and the ability to reach customers in areas that might be difficult for human drivers to access. Autonomous food delivery could also be a compelling marketing angle for restaurants, as it could provide a sense of novelty and convenience for customers. 

Other FREE Restaurant Marketing Resources

In collaboration with ESTRAT 360, we have also created FREE restaurant marketing resources that you can use in growing your business. Together with the latest restaurant marketing trends for 2023, ou can create a decisive and action oriented restaurant marketing strategy for your business.

Here are some of the FREE content we have created for you:

FREE Restaurant Marketing Plan Template that you can use

Top FREE Restaurant Marketing Ebooks For Your Business

Restaurant Marketing Strategy 101: A Complete Guide

FREE Step-by-Step Restaurant Opening Checklist

How to Hire a Restaurant Marketing Agency: A Complete Guide

In Conclusion…

As a restaurant owner, it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest marketing trends (a.k.a. restaurant marketing trends for 2023), in order to attract and retain customers. Also by using social media, email marketing, mobile marketing, influencer marketing, and customer loyalty programs, you can effectively promote your business and build a strong brand. Additionally, by keeping an eye on industry statistics and using data-driven marketing strategies, you can more effectively target your marketing efforts and get better results.

So don’t be afraid to try out new marketing techniques and keep learning – it can make a big difference in the success of your restaurant.