The No-Nonsense Guide to Restaurant Customer Acquisition

Getting new customers is instrumental in growing a restaurant business. Without a steady stream of customers, it isn’t possible to turn a profit and grow. Many establishments go out of business because they didn’t prioritize restaurant customer acquisition. 

Restaurants may face obstacles and challenges when it comes to customer acquisition, including intense competition, limited marketing budgets, changing consumer preferences, and reputation management. In some instances, where a restaurant is located can make it challenging to acquire new customers.  

At Paytronix, we’re dedicated to providing restaurant owners with the solutions they need to grow and scale their businesses. In this article, learn actionable strategies to effectively attract new customers with proven restaurant customer acquisition strategies.

Building a Strong Brand Presence 

Building a strong brand people recognize is key when it comes to scaling your business, especially if you want to expand to new locations. It allows customers to know what to expect when they visit.  

If you think about some of the largest restaurant brands in the United States, you’ll recognize these companies are experts in branding. You know Chick-fil-A for its exceptional customer service and employees that invariably say phrases like “my pleasure.” You know In-N-Out Burger for its simplified menu and The Cheesecake Factory for its extensive menu. Before you head over to or order from these restaurants, you already know their brands. 

How can you further develop your restaurant’s brand so customers recognize it and share their experience with friends? How can you disseminate this brand to customers? 

Part of building a strong brand strategy is to develop and communicate a unique selling proposition that appeals to potential customers. Customers should know what sets your restaurant apart from others. Whether it’s your signature dishes, locally sourced ingredients, or exceptional service, defining these elements helps create a distinct identity. Consistency in delivering on this promise builds trust and loyalty, encouraging repeat business. 

Your marketing efforts should reinforce this proposition across all channels. Highlight your unique offerings through your website, social media, and in-person experiences.  

Leveraging Local SEO 

Optimize your Google Business Profile to improve your restaurant’s visibility in local search results. If you don’t currently manage it, you will first need to claim and verify your listing. Provide complete and accurate business information in every section of your Google Business Profile, including your current operating hours.  

Incorporate local keywords into your business description. These can be as simple as the “Italian restaurant in Chicago” or “Chinese cuisine in Miami.” Google Keyword Planner is a useful tool for finding other relevant keywords.  

Collect and manage your customer reviews. Customers want to try out restaurants they feel confident in based on other customers’ experiences and feedback. Encouraging customers to leave an honest review by thanking them is an effective way to grow your overall number of reviews. 

Local restaurant SEO also includes content marketing. This includes blog posts, geographically-oriented website pages, and other content on your website.  

Utilizing Digital Advertising 

Using paid social media ads, PPC, and Google Ads should be a part of your restaurant’s digital advertising strategy. It’s inexpensive, effective, and easy to implement. Some strategies for using social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to reach potential customers include: 

• Showcasing high-quality visual content of your restaurant’s top menu items, drinks, and atmosphere in enticing photos 
• Leveraging Instagram stories and reels to promote limited time offers and daily specials 
• Interacting with local influencers such as food bloggers to amplify your restaurant’s reach 
• Running targeted ads can reach new customers by geographic range, interest, and behavior 
• Highlighting user-generated content by asking customers to use specific hashtags for your restaurant and sharing their experiences 

Google Ads is an effective tool for restaurant digital advertising. Yet, sometimes it's challenging to get the results you want to see if you aren’t sure how to set up and improve Google Ads campaigns that effectively target local diners.  

Set up ads that capture clicks when people look for restaurants with keywords like “restaurants near me.” Be sure to enable geographic targeting so you only pay for ads for customers in your area who can realistically visit or order online from you. Optimize all ads for mobile, since diners on the go will likely search using a mobile device.

Engaging Community and Networking 

Connecting with new customers often takes place away from your restaurant. It’s hard to interact with new customers at your restaurant if they haven’t heard about it or know where it’s located. 

Participating in local events, fairs, and festivals drives brand awareness and gets your menu in front of new eyes. Not only can you build strong relationships within the community, but community engagement also boosts your social media presence as people find out about your page and establishes a positive reputation. You can even showcase unique menu items or specials at these events. 

In addition to interacting with potential customers at community events, it’s important to network with other local businesses. Partnerships with other businesses like coalition loyalty campaigns can drive referrals and increase your customer base. Joint marketing campaigns with these partners expand your total relevant audience reach. 

The Bottom Line 

Restaurant owners must have strategies for customer acquisition in place if they want to grow. The best approaches include a combination of in-person and digital strategies, such as SEO blog articles, paid search ads, social media, and local event participation. If people never know about your restaurant, they’ll never become customers. 

Keep track of which strategies work for your business by measuring performance so that you can double down on the most effective strategies and improve worse performing ones. Customers move and their preferences change. Focusing on growth protects your business from these fluctuations. 

Even if your restaurant has every seat full every night, it’s still important to focus on customer acquisition. What’s the worst that can happen if your location becomes too popular? You open a second or third location? That’s an amazing position to be in. 

Customer acquisition is just one part of guest management. It’s important that customers have a good experience throughout every interaction. If you’re ready to focus on growth, it’s time to try a quality guest management solution like Paytronix. Book a demo to see how we can help your restaurant grow today.