100 Restaurant Social Media Post Ideas
Have you ever felt stuck, not knowing what to post and how to engage customers on social media?
Social media is a channel full of opportunities for restaurants. Via online interactions, you can get to know customers on a deeper level while gaining reputation and customer loyalty.
Here are 100 restaurant social media post ideas to keep your social channels active and engaging.
Posting about what you offer is the first thing you should do.
Mouth-watering food and beverage images always catch attention. Make sure to hire a professional to photograph high-quality photos for your menu items.
- Current menu
- Menu changes
- Signature dishes
- Specialty drinks
- Favorite menu items of guests
- New menu items
- Limited-time menu items
- Seasonal menu items
- Menu items using local ingredients
- Menu items using special ingredients
- Cocktails & mixed drinks
- Coffee drinks
- Tea drinks
- Food and drink pairings
Tip: When posting your restaurant menu, don’t forget to drop a link to a PDF or a menu page on your restaurant website.
Polls & questions
Using polls is a good way to engage your audience while learning about customer preferences.
- Ask for suggestions of new menu items
- Ask about favorite menu items
- What content your audience wants to see more often
- This or that? (e.g. Lasagna or Quesadilla)
- Do you want to…?
- Fill in the blank: If you had one day left to live, what would you order?
Menu options for special diets
Posting about these menu items will attract guests who care about their diets, have special diets, or struggle with allergies.
- Nutritional information of menu items
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Low-calorie
- Low-fat
- Low-carb
- Gluten-free
- Wheat-free
- Dairy-free
- Allergy-friendly
Specials & promotions
Notify guests of specials, deals, promotions, and discounts to drive them to your restaurant.
- Specials available at the moment
- Specials available only on social media
- Discounts for those who … (retweet, check-in at your restaurant, tag your account, tag 3 friends, etc.)
- Birthday discounts: encourage followers to tag friends who have birthdays in the month to get discounts
- Promote loyalty and referral programs
- Promotions for slow business hours
- Promotions and deals for upcoming occasions/holidays
Giveaways & contests
People love giveaways and prizes. Organize these events to stir up your social channels.
- Share this post and receive … (discounts, vouchers, free drinks, etc.)
- Giveaways
- Tell stories related to your restaurant and receive …
- Take the best photos of your restaurant and receive …
Customers & guests
79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, and 94% say that positive reviews influence their choice to use a business.
Customers these days look at online reviews and ratings before deciding on where to dine. Help them make the decision by posting:
42. Customer reviews
43. Photos and testimonials of regular customers
44. Dining areas filled with customers
45. Photos and videos of happy customers enjoying your food
46. Interact with user-generated content: thank, comment, share
47. Customers’ celebrations at your restaurant — birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
48. Influencers/food bloggers/food photographers at your restaurant
Giving back & sustainable practices
Giving back and using sustainable practices change the world and make customers feel like they’re a part of something good when buying from you.
- Sustainable and eco-friendly business practices
- Employees attending charitable events and helping the community
- Support local causes (encourage donation from followers, etc.)
- How you reduce waste and recycle resources
Tip: Be genuine because customers can spot fake promises and dishonest efforts.
Events
Promote events and use relevant events to promote your restaurant.
- Featured events at your restaurant
- Upcoming events
- Special holidays: national holidays & lesser-known holidays
- Relevant current events
- Relevant local events
- Your pop up at a local event
- Customers’ celebrations: what you offer on their birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
Restaurant features
Promote the atmosphere, decorations, themes, areas, and unique physical features of your restaurant.
- Outdoor seating
- Patio dining
- Decorations of the dining area
- Unique features of your restaurant
- Paintings and antiques
- Kid-friendly features
- Pet-friendly features
- Family-friendly features
- Romantic features for couples
- What makes you stand out? (A giant duck statue in front of your restaurant, for example)
Promote your restaurant’s presence in other places
Your social channels should drive customers to your blog, website, app, and other platforms.
- Link back to your website (menu or relevant pages)
- Promote your blog
- Promote your app
- Encourage subscribers to sign up for your email list. They can receive discounts, tips, recipes, etc.
- Promote specific platform reviews from Yelp, Trip Advisor, etc.
- Link to other social platforms
- Use branded hashtags
Staff & team
Let guests meet your teams and staff members, or…become one!
- Introduce your team members
- Team outings
- Staff share experiences as an employee
- Employee of the month
- Staff’s personal stories: retirement, new school, recently promoted to head chef, etc.
- Company swag & merch
- Opportunities for employment at your restaurant
Operations
Share what happens in the Back of House, on the road, and places outside of your restaurant.
- Videos of restaurant operations
- Behind the scenes – photos and videos of staff at work
- Food preparation
- Videos of staff enjoying work and having fun
- Introduce the origins of ingredients
- The process of harvesting or delivering supplies
- Interviews with suppliers
- How to order takeouts
- Deliveries by third party providers or your service
- Delivery vehicles and in-progress deliveries
About your restaurant
Let people know who you are and what you do.
- Restaurant history (the founder, the purpose of opening, what cuisine you offer, how much has changed over time, etc.)
- Did you know … ? (Share something interesting about your restaurant.)
- Awards
- Milestones: when you reach 1K followers, recognized by an organization, or praised by an influencer, etc.
- FAQs: answer common questions regarding the opening hours, dish sizes, or payment methods.
- Weekly news
- Merchandise for sale: cookies, gift cards, snacks, etc.
- Promote your reservation system
- Promote your catering service
Entertaining your audience
Get closer to your audience in a funny and pleasant way.
- Non-sensitive and non-offensive jokes
- Memes
- Quotes & inspiration
Show your expertise in the F&B industry to gain trust and provide value.
- Food tourism
- Data and statistics related to the F&B industry
- Recommendations from foodies
- Share recipes
- Cooking tips & advice
Interactions with audience and local community
Encourage people to interact with your restaurant and establish positive relationships.
- Your favorite thing about us in one word
- Explain [a concept/word/trend/etc.] by dropping a GIF in the comments
- Cross-promote with local businesses and events
- Share an interesting photo with the audience and let them write the caption
Videos and stories
It’s crazy to see how people react to stories and short videos. Try to create some to see how they go.
- Use the Boomerang feature on stories: chef stirring a pot or sprinkling salt, etc.
- Share relevant accounts’ stories and posts
- The process of making a dish/drink
- A freshly-cooked dish that day, in slow motion
With all the restaurant social media post ideas above, you’ll never run out of things to talk about on social media.
Try to:
- Post consistently.
- Interact with customers.
- Maintain a cheerful and helpful attitude.
- Find a template to store ideas and plan your content strategy beforehand.
Download the social media idea checklist here.
