5 Effective PR Strategies for Local Restaurants

Running a local restaurant comes with various challenges, from managing daily expenses like food and labor to paying rent and taxes. Beyond the daily operational costs, trying to draw in new customers without breaking the bank on marketing can feel like a never-ending budgeting puzzle. This is where restaurant public relations (PR) strategies can really make a difference. 

In this article, we’ll dive into five effective PR strategies for local restaurants, providing practical tips to give your location a five-star reputation in your community. 

The Role of PR in the Restaurant Industry

In the restaurant industry, PR helps shape how the public sees your location and builds genuine relationships within your community. Unlike traditional advertising that relies on big budgets and short-term promotions, PR focuses on generating authentic media attention and strengthening community engagement to enhance your reputation. While ads can sometimes be met with skepticism because they are paid for, PR builds credibility through third-party endorsements, making your restaurant appear more trustworthy overall. 

At the end of the day, a great PR strategy will create excitement around your name, bringing more customers to your restaurant while keeping old customers happy.  

Why Do Restaurants Need PR? 

You might wonder how a PR campaign can contribute to your restaurant’s recipe for success. The truth is, a well-crafted PR strategy can highlight your one-of-a-kind offerings and create space for more community involvement, transforming hole-in-the-wall restaurants into local hotspots.  

Looking at the success of real-world restaurant PR examples like Sweetgreen’s partnerships with local farmers and Olive Garden’s “Never Ending Pasta Bowl,” it’s clear that PR works wonders for customer loyalty and brand reputation. Putting in a little extra effort to find the right strategies can make a significant impact on your restaurant and keep customers coming back for more. 

Crafting a Restaurant Public Relations Plan: 5 Key Strategies

Sifting through different PR strategies and trying to find the best ones for your location can feel like juggling a lot of different plates. To simplify things, we’ve rounded up five key strategies to help you get started. 

In the following sections, we’ll teach you a few of our favorite strategies for local restaurants, from getting active on social media to relationship-building with journalists who cover your industry. 

Dish Out Updates on Social Media

It’s no secret that social media is one of the most lucrative ways to connect with customers today. Creating valuable content and sharing updates like menu changes and new happenings at your restaurant can engage your regulars and inspire them to drop by your location. Using social media to connect with influencers, promptly respond to customer questions, and actively share relevant content can strengthen your online presence and add credibility to your restaurant’s name. On socials, you are building a community beyond the doors of your establishment, which is a powerful tool that will contribute to your long-term success. 

Add Memories to the Menu by Hosting an Event

Why limit yourself to the offerings on your menu? Hosting local events like paint nights can be a fantastic way to team up with local businesses and attract new customers. Take a look at your calendar and see what nights could use a boost in sales; on those nights, consider weekly events like trivia, wine tastings, or live music featuring local bands to bring people through your doors and build stronger community connections. When people know they can have a good time in the walls of your restaurant, they’ll want to bring their friends back for their next night out. 

Season Your Image with Local Sponsorships

Teaming up for sponsorships with local businesses can be a great way to get new eyes on your restaurant. Look around town for companies that share your restaurant’s values and find ways to collaborate, like setting up a food truck at a local music festival or offering gift certificates as raffle prizes for other company’s fundraisers. Other great sponsorships include allowing organizations to use your space for their meetings if you have VIP or private rooms available for larger parties. Get creative, and you’ll be surprised at the new faces you see in your restaurant!  

The Secret Recipe for Retention: Customer Loyalty Programs

Rewarding your customers is a great way to keep their loyalty. Having punch cards available or handing out free appetizer coupons for their next visit helps build strong relationships by showing appreciation for their patronage. These little incentives are essential in putting you at the top of your customer’s minds when planning their next dinner date or business meeting. 

Plating Your Pitch 

Pitching stories to local media or relevant food bloggers is a fantastic way to drum up interest in your restaurant and attract new customers. Pinpoint what gives your restaurant an edge in your community, whether it’s specialized cuisine, farm-to-table practices, or an aesthetic ambiance that creates a unique dining experience. If you’re struggling to connect with the media, use platforms like Qwoted to expand your network and pitch directly to journalists.

Examples of Winning Restaurant PR Campaigns

The best PR strategies know how to really capture customers’ attention and spark conversations around town. Let’s look at two fun and creative examples of winning restaurant PR campaigns: Taco Bell’s secret getaway and IHOP’s rebranding, which got the entire nation talking. 

IHOB? 

How do you increase sales for burgers when you are internationally known for your pancakes? In 2018, IHOP got creative and used strategic rebranding. After flipping their name to IHOb and teasing the change with a cryptic tweet, their campaign went viral. When they revealed that the “b” stood for burgers, they churned out media mentions, generating over 42.5 billion impressions and quadrupling burger sales. 

Taco Bell Hotel 

In 2019, Taco Bell launched “The Bell,” a themed hotel and resort in Palm Springs, to continue its legacy and connect with a younger crowd. Adorned with Taco Bell-themed decor, poolside exclusive menu items, and even a Taco Bell salon, the resort quickly captured the world’s attention. The result? All rooms sold out in just two minutes, making headlines nationwide and trending across social platforms. This campaign demonstrates how strategic events can extend a company’s reach to new audiences and get the world talking. 

Conclusion

While your restaurant might not have the means for a dramatic stunt like a name change or a themed hotel, there are plenty of ways to find daily PR success. As you consistently build your social media presence and partner with local businesses, you can keep customers happy and create a name for yourself within your community. 

If you’re looking for more guidance, hop onto Qwoted and create a free account to connect with journalists and expand your network today.