1. You keep your restaurant inviting to your customers. I just hope you have a good location. You can use visual merchandising strategies.
2. Keep the entrance impressive such as providing a great way for your customers. You can put some outdoor displays like mascots, etc. I saw a restaurant wherein a big bottle of beer was placed in front of the restaurant and It really gained the attention of the passersby. You can also use floor graphics in the parking area, or custom floor mats where your brand or logo will be seen. You can see some examples of custom mats at promomatting.com.
3. Keep your customers excited everyday which means you try to add special meals depending on the season such as Christmas, Easter, Mothers Day, etc.
4. Add some gimmick in your store like picture taking with your first 100 customers.
5. Social media can help but in a restaurant industry you need to be known in your own place first before people from other places come to you.
I think you could start with some promotional gimmicks to get people interesting in your new business, try making surveys or flyers in the area around you to get people interested maybe some colorful banners good luck hope it goes great for you.
Advertise on local radio stations, get them spreading the word will create interest.
Again colourful flyers/leaflets/posters around town and in residents doors.
Ring around local companies and offer them deals if they book in advance?
Do some online local advertising not just facebook, this would be great if the restaurant does deliveries. :)
What can one do to advertise for a restaurant that's opening this year? My business partner and I are working on opening a restaurant. With me as BOH and her as FOH. It will be months before we open but we do NOT want to be on Restaurant Impossible.
It is with great confidence that I can say that I stand behind everything on the menu and accept full accountability for what leaves my kitchen.
Anyways, what are some good ideas for advertising? We initially plan on parking a gas grill at the busy locations on the weekends and give out free food and introduce ourselves, pass out business cards, add them to our mailing list and like us on facebook. We also will go to the university and introduce ourselves and give out some free food that will be served during happy hour with drink specials (currently working on pricing those)
We will also have magnetic signs on the doors of our vehicles and family's vehicles, wear t-shirts and the like. We're getting a billboard also. Any other advice?
