Think hospitality marketing is only for big chains and fancy venues? Think again.
Even if you’re running a single café, pizza shop, or family-owned restaurant, marketing should be part of your daily recipe for success.
As Hady from Magic Brothers Pizzeria puts it:
“If you’re not marketing your business, you’re not giving people in your area an opportunity to know about you.”
So, how can small venues market effectively without a huge budget? Let’s break it down.
Why Do Small Hospitality Businesses Need Marketing?
When you open your doors each day, are you waiting for customers to show up — or are you actively bringing them in?
Hospitality marketing isn’t just about flashy ads. It’s about making sure the people in your area:
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Know you exist
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Understand what you offer
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Feel excited to visit and order
Without marketing, you risk being the “best-kept secret” in town — which isn’t great for your bottom line.
What Marketing Channels Work Best for Local Restaurants & Cafes?
Not all platforms are created equal. For local restaurant marketing, the sweet spot is usually:
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Facebook & Instagram Ads: Highly local targeting, strong community reach. See Meta’s Small Business Marketing guide for ad tips.
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Organic Social Media: Share photos, videos, and stories of your food, team, and customers to build connection.
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Local Partnerships: Team up with nearby clubs, schools, or gyms to cross-promote.
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Google Business Profile (Google My Business): Keep your listing accurate with current opening hours, updated photos, menu links, and your HungryHungry online orderin page so customers can order instantly from search results.
Hady’s advice:
“Instagram would be the channel we’d keep for sure — it’s our best engagement tool. You can post photos, videos, and stories, and message customers directly.”
How Much Should You Spend on Hospitality Marketing?
You don’t need a huge budget to market your restaurant or café. What you do need is consistency and a clear offer.
Start with a monthly spend you’re comfortable with — even $250–$300 can make an impact if you target it well. Mack & Hady saw results “within weeks” of running their first campaigns.
What’s the Fastest Way to See Results in Local Restaurant Marketing?
Launch with a strong, time-limited offer:
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25% off online orders
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Buy-one-get-one-free
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Half-price nights
Print flyers, create a digital version, and promote it through social ads, local drops, and your Google Business Profile post feature.
“You put a strong offer out there with an end date and get as many people through the door as possible,” says Hady.
Should You Market Even When Times Are Tough?
Yes — in fact, that’s when you should market the most.
When business slows, cutting your marketing is like switching off your “Open” sign.
“When times are tough, go harder on the marketing side,” says Hady. “When times are good, you can pull back slightly — but I always say, let’s just push.”
How Do You Make Marketing Stick for Your Venue?
Attracting customers with marketing is only half the job. To keep them coming back:
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Deliver consistently good food and service
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Create an experience worth sharing
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Follow up with them through email or SMS offers (see our hospitality marketing tools)
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Make reordering easy by linking directly to your HungryHungry page everywhere — from your website to your Google listing
Marketing brings them in. A great experience brings them back.
Key Takeaways for Any Restaurant or Café:
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Hospitality marketing isn’t optional — it’s essential for growth.
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Focus on high-impact, low-cost channels like Google, social, and partnerships.
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Use time-limited offers to drive action.
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Double down when business is slow.
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Always pair marketing with great product and service.
💡 Ready to market smarter, not harder? HungryHungry helps small venues run bold, local campaigns that actually work — from digital pop-ups to time-limited promos. See how Mack and Hady make it work →
