Restaurant Instagram Marketing: 10 (Free) Growth Tactics You Need to Try

How to use Instagram to (really) grow your restaurant

If you're a restaurant owner, you already know the formula to improve profitability:
More customers = more revenue.

What you might not know (or believe) : Instagram is one of the most powerful free tools to bring people in—and keep them coming back.

Having a strong Instagram strategy will allow you to control foot traffic in your restaurants, all year long.

Not getting results from Instagram? We believe you. Usually, it comes down to 3 things:

• You are not posting enough;
• You’re not consistent;
• You’re not using the right formats.

Let’s break it down:

• “You don’t post enough”: Less than once a week? That won’t cut it.
• “You’re not consistent”: You post daily in May, then ghost your feed in June. Yet, the Instagram algorithm loves consistency.
• “You’re not posting right”: A random food pic here, a Story there... You mean well, but you're not using formats intentionally or strategically.

👉 Good news: our experts at Malou rounded up the 10 best Instagram hack strategies to grow your businesses (for real).

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Don't miss out on our new article: How To Make Your Restaurants Appear on ChatGPT?

1. Use Reels – the best format to grow your audience and attract new customers

➡️ Reels had an average reach rate of 37.87% in 2024 (source: Socialinsider).

💡 Reach = the number of times your content is seen.

It's basic maths: Reels are your highest chance to go wide and attract new followers/customers. They have the best ROI in terms of client acquisition.

Why it matters for restaurants:

• Bring in new followers
• Reach non-followers with ease
• Build brand awareness

Our 5 pro tips to nail Reels in your restaurants:

1. Create high quality Reels : the making of your top dishes, a wow technique, behind-the-scenes moments, or events.
2. Don’t just film food. People love people—your staff, a face talking, a chef plating : posts with human faces rank higher than others.
3. Keep it short and sharp: 8–12 seconds is ideal. Longer isn't necessary and will be time-consuming.
4. Add text (subtiles) or voiceovers to reach users in silent mode.
5. Use a scroll-stopper in the first 3 seconds—a visual or phrase that will make people want to pause and watch.

2. Use Carousels – the best format to bring customers back

➡️ Carousels have the highest engagement rate on Instagram.

💡 Engagement rate = the total number of interactions (likes, comments, shares, saves, etc.) on a post.

They outperform photos and Reels with a 10.15% average engagement rate (source: Hootsuite, 2024).

Carousels are your best chance to maximize interactions and engage existing followers.

Why carousels work for restaurants:

• Tell a visual story step-by-step (recipe, menu, “dipping spoon” moment)
• Up to 20 slides of photo or video
• They show up multiple times in your audience’s feed (1st photo, then 2nd, etc.)

Ou pro tips:

1. Your first and second images are key—make them scroll-stopping.
2. Stuck for ideas? Use a content calendar to plan ahead (think national food holidays, seasonal events, etc.)

Here is the one all of our customers use on the MalouApp👇

In a nutshell : use Reels to attract new customers and use Carousels to retain the ones already following you.

3. Use Stories – the best format for FOMO and flash offers

Stories are everywhere.
➡️ Over 70% of all brand posts on Instagram are Stories in 2024 (source: Instagram Business).

Why they’re perfect for your restaurant:

• They create a direct connection with your audience.
• They're quick and spontaneous—no editing needed.
• They show your team, your kitchen, real moments—authenticity wins.

Our pro tips:

1. Stories are great for limited-time offers, specials, or daily features. Lean into that FOMO (“fear of missing out").
2. Instead of one long story, do a series—more engaging, better retention.
3. Use interactive elements: “click here” stickers, polls, quizzes, questions.

Like Carousels, Stories help you build loyalty and create a sense of urgency. They can also be very quick to make, and, therefore, less time consuming.

4. Post your Reels twice to double the reach

Want to boost your Reels' visibility? Post them in both!

Post them on:

• Your main feed
• The Reels tab

This will help you reach your followers and new users browsing similar content.

Tip: If your Reel is long, don't be afraid to split it into parts and publish a series. Ideally, one day apart, for good consistency.

5. Optimize your Reel thumbnails

💡On Instagram, thumbnails are basically the cover of your videos. They are what a user will see while browsing on your page.

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Thumbnails are crucial: they make users stop scrolling—or scroll right past.

How to create a click-worthy thumbnail:

• Use a clear, high-quality image
• Add a short, compelling text overlay, like: “Secret item on the menu!”, “Trying NYC’s spiciest wings!”

6. Post at the right time to boost visibility

You thought it didn't matter? In restaurant instagram marketing, momentum is key!

Again, it's simple math: post when users are online to maximise your visibility.

📊 According to Later.com, the best time to post is:

• 8PM local time.
• Wednesdays and Fridays (peak "engagement" days).

Schedule your posts ahead of time using tools like the MalouApp. The IA ill also provide you with optimized generated content ans content ideas! If you have multiple locations, it's a game changer.

7. Interact with your audience to improve visibility

Instagram rewards engaged accounts.

The more active and human you are, the more your content is pushed.

Here’s how:

• Reply to comments and DMs (without going overboard).
• Comment on your followers’ content (without sounding like a bot).
• Use interactive features (polls, quizzes, Q&As).

Here's a few concrete examples that work really well for restaurants:

• “What should we name this dish?”
• “Vote for the next special”
• “Countdown to new menu launch”
• “Giveaway: be a taste tester for our new seasonal menu”

You'll connect with your community and please the algorithm. Win-win!

8. Encourage user-generated content (UGC)

Users posting about you is one of the top way to get new customers. it’s basically a Google Review with visuals—and it hits their whole network! It's also less work for you or your digital marketing team.

But it's easier said then done.

Here is are most successful tip : create an “Instagram bait”!

An Instagram bait is something in your space that will give customers the need to take pictures.

Out top baits:

• A selfie mirror with neon sign (yes, even in the bathroom!)
• A fun, quirky menu (with puns, for instance)
• Highly aesthetic interiors

Don't forget to save their stories in a pinned highlight like “Fan Love” or “Reviews”.

9. Tap into current news, events and food holidays

Your content will always perform better if it connects to what’s happening now.

This is why using a food calendar and plan your Instagram marketing strategy ahead is key.

What you should be posting:

• National holidays (Taco Tuesday, National Donut Day)
• Pop culture moments (Super Bowl, Oscars)
• Key dates in your business (anniversary, new opening)
• Current news (elections) : make sure it's funny and relatable.

10. Use the right hashtags to boost algorithm reach

Hashtags are still a must for restaurant Instagram marketing.

They actually help the algorithm understand and distribute your content.

Make sure to always mix broad and niche hashtags.

For examples:

1. #food (480M), #foodie (215M), #instafood (220M)
2. #nycbrunch, #veganla, #downtownburger
3. You can also create a branded hashtag: e.g. #TeamCasaTaco

Make sure you rotate your hashtag sets to avoid shadowbanning and keep engagement high.

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Finale notes

At Malou, we help multi-location restaurants grow by doing three things exceptionally well:

• Boosting local visibility
• Managing online reputation
• Driving more loyal customers

With just one platform, you can generate, automate, and schedule social media content for all your locations—quickly and effortlessly.

If you're looking to use Instagram to drive real business growth, get in touch.
Call us at +1 (917) 528 3521 for a free online audit with one of our experts!

Let’s make your restaurant the go-to spot in your city.