The Social Media Strategy Every Restaurant Should Copy

The restaurant industry doesn’t just live on the plate anymore — it lives in the feed.
And in a crowded market, where new openings pop up every week and trends move faster than a kitchen during brunch rush, your digital presence can be the key to staying full.

Online marketing is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s a growth engine. It will allow you to:

• Be discovered online before your competitors
• Build loyalty across multiple locations
• Increase reservations, traffic, and revenue

However, a few sporadic posts won't cut it. You need a restaurant social media strategy — clear, consistent, and tailored to your brand. Let's break it down!

What Is a Restaurant Social Media Strategy?

A restaurant social media strategy (or "community management") is a well-thought-out plan that indicates when, how, and what content you will share on multiple socials. This will be your blueprint for how to show up online, connect with guests, and turn attention into action — from clicks to covers.

Having a clear strategy will help your growth tremendously, especially if you have multiple locations. You need to boost visibility while maintaining the control over your brand.

It includes:

• Choosing the right strategy for the right platforms
• Planning your content in advance
• Posting formats that drive reach and bookings
• Tracking performance to improve results
• Integrating it with your local SEO

Why Social Media Should Be at the Core of Your Restaurant Strategy in 2025

Let's start with the obvious.

#Food” content is still one of the most consumed types of media on Instagram and TikTok, with billions of views.

89% of US diners research a restaurant online before ever setting foot inside (Upserve, 2023) and 45% have discovered a new restaurant through social media(TouchBistro, 2024).

At Malou, we’re all about efficiency. Don’t try to be everywhere — just be excellent where it matters.

The two most effective platforms for restaurant groups in 2025? Instagram and Facebook.

👉 With over 3 billion monthly active users, Facebook remains the largest social platform worldwide.
Its core audience? Adults aged 25–44, making it ideal for attracting middle-aged diners and families.

Facebook is also a part of Meta. Having a Facebook page will allow you to do more things, like locating your business on Instagram.

Here’s why Facebook works for restaurants:

• It helps you reach a mature, local audience
• It supports event promotion and community engagement
• You can run sponsored ads to boost your best posts
• You can enable reservations directly from your page

👉 Instagram counts over 1.3 billion monthly users, and it’s where food content thrives.

Why it’s essential for restaurant brands:

• It’s where food influencers live — and where trends go viral
• It helps you reach a younger, trend-driven audience (18–34)
• It offers Reels, Stories, and ads to promote your concept, create engagement and drive trafic.

Instagram isn’t just a digital storefront — it’s a powerful customer acquisition tool. It gives you control over your customer flow year-round. You can bring followers back (loyalty) and attract new guests (conversion).

Whether you’re showing off a new brunch dish, a cocktail special, or behind-the-scenes chef moments — Instagram is where guests fall in love before they even visit.

7 Must-Haves for a High-Impact Restaurant Social Media Strategy

1. Create a Content Calendar (Consistency Beats Chaos)

Plan in advance around:

• Big seasonal moments (Valentine’s Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving)
• National food days (like National Burger Day or Margarita Monday)
• In-store events, vendor collaborations, or menu launches

2. Post Where It Counts: Instagram & Facebook First

Don’t waste energy on multiple platforms. Prioritize the two that bring results:

• Instagram for brand storytelling and visual impact
• Facebook for local reach, older demographics, and ads that convert

Remember : consistency is key! You will yield better results by posting once a week during a year than every day for a month then nothing.

3. Use the Formats Algorithms Reward

Here is the same advice: don't waste your energy. Posting a single picture might not do the trick.

Some formats tend to get 3–10x the engagement of static photos and also drive more clicks to your booking pages.

👉 Reels are still dominating Instagram in 2025, with an impressive reach rate of 37.87%.

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

Reels are the best format to:

• Gain new followers
• Reach a broader audience
• Boost your brand awareness

Short, dynamic, and easy to engage with — Reels are the ultimate growth hack for restaurants looking to get discovered.

👉 Carousels have the highest engagement rate on Instagram in 2025.

💡 Engagement rate = the % of people who interact with your post (likes, comments, shares, saves) compared to how many saw it.

Why Carousels work so well for restaurants:

• They let you tell a story across multiple images (think recipes, menu highlights, behind-the-scenes, “scoop the spoon” moments…)
• You can add up to 20 slides in a single post — mixing photos and videos
• They show up multiple times in your followers’ feeds: first the cover photo, then the second, third, and so on — giving you more visibility per post

Whether you want to show off a step-by-step dish or showcase your team and events, Carousels are a must in your social media playbook.

4. Build a Distinct Brand Voice

Your feed should sound like you, not a generic ad agency.

• Highlight your team, values, or quirks
• Use recurring content themes ("Taco Tuesday", "Meet the Chef")
• Name your signature dishes or create a restaurant “universe”

It’s not about being viral — it’s about being recognizable.

5. Track Performance Like a Marketer

Use platform insights to understand:

• What content drives the most bookings?
• When is your audience most active?
• Who engages with your brand (age, location, gender)?

Adjust your strategy based on data, not gut feeling.

6. Connect It All to Local SEO

Social media works better when it supports your Google presence:

• Link to your Google Business Profile
• Share reviews on Instagram
• Cross-promote menus, events, and photos
• Use keywords that match your local SEO (e.g., “best pizza in Brooklyn”)

Visibility = trust = foot traffic.

7. Partner With the Right Food Influencers

A well-timed post from a trusted local creator can fill your tables for a week.

Start with:

• Micro-influencers (5K–50K followers)
• Creators aligned with your cuisine or vibe
• Inviting them for private tastings, events, or launches

Influencer marketing isn’t just about hype — it’s about conversion.

The Future of Restaurant Social Media Strategy

Looking ahead, restaurant brands will need to:

• Prioritize authenticity and storytelling over perfection
• Lean into short-form video as the #1 growth driver
• Build communities — not just audiences

The best ones will be the ones embracing AI tools to plan and produce content (way) faster. This content will also need to be imaginative and optimized with keywords.

At Malou, we help multi-location restaurants boost visibility, manage their reputation, and drive more regulars - effortlessly. With one App, you can generate and automatize social media posts for all your locations.

If you're looking to use social media for growth, call us at +1 (917) 528 3521 to speak to one of our experts for a free online audit!

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