SMS Marketing for Restaurants: Strategies To Drive Awareness and Sales

Looking for more ways to get your restaurant more attention? Try SMS marketing. In today's digital landscape, reaching customers on their preferred channels is key to success.

SMS is a digital marketing technique allows you to send targeted promotions, updates and loyalty rewards directly to your customers' phones, fostering stronger engagement and increasing your sales. However, SMS marketing walks a tightrope — it's direct and effective but has the potential to feel intrusive. However, you can win over customers by focusing on permission, value-added messages, and limited communication.  

Done right, SMS marketing becomes a win-win, boosting sales and keeping customers happy.

Keep reading if you want to learn how to leverage SMS marketing to drive your sales and boost your restaurant marketing efforts. I’ll break down what SMS marketing is, how you can benefit from it, as well as different types of campaigns and examples you can follow. 

You can also check out my YouTube video below for more info: 

Why SMS Marketing?

SMS marketing is a way to send targeted messages like promotions and updates directly to customers' phones. So, why is this important for your restaurant? It means: 

• More customers connecting to your brand
• Attracting new customers and turning them into regulars 
• Being able to share updates and news instantly with your customers

If you want to let everyone know about your new menu item, a new special or promotion, you can send an update to their phones. For example, Sushi Me Rollin’ used Owner.com’s text marketing to help stay top of mind with their customers, which contributed to increased sales of over $1,500 per month. 

Take email marketing, for instance. Sure, it offers more space for content, but SMS boasts near-instant delivery and a 98% open rate, compared to email’s 20%. That makes SMS perfect for urgent promotions and getting quick results.

The same goes for social media for restaurants. While it’s great for building your brand and engaging with your community over time, SMS gives you a direct line to your customers for immediate action and fostering loyalty.

Restaurant SMS Marketing Benefits  

As I mentioned above, using SMS as a marketing tool has a lot of advantages, such as connecting customers and attracting them. Let’s dive deeper into how that can work, plus  more bonuses for using SMS as part of your strategy:

Connects Your Restaurant to Your Customers

Mobile marketing for restaurants keeps things exciting with real-time promotions and order updates while also building loyalty through fun feedback, quick surveys and cool loyalty programs. This direct connection strengthens relationships and keeps customers coming back for more. 

Drive Awareness to Areas of Your Website

SMS marketing can drive more awareness to areas of your website, such as your online ordering platform, by directing customers to specific pages or promotions. You can even remind customers to finish online orders that are sitting in their cart. 

I would highly recommend including links in your SMS messages to encourage customers to take action, ultimately increasing your conversions and revenue.

Provides Instant Communication

Imagine texting your best deals straight to your customers' phones — that's the power of SMS marketing. Since everyone has their phone on them all the time, you can blast out important updates, promotions or reminders in seconds. This makes it perfect for things like flash sales or last-minute appointment confirmations.

Easy To Personalize

You have the power to make your customers feel like VIPs with personalized messages. By tailoring your promos based on what your customers love or how they've dined with you before, you're not just sending out generic ads — you're generating more engagement since your message is unique. 

So add some personal touches, like addressing your customer’s name to the text. 

Campaigns Are Trackable

With SMS marketing, you monitor how well your campaigns are doing in real time. You get stats, like:

• How many messages were delivered
• How many were opened
• How many people clicked on your links 

This helps you fine-tune your campaigns for the best results and get the most out of your investment.

Below, I’ll cover two powerful SMS campaigns that every restaurant marketing strategy needs.

Types of SMS Campaigns

You’re probably wondering how to build your SMS campaign. Before I show you how to do that, let’s cover the two main types: promotional and engagement campaigns: 

Promotional Campaigns

Goal: Driving sales and receiving immediate action from your customers. 

Examples:

• Exclusive, limited-time discounts and coupons to drive orders on slow days
• Last-minute happy hour reminders or flash sales
• Birthday surprise treats or deals 
• Loyalty program updates promoting new menu items

Timirie Shimley at Doo-Dah Diner adds $3,000 in sales a month with her promotional text campaigns. She does a great job of sending out promotional text blasts to let her customers know of new specials. This strategy did a better job of spreading the word than sharing through social media. 

Engagement Campaigns

Goal: Building relationships and brand loyalty. 

Examples:

• Online order confirmations and updates
• Feedback surveys and polls so you know areas where you can improve 
• Announcements like menu pricing changes 
• Stay top of mind and remind customers who haven’t ordered from you in a while

Building relationships and brand loyalty can keep customers coming back, boosting your long-term sales efforts.

With these two campaign types in mind, let's move into crafting a killer SMS marketing strategy to keep your customers coming back for more. 

Building Your SMS Marketing Strategy

Alright, we've seen how SMS marketing can turn your phone into a sales and engagement powerhouse for your restaurant. Next, I’ll show you an easy roadmap to follow to craft those enticing text messages that get results and boost those sales:

1. Select a Platform and Collect Numbers

First, choose your platform. There are tons of SMS marketing tools SimpleTexting or SlickText to help you with this. Or, you could consider an all-in-one platform, like Owner.com. Our automated marketing tool combines SMS marketing with other features in one place, so you don’t have to worry about setting up as many different channels. 

Then, start collecting numbers to build your text club. People love a good deal! Offer discounts or freebies in exchange for joining your SMS list. Make it easy to sign up at checkout, online, or on social media. 

2. Pick Your Campaign

Now that you have your platform sorted and a list of customers you can text, you’ll want to pick your campaign. It can be hard to know exactly what will work for manual campaigns, but I would recommend leaning into what you already know about your restaurant. For example:

• If you’re located next to a sports venue, consider campaigns that text out timely deals around game time.
• Send win-back messages — these are messages like “We miss you” or “It’s been a while” to re-engage customers and getting them to come back and order again. This campaign helps you retain your existing customers. 
• During slow periods, like weekdays, consider sending out texts with deals around those times to help fill more seats. 
• Collect reviews through automatic review request texts. For example, Talkin’ Tacos sent out automatic review request texts. With this campaign, the restaurant was able to collect over 100 five-star reviews.  

It’s also important to tailor your campaign to your type of restaurant. If you’re a fine dining restaurant, you may want to send texts promoting date night deals, or if you’re a casual chain located near an office building, you can send out some lunch reminders to capture that audience.  

3. Craft Your SMS Message(s) 

Now that you've got an audience of subscribers ready to hear from you. But what kind of messages should you send? Here are some key ingredients to craft an irresistible SMS that generates results:

• Keep it short and sweet: Be concise, clear and focus on the key message you want to convey.‍
• Offer value: People are more likely to respond to texts that offer them something of value. This could be a discount, a free item, early access to a new menu item or exclusive loyalty rewards.‍
• Create a sense of urgency: Limited-time offers or flash sales can encourage immediate action from your customers.  Use phrases like "Today Only!" or "While Supplies Last!" to create a sense of urgency.‍
• Use clear calls to action: Tell your customers exactly what you want them to do next.  Do you want them to visit your website, place an online order or redeem a coupon online? Make it clear and easy for them to take action.

5. Send Your Message and Measure Results

With your crafted message and engaged subscriber list, you're ready to hit send. Most SMS marketing platforms offer features to:

• Plan your texts ahead of time: Decide what deals you want to send and when to send them for the best results.
• Target the right people: Send texts about burgers to burger lovers and veggie options to veggie fans. This can also help you send messages that target new versus returning customers. 
• See how you're doing: Measure your results. Track how many people see your texts, click on links and become customers. This helps you know what's working and what you can improve. With Owner.com, you can even see your revenue that’s attributed to your campaign. 

Examples You Can Try 

Here are some of my favorite SMS marketing ideas you can use to engage your customers and boost sales:

New Menu Must-Tries: Text to Taste 

Best for: Restaurants launching new dishes or seasonal specials.

Test these examples:

• "Craving something new? Try our mouthwatering Korean BBQ tacos this week! Text 'TACO TUESDAY' to order." 
• "New summer salads are here! Get 15% off your first order. Text 'SALAD LOVE' to redeem." 

Why it works: These messages add personality, highlight limited-time offers and get customers to try a new item in exchange for an incentive. 

We Miss You: Come Back and Try Your Favorite

Best for: Restaurants wanting to retain and build customer loyalty

Try these examples:

• Hey there!  We miss your smiling face at [RESTAURANT NAME].  Craving some of your favorites? Get 20% off your next order with code WELCOMEBACK!
• Hey [Customer Name], Remember that delicious [Dish they ordered]? We miss serving you! Get 15% off your next order to reminisce. Use code FLASHBACK15 at checkout.

Why it works: in-back messages can remind customers of their past enjoyable experiences at your restaurant, prompting them to crave those same positive feelings again.

Here’s a success story of this example in action: Phillip Hang, the mastermind behind Sushi Me Rollin', discovered a recipe for rekindling customer love – Owner's "win back" template. He uses Owner to send friendly nudges to customers who've dined with them at least 3 times, but haven't been back in 45 days. These messages take a trip down memory lane, reminding customers of their past orders, and then sweeten the deal with a special discount to tempt them back.

This clever strategy paid off, boosting Sushi Me Rollin's sales by over $1,500 a month.

Order Update: Your Food Is Coming in Hot

Best for: Restaurants with online ordering or delivery services.

Try these examples:

• "Your order is confirmed! We'll be baking your pizza to perfection. Track it here: [link to order tracking]" 
• "Your food is on its way! Estimated arrival time: 7:15 PM. Enjoy!" 

Why it works: These order-tracking texts help provide peace of mind and keep customers informed and excited about their food delivery. It can also reduce calls and customer service requests for customers as well.

Flash Sale — Get Half-Price Appetizers Now! 

Best for: Restaurants who want to increase traffic during slow periods or promote special offers. 

‍Try these examples:

• "Happy Hour just got happier! 50% off all appetizers today from 4-6 PM. Text 'HAPPYHOUR' to redeem." 
• "Beat the Monday blues with our $10 pasta deal! Text 'MONDAY MAC' to order." 

Why it works: These texts help create a sense of urgency by highlighting a limited-time deal. It also targets a specific day of the week and offers a budget-friendly option.

Happy Birthday! A Free Dessert Awaits  

Best for: Restaurants who want to strengthen customer relationships and loyalty.

Try these examples:

• "Happy Birthday, [Customer Name]! Enjoy a free slice of pie on your special day. Text 'BIRTHDAYTREAT' to claim." 
• "It's your birthday, [Customer Name]! Earn double loyalty points on your next order. Text 'BDAYBONUS' to learn more." (Rewards loyal customers and promotes your loyalty program).

Why it works: These help show you care about your customers and incentivize a visit. They also reward loyal customers and promote a loyalty program. 

How To Get Your SMS Campaign Right 

Getting your SMS campaign strategy right can mean the difference between the customer feeling excited versus feeling annoyed. Here’s how to nail it:  

• Follow SMS marketing regulations: Make sure you know the rules of the road for reaching out to people, like the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Every message you send should have an easy way for people to say "thanks, but no thanks" if they don't want to hear from you anymore.
• Listen to your customers: Be sure to leverage customer feedback. This can help you refine your strategy for future campaigns.  
• Personalize when possible: Segment your subscriber list to send targeted messages based on demographics, purchase history or preferences.  A birthday message with a special offer or a "We miss you!" text to inactive customers can go a long way.
• Infuse personality: SMS marketing allows for a more conversational tone than traditional marketing channels. Don't be afraid to inject some humor or brand personality into your messages — but be sure to stay consistent with your branding.
• Test it out: Not sure which message will resonate most with your customers? Try A/B testing! Send slightly different versions to a small group to see which responds better. For example, test different headlines or discount offers, then use the winning version for your entire list.

By testing and learning, you can keep improving your SMS marketing results.

Use SMS Marketing To Increase Awareness and Drive Sales 

Ready to take your restaurant marketing to the next level? SMS marketing is a powerful tool that can put you in direct contact with your customers, driving sales and building loyalty.

By setting clear goals, choosing the right platform, building a permission-based subscriber list and crafting unique messages, you're well on your way to SMS success. Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of campaigns and personalization techniques to see what resonates best with your audience.

Consider letting Owner.com help you out — our automated marketing tool can handle all of your text marketing needs and more.