From Likes to Reservations: How to Choose the Right Social Media Company for Your Restaurant
By Eddie Daniels, eddied@hospitalitynewsny.com
Social media has become one of the most powerful marketing tools available to restaurants. Great food is still the foundation, but today customers often experience a restaurant online before they ever walk through the door. They see the food on Instagram, discover a new restaurant through TikTok, read comments, watch a chef preparing a signature dish, and then decide whether to make a reservation. That makes choosing the right social media company extremely important. Don't simply hire the company with the biggest following or the most impressive-looking website. Look for a company that understands restaurants and hospitality. Ask to see restaurant accounts they currently manage and, more importantly, what results they have produced. Beautiful photographs aren't enough. Your social media partner should understand how to turn content into reservations, events, catering inquiries, repeat customers and brand recognition. Before hiring a company, ask what they will actually provide. A strong program should include photography and video, short-form reels, content planning, posting, community engagement, promotions and monthly reporting. They should also be willing to visit your restaurant regularly. Restaurant marketing is difficult to do effectively from behind a desk.
Image by Ai
Pay attention to whether the company understands your particular customer. A neighborhood Italian restaurant, upscale steakhouse, Latino restaurant, sports bar and catering operation should not have identical social-media strategies. Also ask how success will be measured. Followers and likes are useful, but restaurant owners should be looking deeper: Are more people discovering the restaurant? Are reservations increasing? Are customers engaging? Are private parties and catering inquiries growing? Finally, don't automatically choose the least expensive proposal. Choose the company that understands your restaurant's personality and can communicate it consistently. The right social media company shouldn't simply make your restaurant look good online. It should help put customers in your seats.
Hospitality News / National Edition / Sept 2026 / Page 67
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