Reach More Potential Customers with Digital Advertising for Restaurants

Q: How does digital advertising benefit a restaurant?

Digital advertising benefits a restaurant by putting your offers in front of high-intent diners (search) and discovery audiences (social) at the moment they’re deciding where to eat, which can drive more reservations, orders, and foot traffic. 

Q: How to promote your restaurant locally?

Promote your restaurant locally by combining an optimized Google presence with location-based ads that reach people near your restaurant at the right time of day. Use radius targeting and time-based promos (lunch, happy hour, weekday specials) so your offer matches nearby intent.

Q: What is the best platform to advertise a restaurant?

The best platform depends on your goal: Google is strong for high-intent searches (people actively looking), while Facebook/Instagram are strong for discovery and promotions. A practical approach is to start with one platform, prove conversion tracking, then expand to a second channel for incremental reach.

Q: How do I advertise a restaurant on Google?

To advertise on Google, run Google Ads that target your local area and send clicks to a clear conversion page (order online, reservations, or directions). Track performance by tying revenue back to ad spend using ROAS, which is calculated as ad revenue divided by advertising cost.

Q: How do I advertise my restaurant on Facebook?

To advertise on Facebook, create a campaign with a strong offer (limited-time deal or event), use location targeting around your restaurant, and keep the call-to-action simple (Order, Reserve, Get Directions). 

Q: What is a good return on ad spend for a restaurant?

A “good” ROAS varies by restaurant type and city, but a commonly cited target is around 4:1 (about $4 in revenue for every $1 in ad spend). High ROAS is only valuable if it still leaves profit after food, labor, and delivery costs.

Q: How to Budget for Restaurant PPC Campaigns

Budget restaurant PPC by working backwards from your target cost per conversion: decide what one order/reservation is worth, estimate your conversion rate, then set a daily budget that can generate enough clicks to test performance. 

Q: How to do digital marketing for restaurants?

Restaurant digital marketing works best when it combines local visibility (Google/Maps), paid ads, and retention channels (email/SMS) so you can drive first visits and repeat visits. Start by choosing one primary goal (reservations, online orders, or foot traffic).

Q: What is a good marketing budget for a restaurant?

A common benchmark is 2%–5% of sales for marketing, with higher spend often needed for new restaurants or aggressive growth. The right number depends on competition and goals, but the budget should be tied to measurable outcomes (orders, reservations, calls), not just impressions.

Q: How do restaurant ads target local customers?

Restaurant ads target local customers using geo-targeting methods like city/ZIP targeting or radius targeting (proximity targeting). This lets you show ads to people who live nearby or who are currently in the area.