During these extremely trying times, our local restaurants are being hit very hard. With each passing day, it sadly becomes harder and harder for them to keep their doors open. The Buzz Creators team thought it might be helpful if we compiled a “how-to guide” to help struggling restaurants spread the word to their current and potential customers about their delivery/takeout options.

  • Communication is Key – If nobody knows what you are offering, nobody will call! Ensure that you are clearly and frequently communicating with your customers that you are OPEN and what you are offering in terms of delivery, takeout, hours of operation, delivery zone, discounts, specials, etc.
    • Be sure to communicate through all of your available channels:
      • Your Website – This information should be prominently on your homepage!
      • Your Social Media Channels – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., if you have it, post on it!
      • E-Newsletters – if you have an email system like Constant Contact or MailChimp, send out weekly email updates to all of your customers/contacts!
  • Utilize Your Social Media Circle
    • Post on your social channels – Post 1-3x per day, BUT make sure it has different content, images, etc. You don’t want to clutter up anyone’s feed with the exact same post.
    • Create a Contest – Ask people to share one of your posts and tag two friends in order to be entered to win a gift card. This will spread your message exponentially!
    • Engage your Friends & Family – Ask your friends and family to like, comment and most importantly, to SHARE your posts on their personal pages!
    • Interact with Local Community Pages – It’s more than just communicating on your own social media channels, you need to be proactive and interact with others as well. Search for local groups such as mom/parent groups, community groups, foodie groups, etc. Sign up to be a member for those pages (if you aren’t already) and post about what you are offering. If you can’t gain access, then send a Direct Message to the admin of the page nicely asking them to share the info/promotions (it’s helpful for their members to know too!).
  • Reach Out to Your Local Chamber of Commerce
    • The purpose of a Chamber of Commerce is purely to help local businesses in the area. Many are sending out e-blasts their membership, posting on social media and on their own websites promoting what the local businesses in their town are doing. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to spread the word!
  • Get Creative
    • Offer “Meal Kits” to Go – make your own pizza kids, cookie and/or cupcake decorating kits, make your own tacos, etc. Promote these “kits to go” through social media, your website, and e-mail blasts and be sure to mention that this is a great interactive way to make dinner more fun with your family. It also gives bored kids something cool to do.
    • Discounts/Family Meal Deals – While giving a discount during a time when you are struggling may not seem possible, try to make it work if you can (like discounts on inexpensive items such as pasta). Just as your business is struggling, so are many others and it’s important to offer options for people that are affordable. Hopefully, the goodwill comes back to you in the long run!
  •  Expand Your Delivery Zone
    • Start expanding your delivery zone to include further away locations. This will help open up how many people can order your food and hopefully, they will become returning customers when you are fully operational again.

 We sincerely hope that this PR survival guide has given you some new ideas and ways to reach your current and potential customers, and more importantly helps keep your restaurant afloat as long as possible until things get back to normal.

From our business to yours, wishing you health and better times ahead!

— By Jessica Apicella, Account Director, Buzz Creators, Inc.

Buzz Creators' Restaurant Survival Guide