Discovering how to increase restaurant sales without advertising is a game-changer for many restaurant owners. If you’re on the hunt for such insights, you’ve landed on the perfect page!

While advertising has traditionally dominated the marketing scene, 2024 presents a different narrative. With soaring advertising costs, fierce competition, and an audience weary of constant ads, it’s time to pivot.

👋 This article unveils a range of effective strategies to boost your restaurant sales without breaking the bank on ads. Curious about these innovative approaches?

Stay with us, and let’s delve deeper!

How to increase restaurant sales without advertising

You might think it’s impossible to increase your restaurant’s profitability simply by focusing on organic strategies, but it’s time to look at the bigger picture.

A lot has been written about how to manage your digital presence, but it’s time to think about how you’re showing up in every aspect of your restaurant business.

Whether it’s improving your SEO, going all in with email marketing, or updating the menu pricing, there are many things you can try to increase restaurant sales before investing in advertising.

We’re highlighting the following eight strategies for you to try:

1. Build an online presence

Having a restaurant website isn’t just an advantage; it’s essential. While you might associate online strategies with advertising, an online presence helps build trust, showcase your menu items, and reach a wider target audience.

Here are the main components of an online presence:

Your website

Think of your website as the first impression many customers will have of your business. Making sure that it’s user-friendly and responsive (easy to use on mobile devices) is more than just important.

📈 According to Sweor, 57% of internet users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed website on mobile.

Social media accounts

Even if you’re not posting every day, having a social media presence can significantly increase your visibility. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are essential for restaurants because they offer an easy way to engage with your audience.

📈 A study by GlobalWebIndex found that 54% of social browsers use social media to research products and places.

Online reviews

Positive online reviews are the digital equivalent of word-of-mouth recommendations. Platforms like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google My Business are pivotal in a potential customer’s decision-making process.

📈 BrightLocal’s research indicates that 97% of 18-34-year-old consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Encouraging happy customers to leave positive reviews must be part of your restaurant marketing plan.

SEO

Improving SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is crucial for building an online presence for a restaurant. It helps potential customers search for dining options or specific cuisines in their area. A higher ranking on search engines boosts the restaurant’s visibility and adds to its credibility.

In a digital age where consumers rely heavily on online searches to help them with dine-in options. Effective SEO can significantly drive more traffic to your website, helping you increase restaurant sales.

Of course, many other things can be worked on to improve your online presence, such as implementing a marketing strategy and being more visible in search engines.

2. Offer online ordering

We all like and want convenience, and that’s exactly what online ordering is all about. It has become a necessity for restaurants. Customers these days expect a certain easiness when it comes to ordering food online.

📈 According to Statista, the online food delivery segment is expected to reach a market volume of US$ 2TN by 2027.

Additionally, a survey from the National Restaurant Association found that 60% of U.S. consumers order delivery or takeout at least once a week.

What does that mean for you? It means this is a great opportunity to give your customers what they want! You can enhance their online ordering experience by implementing Orderable on your website.

Orderable has features that optimize the online ordering experience (such as delivery/pickup time slots, product add-ons, and order bumps, to name a few). It helps restaurants not only meet but exceed customer expectations.

3. Improve in-restaurant operations

A lot can be written about in-restaurant operations. From managing reservations, handling customer complaints, and ensuring that food arrives on time and at the right table. A lot needs to happen (smoothly) at the same time.

Here are a few things to streamline in your restaurant:

Reduce wait list

Waiting for a long period of time (whether waiting for a table, for an order to be taken, or for food to arrive) is probably the most frustrating part for a customer. It negatively impacts their experience.

Enhancing dining experience

Being efficient is more than just being quick. It’s about the quality of the overall dining experience. It’s about ensuring that tables are cleared promptly, dishes are served at the right temperature, and every customer feels attended to.

As the industry becomes increasingly competitive, the thin line between a restaurant with a high table turnover and an average one often comes down to in-restaurant operations.

4. Encourage upselling

When done right, upselling is a great tool to help increase your restaurant’s revenue. It’s the art of persuading customers to buy something extra or more expensive.

However, there’s a thin line between being helpful and being pushy. Customers immediately know the difference and can spot genuine recommendations from miles away.

Upselling is something that Orderable can support you with. Here’s how:

1. Product add-ons: When a customer selects a particular dish, Orderable can suggest complementary items. For instance, if a customer chooses a burger, you can recommend a side of fries or a special sauce.
2. Order bumps: Just before the checkout, Orderable can suggest additional products that might interest the customer. This ‘last-minute’ recommendation often leads to impulse purchases, enhancing the total order value.

Another benefit to upselling is that it can improve the customer’s experience and increase the restaurant’s average ticket size.

5. Make regular menu updates

Regular menu updates allow restaurants to stay in tune with the seasons. Offering dishes with fresh, seasonal ingredients ensures higher quality and resonates well with today’s consumers, who are increasingly leaning toward sustainable dining.

📈 According to a study by Technomic, 67% of consumers believe that it is important for restaurants to offer seasonal menu items.

With Orderable, updating the menu becomes a hassle-free experience. You can:

1. Instantly update: Introducing a new dish? Got a weekend special? The online menu reflects the changes with a few clicks, ensuring customers always see the latest offerings.
2. Highlight specials: With its intuitive design, Orderable lets you highlight special or new dishes with labels so they catch the eye.

Updating the menu isn’t merely changing for the sake of change. It’s an essential strategy to keep customers engaged and returning for more.

6. Host events

The 21st-century customer is not just looking for a meal; they’re searching for an experience. Hosting events provides a unique way for restaurants to cater to regular customers as well as new customers.

Here are three reasons why you should consider hosting events:

Increased bottom line

Special events can significantly boost a restaurant’s revenue. It’s not just about the ticket sales for the event itself but also about additional food and beverage sales that come along with new customers. People are always willing to come up with an excuse for dining out, so give them one!

Customer retention

Events foster community, which in turn creates customer loyalty. Hosting regular events, like monthly cooking classes or weekly music nights, can help cultivate a group of loyal, repeat customers. These are the customers that end up being existing customers regularly.

Brand visibility

Special events, especially themed ones, often attract media attention. Whether it’s local bloggers, newspapers, or influencers, having them cover your event enhances your brand’s reach. This is also a great opportunity to grow your newsletter and gain subscribers. Give people a reason to follow your restaurant!

You don’t even need a special occasion; maybe you want to bring in live music every quarter to liven up the customer experience.

💡 Want to know how to create the best restaurant events possible? Check out our restaurant events guide.

7. Offer deals and attractive offers

A foundational strategy that many in the restaurant business employ is offering meal deals and special offers. Such deals grab potential diners’ attention and nudge them into becoming loyal customers.

You can combine different appetizers, entrees, and desserts, to offer a full-course menu that takes the guesswork away from the customer. You can also offer a coupon to boost restaurant sales.

8. Give your restaurant a cost-effective makeover

A fresh, appealing, and comfortable environment can enhance the dining experience in so many ways. A revamp doesn’t necessarily need to blow your budget. Even a simple dining room transformation can make the experience feel more luxurious.

Here are some examples of changes you can think of making:

Seating arrangement

Sometimes, simply changing the position of the tables and chairs can bring about a dramatic change.

Update decor

A minor investment in decor can impact the customer experience. Consider adding pieces of local artwork to create a unique feel to the room while also supporting the local art community.

Improve lighting

Lighting isn’t just about light. It helps create a certain mood and atmosphere. Adjustable lighting lets you control the ambiance based on the time of day or the event.

Add some greenery

Plants purify the air and introduce a touch of nature, creating a calming ambiance. With a small investment in indoor plants, you can provide your customers with a refreshing dining environment.

You may not think this can increase restaurant sales, but the perception can hold a lot of weight, especially if a new customer is walking in.

Increase your restaurant sales without advertising today

As we’ve seen in this article, advertising, while influential, is not the only way to increase restaurant sales. Many other cost-effective and impactful strategies can improve profit margins and build a loyal customer base.

We discussed how Orderable, an online ordering system, can help with upselling, refreshing your menu regularly, and to name a few things.

We hope you will try all these strategies, with the support of Orderable, and show the restaurant industry that you don’t need to go all in with advertising to make an impact.