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NAV CENTER Turns into the DEV “Resort and Convention Heart”

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NAV CENTER Turns into the DEV “Resort and Convention Heart”

CORNWALL, Ontario — Devcore, one of many Nationwide Capital’s main actual property builders is increasing its portfolio with the acquisition of the NAV CENTER, a 630,000 sq. foot multi-purpose resort, coaching and convention facility sitting on 75 acres overlooking the St. Lawrence River in Cornwall, Ontario. The ability will likely be rebranded as the DEV “Resort and Convention Heart”.

“The DEV is Japanese Ontario’s largest multi-purpose convention heart providing distinctive facilities and lodging in an enviable central location,” stated Jean-Pierre Poulin, President of Devcore. “We’re dedicated to working with native companions such because the Metropolis of Cornwall and surrounding counties together with collaborating intently with Akwesasne and First Nations to make sure that the Heart operates as a key stakeholder and to draw alternatives to Cornwall which profit all.”

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NAV CANADA will proceed operations on the location as a tenant, as will the Canadian Forces College of Aerospace Management Operations (CFSACO).

“We’re excited and glad in regards to the future for Cornwall,” stated Mr. Poulin. “We now have been lively buyers since 2020 and noticed large progress alternatives right here. The DEV venture will enable us to develop an modern and sustainable world class combined use neighborhood, whereas leveraging 1VALET’s Good Constructing Platform to attach all residents to a central suite of facilities.”

The convention heart will likely be managed by Atlific Motels, one in all Canada’s largest privately held administration corporations, with over 40 accommodations from coast to coast. Atlific will handle and oversee all points of day-to-day operations, together with convention and occasion amenities and restaurant operations; and collaborated to ship top-tier efficiency.

“For properly over a decade, the ability has developed to draw new and various enterprise segments to Cornwall from throughout Canada and the globe together with being a most well-liked location for company conferences, sporting and particular conferences and occasions, authorities coaching applications and well-known to help enterprise continuity throughout disaster and evacuations for individuals in want,” stated Kim Coe-Turner, Vice-President of Enterprise Growth and Authorities Relations with the Devcore Group.

About Devcore Group
B
ased in Gatineau Quebec, Devcore Group is a pacesetter within the Capital area and a real-estate group main the best way in land growth, development and property administration. Devcore additionally owns and manages 500 million in property in japanese Canada with shut to three,000 models East of Ottawa. Devcore has been an lively investor in Cornwall since of 2020.

About Atlific Motels
Atlific Motels is likely one of the main resort administration corporations in Canada working over 40 accommodations with workplaces in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. Atlific Motels has over 60 years of expertise managing well-known Canadian accommodations, resorts, and prolonged keep properties.

The corporate has constructed a status for providing complete accounting reporting, data expertise options and help, strategic revenue-generating gross sales and advertising and marketing plans, and award-winning income administration applications. Atlific Motels’ father or mother firm, Ocean Properties Ltd., owns and operates over 100 accommodations all through the US. Collectively they make up the fifth largest privately-owned resort administration firm in North America, working unbiased accommodations and resorts in addition to internationally acknowledged resort manufacturers similar to Marriott, IHG and Hilton. For extra data, please go to www.atlifichotels.com.

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About 1VALET
1VALET is a brilliant constructing working system that gives multi-family builders and asset managers with the instruments to make their buildings extra environment friendly and worthwhile.

By centralizing constructing techniques into one web-based platform and empowering tenants with a Resident App, 1VALET helps streamline operations, improve NOI, and create safer, smarter communities.

Concerning the DEV “Resort and Convention Heart”
See: www.devhotelandconferencecentre.com

View supply model on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/information/dwelling/20220706005814/en/

NAV CENTER Turns into the DEV “Resort and Convention Heart”

Contacts

Kim Coe-Turner
VP Enterprise Growth & Authorities Relations
Devcore Group
[email protected]

#distro

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Preparing Restaurant Delivery for the Summer Months

Rain or shine, humidity or snow, food delivery is a year-round business. But for restaurants that offer delivery, the same rules that apply to winter meal transportation don’t always hold during the summer. That’s why it’s important to make sure you’re prepared for summer restaurant deliveries.

Food delivery in the warmer months presents new opportunities and challenges. Here are a few ways to capitalize on the sunshine and keep your delivery cool during the summer rush:

Create a summer delivery menu

The warmer months bring new seasonal ingredients, making it a great time to update your menu. Investigate what local ingredients are in season and feature them in your summer dishes. Many customers will be in search of summer menu classics like cold drinks, fresh fruit, barbecue and seafood. Adding light and fresh dishes to your menu can make your restaurant the go-to summer spot.

Run a summer promotion

Nothing gets a customer more excited to place an order than a good deal. This summer, take advantage of the summer rush by offering exclusive promotions that highlight your seasonal offerings.

Looking for ideas to promote your restaurant on social media? Consider using social media holidays to give customers a reason to celebrate your cuisine. Pick a holiday food that coincides with your menu offerings, and run a discount on that item to celebrate the holiday. On National Ice Cream Day (July 16), give out a free cone with every purchase. Posting about your promotions on social media using hashtags like #NationalIceCreamDay will help spread the word.

With more potential customers out and about, summer is a great time to double down on advertising. Emails, billboards, fliers, social posts and delivery inserts are all great ways to let diners know about your promotions.

Assemble a bike delivery staff

Sunshine and mild temperatures open up a whole new food delivery alternative: bikes. Consider augmenting your existing pool of delivery drivers with cyclists who can fulfill nearby orders. But when it comes to long-distance deliveries, sushi and smoothies still hold up better in an air-conditioned car than on two wheels.

When you partner with Grubhub, your restaurant can get access to our experienced drivers who can be trusted to get your dishes to customers safely. Learn more about how Grubhub delivery protects your restaurant’s reputation.

Stock up on the right packaging

In the summertime, food delivery packaging needs to control for seasonal variables such as humidity and scorching heat along with everyday challenges such as potholes and other road turbulence. When it comes to popular warm weather menu items – such as salads – make sure the delivery drivers are equipped with plenty of ice to keep the salads fresh. Similarly, you’ll want durable drink packaging on hand so cold beverages aren’t lukewarm by the time they’re delivered.

Take a look at these tips on how to select packaging that is both high quality and sustainable.

Accommodate catering delivery

For a lot of diners, summer means picnics in the park, backyard BBQs and neighborhood block parties. If you don’t already, now might be the time to offer food delivery for larger groups and event orders. Your restaurant can offer full-service catering for events, or opt for delivery and drop-off catering for a cheaper price. Adding catering to your restaurant is a great way to diversify your revenue this summer.

Before promoting this specific service, be sure to accumulate the right hot/cold packaging (and insulated travel bags or boxes) that can handle bulk orders.

Partner with a food delivery service provider

More likely than not, your existing delivery employees will be requesting time off this summer for their own vacations. By outsourcing your food delivery to a service provider like Grubhub, you can guarantee access to a steady stream of drivers whenever orders come through – and save yourself the scheduling headache.

Ready to reach new customers and grow your business with Grubhub? Signup today!

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Get the Most Out of GrubHub Online Ordering

So you’ve implemented Grubhub online ordering to bring more orders and greater efficiency to your restaurant, but are you doing all you can to capitalize on your investment? Your Grubhub partnership comes with an array of best-in-class technology and tools to grow your business and reach new diners.

Here are seven tips and tricks on how you can make the most out of your restaurant’s Grubhub partnership.

1. Launch promotions

Did you know that restaurants can run their own promotions on Grubhub? Whether the goal is to introduce a new menu item, increase ticket sizes or generate loyalty, promotions catch the eye of value-driven diners. You can tap into loyalty tools to encourage customers to place repeat orders to receive an exclusive reward. The best part? Promotions can be added, changed or removed as you, the restaurant owner, see fit. Experiment with promotions and loyalty tools on Grubhub, and your diners might be checking out your menu more often to see what new offers are available that day.

2. Encourage online ordering through Direct

Modern diners flock online to get their next meal. Digital ordering and delivery have grown 300% faster than dine-in traffic since 2014. These days, diners expect their favorite restaurants to offer online ordering. That’s why many restaurants are turning to Direct, a commission-free online ordering platform. Direct is a branded online ordering platform that can integrate with your existing website. You can customize it to match your restaurant’s look and feel, and access customer data to improve sales. The best part? You won’t pay any additional fees whatsoever — all eligible Marketplace restaurants can join Direct free of charge.

3. Optimize delivery

According to our Grubhub data report, 63% of surveyed consumers report increased frequency of third-party restaurant delivery orders compared to pre-pandemic. Better yet, 90% of surveyed consumers expect increased usage going forward. Offering delivery at your restaurant is essential to capturing this demand.

Grubhub’s restaurant delivery service is perfect for restaurant owners who want professional, knowledgeable delivery drivers but don’t want to deal with the operational overhead of managing a delivery program including scheduling, insurance and tip-outs. For those who do delivery themselves, your Grubhub Account Advisor can help you optimize your fees, minimums and delivery zone to ensure you are attractive to local diners.

4. Streamline point-of-sale operations

Did you know that Grubhub can integrate with your restaurant’s point-of-sales (POS) or ordering system? Grubhub works with all kinds of technology providers to help streamline a restaurant’s ordering and fulfillment operations. Restaurants can increase efficiency by simplifying order throughput to a single system. This integration can help restaurants increase efficiency, update multiple menus in real time and streamline employee training. Streamlining your technology reduces clutter and makes managing your restaurant easier.

Check out what POS systems you can integrate with Grubhub.

5. Analyze your diner data

With online ordering from Grubhub, restaurant owners have detailed access to their order data. Through dedicated, secure accounts, restaurant owners can access their restaurant sales data from a tablet or computer. The customer insights dashboard gives insight into the online ordering habits of specific customer groups. Metrics such as month-over-month order volume allow owners and managers to review the restaurant’s performance, spot trends and identify new opportunities for growth.

6. Promote your online ordering link

Now that you have all the tools you need to process online orders, the last step is to spread the word. One of the best ways to reach customers directly is through social media. Creating and maintaining Instagram, Facebook and even TikTok accounts for your restaurant is a great way to get your cuisine in front of interested customers. Make sure to add a link to your restaurant’s online ordering site like Direct, Grubhub or your website to your social media bios.

You also want to make sure your restaurant is searchable on the web. Creating a website for your restaurant if you don’t have one, or optimizing your website to include a way to place an order is essential in establishing an online presence. 77% of consumers reported they are likely to visit a restaurant’s website before they dine in or order takeout and delivery. Including your online ordering link on your website can prompt customers to place an order. If you claim your restaurant on Google Business, you can customize what link diners are directed to when they look up your restaurant.

Grow your restaurant with Grubhub

At Grubhub, we understand that running a restaurant doesn’t come with a recipe. That’s why we are always looking for the best solutions to help restaurants grow. Whether you use Grubhub for delivery and pickup, or have customized your Direct site to get more commission-free orders, there are many ways you can get the most out of your Grubhub partnership. Is your restaurant not on Grubhub yet? Partner with Grubhub today to reach new customers and grow your business. Sign up now!

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Boost deliveries and test new menu concepts with virtual restaurants

The pandemic changed the way customers order from restaurants. Offering delivery and pickup has become essential for restaurants to stay competitive, shifting the way we understand restaurant growth. This change has also led to the rise of a new type of restaurant: virtual restaurants.

Virtual restaurants have become one of the biggest growth opportunities in the industry. The virtual restaurant market is estimated to reach $1 trillion by 2030, proving this type of business to be a reliable avenue for growth. Virtual restaurants can launch in about a quarter of the time of a physical restaurant, saving you time and money.

Read on to learn what virtual restaurants are, then be sure to download the checklist to understand exactly how you can experiment with a new brand of cuisine while growing your delivery sales.

Demystifying The Virtual Restaurant

Also known as virtual kitchens, ghost kitchens or delivery-only restaurants, the virtual restaurant concept is actually quite simple.

They are delivery-only operations that accept orders solely online—through apps and websites like Grubhub. With no need for a brick and mortar location, the restaurant only exists online.

Restaurateurs can launch a virtual restaurant to experiment with a new menu concept, brand a subset of existing menu items or capture unique customer demands for particular food in the market. In this way, restaurants can open up a whole new “restaurant” without any additional expenditure on staff or rent.

Since all orders are placed digitally and delivered, customers don’t know (or care) that the restaurant is “virtual.” They may even be excited to try new concepts if they are put out by their favorite local restaurant. Their only concern is that the food tastes great, is easy to order and is delivered to their door.

Paving The Way To Your Own Virtual Restaurant

So what goes into creating a stellar virtual dining experience? Take a look at these steps you can follow to launch your own virtual restaurant.

Download the Virtual Restaurant checklist

Step 1: Choose Your Cuisine

Your menu can expand your existing offerings or be based on a subset of items from your current menu. You can even test out an entirely different concept—one that may even be completely different from your physical restaurant. With the data provided by Grubhub, you can even pinpoint what type of food customers are searching for, but not finding, within your delivery boundaries, and create a menu that fills that gap.

Once you’ve decided on what type of cuisine you want to serve, the next step is to engineer your menu. Explore how competitors price and market their cuisine, look into local diners’ ordering habits and decide how you want to source ingredients. You’ll need to compile data to calculate food costs, identify contribution margins and determine what menu items are likely to sell. After you’ve evaluated this data, the final step is to create menu prices. These prices don’t need to be set in stone – you should evaluate your business during the first few months of operations to optimize your menu.

Step 2: Create Your Brand

Now that you know what you want to sell, you need to brand your restaurant to build customer recognition. Your brand should reflect your virtual restaurant’s cuisine type and niche. Spend time deciding on brand assets like a name, logo, theme and photos – these things will be the first things diners see when they order from your restaurant.

Use your branding to convey your restaurant’s identity and distinguish it from competitors. Make sure you have a good understanding of your target customers before you finalize branding to ensure that your restaurant’s theme will resonate with them.

Step 3: Develop a delivery strategy

Virtual restaurants cannot function without delivery. Your virtual restaurant’s delivery fleet should be professional, timely and efficient. Because your restaurant doesn’t have a physical storefront, your drivers are the ones who will interact with customers. Ensuring you have the best drivers can make sure your brand is represented well.

Grubhub delivery can help take work off your plate by handling out-of-house services for your virtual brand. Grubhub delivery allows restaurants to expand their delivery boundaries and reach customers in a timely manner, giving diners real-time updates on their progress. Our fleet of over 300,000 drivers are experienced and professional, equipped with the right tools to make sure your cuisine reaches your customers.

Step 4: Launch Your Virtual Restaurant

So you think you’re ready to launch your virtual restaurant? Before you start cooking, make sure you have enough inventory to support your virtual restaurant staff. Your staff should be trained on how the virtual kitchen will operate, and you should have a plan on how your virtual restaurant will work in tandem with your brick and mortar location if applicable.

Launching your virtual restaurant is as simple as publishing your menu online. You can add an online ordering link to your restaurant’s website to start. Want to get your restaurant in front of eager diners instantly? You can list your virtual restaurant on a third-party delivery platform like Grubhub to get access to 33+ million customers. Listing your restaurant on Grubhub Marketplace makes it easy for customers to place an order right from any device via an app or online platform.

Grubhub partners also get access to Direct, a commission-free online ordering platform that is completely free to use. With Direct, you can list your virtual restaurant’s menu online and easily manage restaurant info from your existing Grubhub account. Direct can also integrate into your existing website, giving customers an easy way to place an order. And the cherry on top is that Direct collects customer data that you can download for free and use to better target your marketing efforts. Learn more about how Direct can help your virtual restaurant grow.

Step 5: Market your virtual brand

A virtual restaurant isn’t subject to the same street recognition as brick and mortar restaurants. Restaurants that don’t have a physical dining room need to put in extra effort to make their presence known. Simply creating a website isn’t enough to generate a customer base. You need to market your new brand to potential customers to make them aware of your offerings.

Your marketing strategy should be holistic – covering web, email, social media and good old fashioned word of mouth. Your restaurant’s website should contain all the necessary info about your brand, featuring the menu, hours, delivery method and how to order. Modern diners use social media to explore new cuisines. Create social media pages for your restaurant on popular platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok to share your creations. Once you start getting customers, collect their emails so you can send them announcements, deals and promotions to prompt them to place an order.

Just because your restaurant doesn’t have a physical location that customers can visit doesn’t mean you can’t connect with your local community. Old fashioned forms of marketing like fliers, signs and press announcements are a great way to make your presence known to your neighborhood. You can even partner with local businesses to cater an event to grow awareness of your brand.

Finally, encourage your customers to leave reviews about your restaurant on your website, Google Business page or on Grubhub. Reviews are a great way to legitimize your restaurant, especially when you’re just starting out. Plus, positive reviews can serve as free marketing for your restaurant.

Making A Virtual Restaurant Work For You

There are many exciting advantages to opening a virtual restaurant in addition to your physical restaurant.

  • Obtain High Rewards For Low Investment. Virtual restaurants are efficient and save money because they grow your business without increasing overhead costs.
  • Grow Delivery Sales. You can open up new channels of revenue using the same amount of staff, space and resources by operating one, or multiple, virtual restaurants out of one physical kitchen.
  • Reach New Customers. By branching out with a new concept, you can reach an entirely different customer base.
  • Innovate and Lead. With little risk, you are free to experiment and test out what works to create successful concepts and satisfy needs in your particular market. Also, being able to change your menu on the fly without updating printed menus or signage allows you to be flexible and creative.
  • Increase Digital Presence. By living online, your brand will get valuable exposure through the Grubhub website and mobile app.

Whether you want to increase delivery sales or experiment with a new restaurant concept, a virtual restaurant can help you reach your goals with low risk and high rewards. Learn more about opening a virtual restaurant. Ready to reach new customers and grow your business with Grubhub? Signup today!

Download the Virtual Restaurants guide
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19 June food holidays for your restaurant to celebrate

Did you know 45% of US customers say they’ve tried a new restaurant after seeing a restaurant’s post on social media? That’s why it’s more important than ever to make sure your restaurant is establishing an effective social media strategy to grab customers’ attention. One great way to make your restaurant stand out online is to celebrate national food holidays on social media.

Take a look at these tips on how you can take advantage of food holidays this month and keep scrolling to get the full June calendar.

What are national food holidays?

National food holidays are micro holidays that center around a certain cuisine. They are often celebrated on social media and encourage diners to band together to show appreciation for everything from veggie burgers (June 5) to cannolis (June 16). While these holidays don’t warrant a day off, they can still be fun to observe and celebrate. As a restaurant owner, a food holiday is the perfect excuse to offer an irresistible promotion that will encourage diners to place an order.

Why your restaurant should celebrate national food holidays

Everyone loves having something to celebrate, and restaurants can use food holidays to build excitement around their dishes. Food holidays are particularly popular on social media as diners go online to share what cuisine they’re celebrating. Acknowledging a food holiday on social media by using the holiday’s hashtag can instantly make your restaurant relevant to a wider audience.

Food holidays put specific dishes top of mind. When diners are craving pizza on National Vanilla Milkshake Day (June 20), you want your frosty creation at the center of the celebration. Posting about your food can motivate diners to order from your restaurant. In fact, 53% of millennial TikTok users visited a restaurant after seeing it on the app. Incorporating food holidays in your social media strategy incentivizes hungry diners to check out your cuisine.

19 June food holidays for your restaurant to celebrate

3 tips for marketing national food holidays

A successful food holiday marketing strategy begins with a strong digital presence. Modern diners flock online to discover new restaurants and place orders. Digital tactics are important for your restaurant marketing strategy.

To make your national food holiday celebrations as effective as possible, tie them into a larger restaurant marketing strategy that looks at the big picture, not just a single opportunity. A restaurant marketing strategy is a formal plan that documents, tracks and analyzes all your marketing efforts and activities.

1. Pile on promotions

Nothing motivates a diner to press ‘order now’ more than a discount. Rolling out promotions not only attracts more customers to your menu, but also encourages loyalty. Diners are more likely to place repeat orders if they think a restaurant has a good deal. In fact, 81% of consumers would switch restaurants if they saw a good deal. Your food holiday promotions can be the first thing that catches a potential customer’s eye.

Here are some promotion ideas that can get diners drooling for your dishes:

  • Discount dollar amounts: On National Smoothie Day (June 21), offer $1 off your smoothies.
  • Discounted items: Celebrate National Strawberry Shortcake Day (June 14) by offering 50% off a slice of shortcake when a customer purchases an entrée.
  • Discount-themed ingredients: Celebrate Cheese Day (June 4) by offering 20% ​​off all cheesy menu items.
  • Free items with purchase: On National Donut Day (June 2) offer a free donut to every customer that orders from your app.

When you partner with Grubhub, launching promotions is as easy as pie. Restaurants that partner with Grubhub gain access to free-to-use promotional and marketing tools that are proven to increase orders and customers.

With Grubhub’s Promotions and Loyalty Tools, you can:

  • Run seasonal promotions to make the most of national food holidays
  • Offer your customer the right discount at the right time
  • Increase your ROI with our advanced technology and huge volumes of restaurant and customer data

2. Highlight online ordering

Getting customers excited about a food holiday is great, but unless you give them an easy avenue to place an order, all that momentum around your dishes will be lost.

Your restaurant’s website serves as the backbone of your digital presence. Your website should have all things a diner needs to know about your restaurant – this includes your menu, hours, location, story and an online ordering platform. Finding a platform that converts curious diners into satisfied customers can be difficult. That’s why restaurants are turning to Direct to reach more customers, drive online ordering and establish their advertising efforts with zero commission costs.

88% of restaurant operators stated a branded experience is very important for sales. With Direct, your restaurant can create an online ordering web page that’s designed and branded to match your existing restaurant’s look and feel. It can be easily integrated into your existing website (if you have one) or can act as your main site if need be. Learn more about how Direct can drive online ordering.

Once your website is up and running, you want to make sure it’s searchable. When potential diners search your restaurant on Google, your Business Profile is usually the first thing to pop up. Claim your restaurant’s Google Business Profile so that you can make sure it correctly displays your hours, address, pricing and website link. When your Business Profile features the correct info and links, it’s far more likely a customer will place an order or come in to check you out.

3. Get social

Nobody will know your restaurant is celebrating a national food holiday unless you spread the word. That’s where social media comes in. TikTok, Instagram and Facebook are all powerful places to establish a restaurant social media presence.

Looking for some tips to make your restaurant pop on social media? Try these ideas:

  • Showcase your dishes by posting delectable photos and videos of them on national food holidays.
  • Use trending hashtags like #NationalCheeseDay or #NationalDonutDay to reach a larger audience beyond your social media followers.
  • Use local hashtags like #BostonFoodie or #NYCeats to connect with customers nearby.
  • create a quiz about your dishes to boost engagement with your national food holiday promotions.
  • Launch a contest with prizes that relate to your restaurant and die in with your national food holiday promotion.

It’s easy for restaurant owners’ plates to pile up, leaving little time to strategize about marketing. That’s why developing a social media calendar is essential for planning out how you will roll out your promotions.

A social media calendar is a way to organize your upcoming social media posts and promotions by date. Planning posts in advance gives you time to lay out promotions, batch content and solidify your menu to align with your offerings.

Check out these tips on how to market national food holidays on social media.

What social media holidays are coming next?

June signals the start of summer where customers are eager to celebrate everything from veggie burgers (June 5) to ice cream cake (June 27). June also brings Pride Month, Juneteenth and Father’s Day. Last year, over 450,000 orders were placed on Father’s Day. Is your restaurant prepared for this top ordering holiday? No matter what cuisine you’re celebrating, it pays to run a food holiday promotion.

Download our Guide to National Food Holidays to learn how to spearhead your promotional marketing and elevate your digital presence. Use your new calendar to create a marketing plan or amplify your existing one. National food holidays could be your next step toward increased sales and a wealth of new customers.

June national food holidays

June is National Soul Food Month and National Steakhouse Month.

  • June 2: National Donut Day
  • June 3: National Egg Day
  • June 4: National Cheese Day
  • June 5: National Veggie Burger Day
  • June 6: National Churros Day
  • June 7: National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
  • June 9: National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day
  • June 10: National Egg Roll Day
  • June 11: National Corn on the Cob Day
  • June 12: National Falafel Day
  • June 14: National Strawberry Shortcake Day
  • June 16: National Cannoli Day
  • June 18: Father’s Day
  • June 20: National Vanilla Milkshake Day
  • June 21: National Smoothie Day
  • June 22: National Onion Ring Day
  • June 24: National Pralines Day
  • June 26: National Chocolate Pudding Day
  • June 27: National Ice Cream Cake Day
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How to grow a restaurant’s social media following

Food is everywhere on social media. Spend just a few minutes scrolling and you’ll see restaurants, private chefs and food bloggers showing off their latest creations. It’s easy to see why — highly visual platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest are the perfect place to display mouthwatering dishes. If you’re not using social media marketing for your restaurant, it’s time to get posting.

Why is social media marketing important for restaurants?

Social media is critical for your restaurant marketing plan — after all, it’s where your customers are spending time. According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of American adults use at least one social media platform. People between the ages of 18 and 49 are particularly active; more than 80% of this age group use social media regularly. The majority of users visit their preferred platforms at least once every day.

Your customers aren’t just connecting with friends; they’re using social media to search for potential restaurants and make purchasing decisions. An MHG study found that 45% of American diners have decided to try a restaurant because they saw one of its posts on social media.

Building a social media presence takes time, even if you use a social media management company, but it can have a significant impact on your business. The benefits of social media marketing for both large and small restaurants include:

  • Increased brand awareness and brand recognition
  • Creating a stronger brand identity
  • Converting followers into customers
  • Building customer loyalty
  • Expanding your audience
  • Building social proof

How to choose the right platform

If you’re like most restaurant owners, you don’t have time to maintain profiles on every major social media platform. To maximize your ROI, all you need to do is choose the platform where your target audience is most active. Later, you can expand to other social media channels.

Facebook

Facebook is the largest social media platform across all age groups, according to Gallup research. About 60% of all Americans aged 18-34 and 55+ use the service daily or weekly, in addition to 66% of people 35-54 years old. No matter your target audience, a Facebook page is a must.

Many users see Facebook as an extension of a brand’s website; they come to check current opening hours, see daily specials and look at the menu. Facebook also allows you to receive reviews, add links, post content and even answer FAQs via chat, so it’s an ideal place to build a community.

Instagram

Instagram is primarily a photo and video-sharing app. The platform is almost entirely visual, so it’s the perfect place to show off your best food photography. Instagram is an effective discovery engine; use appropriate hashtags and location tags to help people find your content. Instafoodies is a growing community, and sharing delectable photos and videos of your cuisine is a sure way to grow a following.

If your audience is between the ages of 18 and 54, Instagram is particularly useful. Gallup finds that the majority of this age group logs in daily or weekly. Customers 55 and older are less active on the app.

TikTok

If you have the resources to film and create short videos, TikTok can be a valuable digital marketing channel for your restaurant. This relatively young video platform is effective at delivering your content to new users, so it’s a good way to reach a bigger audience. To get the most value and exposure, keep up with trending video styles and sounds.

TikTok is a good way to reach younger diners. About 33% of people aged 18-34 use the platform frequently. According to Gallup, it’s also growing in popularity with millennials; 23% of people between the ages of 35 and 54 use the platform.

Twitter

Twitter is a useful social media marketing tool if you’re ready to engage with the community. The fast-moving feed has a limited character count, so you can share short, easily digestible bits of information. Make sure to allocate time to respond to comments, answer questions, and join in on discussions — Twitter is all about conversations.

Twitter is on par with TikTok when it comes to usage, but those stats are likely to change as TikTok grows. Currently, the platform is used daily or weekly by 36% of people aged 18-34 years, 23% of people aged 35-54 and 13% of adults aged 55 or older.

Social media marketing tips and tricks

Restaurant social media marketing is flexible. If one post type doesn’t work, you can adjust your social media strategy quickly and cheaply. As a restaurant owner, it’s a good idea to stick to these best practices:

  • Stay professional, but establish a unique voice
  • Track analytics to identify the best-performing content
  • Engage your audience
  • Keep up with the latest trends
  • Use hashtags to join the conversation

1. Create a consistent brand voice

Every time you post on a social media account, use a similar style and tone. Consistency gives your restaurant a distinct personality, which attracts customers and builds familiarity.

If you’re not sure where to start, imagine your restaurant is a person. How would it speak? Would it use slang, or would it be more formal? It’s also helpful to consider the words and tone your target audience will respond to.

2. Share rewards, discounts and limited-time offers

Give your social media followers a reason to visit your restaurant by offering special deals and offers. Add a promo code for online orders, or invite people to follow your profile to get a discount when dining in. You can run promotions during happy hours, food holidays or even slow days of the week.

3. Host a social media contest to build customer loyalty

Social media algorithms reward engagement; if your posts get a high volume of likes, comments and shares, the platform is more likely to show future content to more people. Contests are a fun way to generate more leads and encourage viewers to follow, create user-generated content and interact with your profile.

keep it simple; you can post a photo and host an informal caption contest, ask people to post their best food photos, or invite followers to name your newest menu item. Offer a prize that boosts business, such as a free meal or branded merchandise. Make sure to cross-promote your social media marketing contest on other channels.

4. Deliver an authentic social media presence

Modern social media users are exceptionally savvy — they respond best to authenticity and enthusiasm. To build stronger connections, showcase the human side of your restaurant. Offer a behind-the-scenes peek into the kitchen, introduce your staff, and explain the meaning behind your restaurant logo. You can also hop on the “no gatekeeping” trend by sharing recipes and cooking tricks.

5. Establish a healthy cadence

A regular posting schedule is essential for social media brand-building; it ensures a steady flow of content. Aim to post at least three times per week, or more if you have the resources.

Consider creating a content calendar to plan posts in advance. That way, you can write content and take photos whenever you have free time. On posting day, all you have to do is hit the “publish” button. Facebook and Instagram even allow you to schedule future posts on the platform.

6. Reach out to an influencer

Influencer social media marketing is a great way to get your restaurant in front of a new social network. The process is simple: You pay food bloggers and social media personalities to promote your brand to their followers. Stick to people in your area, and don’t be afraid to work with micro influencers; their followings are often small but highly engaged.

7. Try a little video marketing

Video is the most popular and highest-performing social media in 2023, according to HubSpot’s The State of Marketing report. Engagement is particularly high on the short-form videos you’ll find on TikTok and Instagram reels. Try posting cooking tutorials, recipes or even beautiful clips of your top-selling menu items.

8. Respond to online reviews

Social media platforms are public forums; take advantage of that visibility by responding to negative reviews. When you’re professional, friendly and transparent, it builds trust and strengthens relationships. While you’re at it, leverage customer feedback to boost engagement and improve your operations.

9. Showcase menu updates

Social media is one of the most direct channels to reach customers. Instagram and Facebook are often the two common platforms diners check to get updates on your restaurant. Posting about your menu updates, restaurant announcements or seasonal changes can get your latest news to your customers in real time. Letting customers know about your restaurant’s changes can help drum up excitement and give diners a reason to place an order.

10. Increase takeout and delivery sales by promoting online ordering

Customers often scroll through social media when they’re trying to choose a restaurant for lunch or dinner. If they see something that appeals to them, they’re likely to order right away. Make it easier by promoting your online ordering options in your posts. Update your social media profile with links to your online ordering website and partner delivery apps. If you’re posting on Twitter or your Facebook page, you can include a clickable link in the post itself.

If you don’t currently have a way for customers to order online, Grubhub Direct is an easy way to build a branded, commission-free ordering website. The Direct Success Playbook can help you increase orders, create special promotions, and improve your marketing.

Create a commission-free, customized ordering website with

Social media marketing is a cost-effective way to get your restaurant in front of hungry diners. Start small, post regularly, and don’t be afraid to experiment — it’s a great way to find out what content resonates best with your audience.

Use social media to build a loyal following and increase your restaurant’s sales

Social media is a great marketing tool to help you reach new customers, build a fan base, and increase your restaurant’s sales. From promoting a dine-in special to using commission-free direct ordering links from Grubhub for Restaurants, social media can help increase your restaurant’s sales and build a restaurant brand.

Need a partner to help get your menu in front of more paying customers? Partner with Grubhub today to reach 33+ hungry diners and grow your business.

Hotels
American Hotel Income Properties REIT (OTCMKTS:AHOTF) Price Target Raised to C$3.00 at National Bank Financial

American Hotel Income Properties REIT (OTCMKTS:AHOTF – Get Rating) had its price objective hoisted by National Bank Financial to C$3.00 in a research report released on Monday morning, The Fly reports.

Separately, Scotiabank dropped their price objective on American Hotel Income Properties REIT from C$3.75 to C$3.50 in a report on Tuesday, March 7th.

American Hotel Income Properties REIT Stock Performance

AHOTF opened at $1.90 on Monday. American Hotel Income Properties REIT has a one year low of $1.69 and a one year high of $3.06. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $1.84 and its 200-day simple moving average is $1.97.

About American Hotel Income Properties REIT

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American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP engages in investing in hotel real estate properties. Its long-term objectives are to: increase the value of its hotel properties through operating excellence, active asset management and invest in value-added capital expenditures, expand its hotel portfolio through acquisitions on an accretive basis, and increase unitholder value and distributions to unitholders .

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