These restaurant marketing strategies show different ways casual dining establishments are promoting themselves, whether through interactive initiatives, promotional packaging or other advertising avenues.
Mobile apps for the smartphone are an easy way to reach consumers, especially brand loyalists. Honoring frequent guests can be as simple as an incentives program or launching a line-skipping service like Chili's.
In addition to popular channels such as creative packaging design or entertaining commercials, interactive restaurant marketing strategies are another way to engage audiences. This includes contests, from digital burger giveaway campaigns to fantasy football contests. While one is more broad, the other appeals to a more segmented or niche area within the customer base companies are trying to reach and retain.
Rebranding efforts are a way to make old things new, bringing in new people while also keeping things fresh for others.
15 Casual Restaurant Marketing Strategies
15
Dynamic Food Packaging
Prime Star's Healthy Food Branding is Quirky and Active
14
Vibrant Vintage Brewpub Branding
The Freehouse's Contemporary Brand Identity Gets It Just Right
13
Active Vegetarian Packaging
This Restaurant Branding Design Blends Healthy Food & Activity
12
Picturesque Ice Cream Branding
The SPIN! Gelato Design Uses a Cute Frame for Details
11
Smartphone Pancake Spoofs
Denny's Created an Advertisement to Spoof the iPhone 5S Gold
10
Re-Branded Fast Food Franchises
Denny's 'The Den' Restaurant Targets a Millennial Demographic
9
Bottomless Pasta Passes
Olive Garden's All You Can Eat Pasta Pass Will Feed You Through the Fall
8
Digital Burger Giveaway Campaigns
TGI Fridays is Boosting Business Through Shareable Discounts
7
Line-Skipping Dining Apps
The Chili's Waitlisting App Will Launch in Summer 2015
6
Bottomless Appetizer Promotions
TGI Fridays' $10 Endless Appetizers Runs Throughout the Summer
5
Christmas Kissing Drones
TGI Fridays UK Gets Couples to Kiss Under the Mistletoe
4
Incentivized Loyalty Apps
Hooters' HootClub Customer Loyalty App Gives Frequent Diners Big Prizes
3
Informal Grillhouse Rebranding
Bo's Steak & Grill Gets a New Identity as 'Cole's Backyard Grill'
2
Aspirational Lifestyle Ads
This Panera Spot is Part of an New Manifesto-Driven Campaign
1
Fantasy Football Contests
These Buffalo Wild Wings Promotions Consist of Three Different Games
Related Ideas
Experiential Convenience Stores
FamilyMart Announced IP-Centered Store Experiences in Japan
Fan-Created Menu Items
Creative Customer Orders Inspired the Taco Bell Fan Style Menu
Pristine Fast Food Campaigns
McDonald's All Flavour, No Mess Spotlights a Tidy Snack
Show-Inspired QSR Menus
The Stranger Things Meals Campaign Introduces Two Parallel Food Options
Minimalist Pizza Chain Rebrandings
The Latest Domino's Brand Refresh is Expansive
Licensed Flavor Collaborations
Conagra Blends Celebrity and Brand Partnerships Into Snacks
Spring Cocktail Menus
Applebee's Launched a Drink Menu With Celebrity Spirit Collaborations
Next-Gen Jelly Bean Campaigns
Jelly Belly Bean Appétit Entices a New Generation of Fans
Mobile Cafe Pop-Ups
Coach Introduced a Vibrant Coffee Truck in Gotemba, Japan
Fashion-Branded Café Experiences
Vogue Blends Retail with Immersive Hospitality Spaces
Night QSR Campaigns
The Mcdonald’s Night Posters Turn Post-Party Cravings into Glowing Urban Art
Gamified Condiment Experiences
HEINZ’s Ketchup Blast Turns Meals Interactive
Supermarket Tourism Campaigns
K-Supermarket's Tripadvisor Listings Share a Taste of Food Culture
AI Merchant Onboarding Tools
DoorDash Launches Its AI Merchant Tools
Experiential Fast Food Collaborations
Popeyes Turned Chicken Tenders Into a Music Venue Experience
Hockey Playoff Restaurant Campaigns
Boston Pizza Launched Its Hockey Playoff Campaign in Canada
Real-Food Entrée Giveaways
The Chipotle Realest 30 Will Share a Text-to-Claim Code on Game Day
Clinical K-Beauty Pop-Ups
Rejuran Debuts Science-Led Skincare Through a Sephora LA Activation
Experiential Brand Stores
New Era Creates Interactive Retail Space With Custom Cap Design
QSR Secret Menus
Mcdonald’s Secret Menu Launch Turns Fan Hacks into Official Offerings
High-Value Pizzeria Promotions
The Little Caesars More for $9.99 Promotion Maximizes Value
Girl Dinner Experiences
Waverly Kitchen + Bar Curates Shareable Comfort Food Plates
Festive Convenient Store Offerings
7-Eleven Gears Up for the Holidays with Food, Beverages & More
Gamified Snack Packaging
Hershey’s Released Pokémon Chocolates with 151 Collectible Foil Designs
Mobile Beauty Pop-Ups
Henkel’s göt2b Debuts a Citywide Mobile Beauty Experience
Personalized Fast-Casual Branding
FUSIAN Rebrands Around Customization and Bold Visual Identity
Approachable Modern Cleaning Products
Oven Pride Debuted Three Products with Refreshed Branding
Comprehensive Fast Food Reports
Yum! Brands, Inc. Explores Food Trends Influencing the Industry
Basketball Championship-Themed Convenience Promotions
7-Eleven is Offering Deals for March Madness
Workplace Meal Culture
ezCater Shows Employee Food Programs Driving Office Engagement
Entertainment-Powered Retail Experiences
AT&T Brings Toy Story 5 to Interactive Store Activations
Automated Marketing Agents
Toast Launches Its Toast IQ Grow To Automate Restaurant Campaigns
Burger Ad Campaigns
Burger King’s New Campaign Suggests Even Babies Can’t Resist the Whopper
Celebrative Ketchup Campaigns
Heinz Lunched its Festive 'It's Heinz Season' in Southeast Asia
Weekday Value Dining
KFC Expanded Its $10 Chicken Deals Into Daily Meal Offers
Chicken Wing Teasing Campaigns
This Pizza Hut Wings Campaign Pokes Fun at Competitors
Website-Based Restaurant Customizations
The 'Wix Restaurant Experiences' Enables Unique Dining
Coordinated Convenience-Focused Promotional Campaigns
7-Eleven Runs Promotions for Two Events
Experiential Grocery Campaigns
No Name launches a multi-city grocery goss campaign
World Cup Hospitality Experiences
Stella Artois Turns Bars into Immersive FIFA Viewing Locations
Artisanal Italian Cuisine Brands
Katie's is Taking the Frozen Food Sector by Storm
Photocopied Fast Food Campaigns
McDonald's Office Delivery Ads Scanned Popular Menu Items
Culture-Driven Product Launches
Church’s Texas Chicken launches Churchie Sauce with a local event
Reimagined Pizza Loyalty Programs
Pizza Hut Reels in Customers with Hut Rewards
Mediterranean Street Food Expansion
Nick the Greek grows demand for authentic fast-casual gyros
Regional Discovery Dining
Wine Bar Highlights Lesser-Known Regions Through Monthly Tastings
Experience-Enhancing POS Retail Apps
MomentScience Reveals MomentApps
Lightweight Restaurant Apps
Curate Boosts Restaurant Loyalty with No-Download Apple App Clips
Regional Culinary Identity-Inspired Menus
Culver's Reveals a "Forward-Looking Menu Strategy"
Autonomous Menu Systems
Deliverect AI Optimizes Restaurant Menus in Real Time
Gas Station Meal Expansions
7-Eleven Enters Fast-Food Territory with Chicken Items
Wellness Dining Experiences
CRISP & GREEN Combines Fitness Events With Healthy Meals
Dining Delivery Platform Partnerships
Toast and Uber Partnered to Streamline Operations
Anti-Shrinkflation Restaurant Campaigns
The Back to Maggiano's Campaign Focuses on Large Portions
Restaurant Reservation App Features
Uber Eats' Dine Out Streamlines Restaurant Bookings and Rides
Interactive Traveling Marketing Initiatives
Heinz Pllayfully Spotlights the Heinz Ketchup Zero
Culinary Tradition Food Campaigns
The Merchant Gourmet 'Yes Chef!' Campaign is Running Now
Football-Focused Venue Marketing Campaigns
Dave & Buster's Delivers on Social Atmosphere & Dining
Customized Restaurant Campaign Platforms
OpenTable Has Launched OpenTable Media
Emotional Delivery Campaigns
Shipt’s 'No Order Is Ordinary' Campaign Emphasizes Connection
Social-to-Outdoor Campaigns
Tribesigns Extends TikTok's Super Wish Campaign to Times Square
Region-Specific Pizza Campaigns
Emmy Squared Pizza Launches Regionally Inspired Pizzas in the US
Limited-Edition Beer Campaigns
San Miguel launches a Limited-Edition Beer Campaign for Summer
Localized Retail Media Platforms
Snappy Shopper Launches Connect, a Retail Media Network
Athlete-Branded Outdoor Appliances
Ninja Launched a New Campaign For Upgraded Backyard Cooking
Branded App Takeovers
TikTok Introduces Logo Takeover Ads That Dominate the App’s Opening Screen
Limited-Time Asian BBQ Pizzas
Happy's Pizza Launches an Asian BBQ Menu
Post-Game Breakfast Campaigns
McDonald's Flipped Its Ads Sideways for Super Bowl Recovery
Restaurant-Supporting Loyalty Platforms
inKind Boasts Its Successes on Its 10-Year Anniversary
Menu Discovery Challenges
Original ChopShop's Feel Good Foodie Challenge Rewards Menu Exploration
Gamified Destination Tourism
Connecticut Launches Rewards Platform for Local Exploration
Shrimp Chips-Focused Campaigns
Calbee America Launches 'What the Wild Ones Eat' Campaign
Weekly Diner Restaurant Rewards
Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom Make It or Break It is Rewarding
Simplified Food Campaigns
gusto! Relaunched its Feel Good Flavor Mission
Consumer-Driven Bakery Brand Transformations
The Panera RISE Strategy is a Four-Part Plan
Rewarding Dining Gift Promotions
The CRISP & GREEN Wrap Up Wellness Campaign is Festive
Greek-Inspired Bakery Packagings
The Daily Greek Packaging Rebranded by A.S. Strategy
Donation-Based Menu Deals
Domino’s Turns Pizza Purchases into Donations for Kids with Illnesses
Anti-Shrinkflation QSR Initiatives
These Jack in the Box Value Deals Offer Ample Food and Drink
Texas-Honoring Pizza Campaigns
Pizza Hut Launches the Nothin' Tops Texas Campaign
AI Menu Optimization
Doordash Uses AI to Improve Menu Descriptions and Food Visuals
Joint Holiday Pizza Promotions
Stoner's Pizza Joint is Marking National Pizza Day and V-Day
Local Food Discoveries
Streeats Helps You Find Hidden Street Food Gems Recommended By Locals
Intimate Social Dinner Concepts
Dinner With Friends NYC Features Low-Pressure Communal Dinners
All-in-One Digital Dining Marketplaces
This OpenTable Marketplace is for Private and Group Dining
Clinical Retail Media
PatientPoint Bridges Healthcare and Commerce
Social Food Delivery Apps
The 'Zesty' App from DoorDash Helps Users Find New Restaurants
Pet-Inclusive Dining
BarkHaven Expands Food and Entertainment for Dogs and Owners
Embedded Safety Networks
‘Ask for Angela’ Builds Retail-Based Support Systems Across Toronto
App Promotion Marketplaces
Boost Downloads And User Engagement With Indie App Santa’s App Features
Foodservice Product Showcases
McLane Company is Unveiling New Products at the 2025 NACS Show
Holiday-Themed Restaurant Events
Dave & Buster's Debuts Holiday Events and Promotions
Nourishing Community-Focused Initiatives
Fresh Thyme Market Expands Efforts During the Holidays
Playful Brand Messaging Campaigns
Chicago Town Pizza Unveiled the 'It IS that deep' Ad
Nostalgic Dessert Mashups
Wendy’s Combines Cookie Dough and Brownie Batter in Frosty Treats
Phygital Loyalty Experiences
Lush Links App Rewards to In-Store Events and Services
Cultural Dining Discovery
AuthFoodMaps Helps Users Find Authentic Ethnic Restaurants Nearby
Video-Based Mystery Shopping Technologies
Blaze Pizza Partners with Reality Based Group
Digital Dining Platforms
Menu Restaurant Combines Online Ordering And Real Time Invoice Tracking
Charitable App-Focused Initiatives
Slim Chickens Supports No Kid Hungry Through App Downloads
Restaurant Opening Lead Service
Flhip.com Offers Ready-to-Use Restaurant Opening Leads
In-Store Ad Networks
ISM Powers Programmatic Advertising Across Retail Locations
Retail Beverage Experiences
The Paper Store Uses Custom Drink Stations to Boost Engagement
Franchise Commerce Marketing
poppi Connects Retail Products with Love Island Experiences
Community-Centered Bakery Cafés
Paris Baguette expands through neighborhood café experiences
Food Delivery Solutions
'Food Delivery App Development Solutions' Help Businesses Launch Apps
Kebab-Inspired Restaurant Totems
KFC Calls Attention to Its New Döner Menu via its Totems
Gothic Romance Restaurant Campaigns
Eggslut's Egg Yearning Explores an Unexpected Symbol of Desire
Digital Menu Platforms
Craft My Menu Offers Cloud POS, Analytics, Reservations And More
Modular Drive-Thru Displays
Creative Realities Debuts Flexible Digital Drive-Thru Platform
Food Image Enhancement Tools
AI Menu Photo Turns Food Images Into Professional Marketing Visuals
Convenience Dining Growth
Checkers & Rally’s Grows Through Travel Centers and Convenience Stores
Valentine's Day Dining Research
OpenTable Compiles Data on Valentine's Day Dining Trends
Pizza Chain Evolution Strategies
Donatos Pizza Has Outlined a Series of Strategic Developments
Swipe Interface Restaurant Platforms
'Foodie Call' Helps Users Find Options for Meals
Restaurant Menu Platforms
Create Menus Lets Restaurants Design And Host Digital Menus Quickly
Commission-Free Food Marketplaces
Lunchbox & OPA! Deliver Alternative to Third-Party Marketplaces
Brandless Packaging Campaigns
McDonald’s Tested a Name-Free 'Famous Order' Promotion
Restaurant Anniversary Promotions
The Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom Cinco Cero Tour Marks 50 Years
Purpose-Led Emerging Brands Initiatives
7-Eleven Taps 27 Brands for Its 2026 Brands with Heart™
Resolution-Inspired Pizza Promotions
Marco's Pizza Explores Healthier Eating and Value Incentives
Regional Authenticity Dining
Marco’s Pizza Introduced a New York–Style Pizza Experience
Menu Recommendation Tools
DishFinder Helps Users Discover Top-Rated Dishes at Restaurants
Comfort-Focused Beef Campaigns
National Cattlemen's Beef Association Promotes Beef Consumption
Unified QSR Platforms
Taco John’s Streamlines Operations with Cloud-Based Systems
Casual Game Discovery Apps
PizzaSlice Helps Users Find Relaxing, Chill Indie Games Easily
Meal Delivery Brand Advantages
Clean Eatz Kitchen Signals to Its Advantages in the Market
Food Delivery Platforms
Food Devilery App Development Builds Smart Secure Food Ordering Platforms
Promotional Partnership Promotions
Savvy Sliders Teams With Girl Scouts For Cookie Discount
Complimentary Small Cheese Pizzas
Pizza Pizza Celebrated Sports Milestones with Free Pizza
Dining Organizer Apps
Yumbox Helps You Track And Filter Your Favorite Restaurants
Unified Restaurant Management
FoodChow Streamlines POS, Ordering, And Marketing For Restaurants
Itallian Restaurant Prototypes
Johnny Carino's Strives to Modernize the Dining Experience
Destination-Driven Luxury Dining
Seabourn Introduced Alaska-Inspired Culinary Cruise Experiences
Retail Conversation Marketing Campaigns
Tesco Launches 'Need Anything From Tesco' Platform
Elevated Diner Franchises
Billy’s Downtown Diner expands its modern diner concept in the midwest
Startup Marketing Resources
The Marketing Playbook For Startups Breaks Down 80+ Growth Tactics
Upgraded Crave-Worthy Menus
Dave & Buster's Debuts Biggest Menu Launch Ever
Limited-Time Value Menus
Krystal Launches a New $3 Menu And Krush'd Soda Upgrade
Celebratory Artisanal Pizzas
The California Pizza Kitchen National Pizza Month Promotion is Tasty