how can I promote my restaurant for little or no money?

Question

I am leaseing a kitchen from a bar that didn't serve food before . I don't know the best way to promote it. I have passed out flyers to local businesses and I have a banner coming next week. any other suggestions.

Answer 1

If the food is exceptional, you can sponsor a speed dating club. They can use the restaurant once or twice a month for their speed dating meetups and you will have a ready made clientle. Also there are many other groups in your area on meetup.com that need places to meet. Volunteer your restaurant and just keep the smells coming. They will eat and word of mouth will follow. Good Luck!

Answer 2

If you can get your hands on the phone numbers of your local radio stations, try calling them and seeing if they'd mind shouting out a spot on your new restaurant. Most DJ's are more than happy to comply as their business is all about their listeners. However, try calling the radio station directly (the request lines) and NOT THE CORPORATE OFFICE. The office will either try to charge you or won't get around to giving you a spot on the show. A simple ten second promo would be more than enough.

Also, my best suggestion is to make the opening night as stellar as possible. Ensure everyone is on point, the food is timely, the waiters are friendly and enthusiatic, and that there is at least one person on the managerial side of things walking around to tables and asking how their night at the restaurant is going. I cannot tell you how important all of these things are. If you make sure that the service is impeccable then word will spread about the restaurant. I've always said that WORD OF MOUTH is the best advertisement because not everyone will believe a flyer made by the restaurant claiming to be "the best". If someone was to hear it from a friend... they'd be more likely to try you all out.

Good luck and congratulations!

Answer 3

Ok, it is spelled-"leasing" Been There, done that-really! In Long Beach, CA-it took a few weeks-what I did first was to hand out a LOT of free samples-on small plates/disposable stuff-with a napkin and plastic utensils if needed. I also plastered the surrounding neighborhood (local bars draw from locals!) with "Buy 1, Get 1" deal on a REGULAR SMALL MENU for breakfast and Lunch (on car windshields). I ran REALLY good specials ($'s) when I could get good deals on meats or seafood; they could not buy it themselves for less! kEEP YOUR MENU THE SAME-add specials each week. Make sure to buy and keep special foods for your special customers-I kept rice and Vietnamese Hot sauces for one of mine, always had pie for another, always had fish/seafood for another-have a few veggie specials. Make your plate look spectacular. Take a few minutes with presentation. It all worked for me-and I got catering jobs out of there too. 3 days a week plus a few catering job, and I banked 2-3k a month (net net).

Throw in a extras, comp your regulars once in a while, and stay off the sauce while you're working-you'll save even more money doing so. Hope you negotiated to pay as little as possible for use of the kitchen (you're helping the owner-not the other way around)

Answer 4

I'd run around the neighborhood with some promo coupons, door hangers, etc... Give them some incentive to come in and try it at least once. It's up to you and your cooking whether they'd come back from there.

You should also try to do as much cross-promo as possible, tying your food to the bar's liquor.

One place I know has a Monday night cheap date night. Menu changes, but for a set amount ($20 each?) you get a full meal and a bottle of wine to split. It attracts people, and it's a nice atmosphere when most people are actually out on dates like that.

But even something as simple as beer and an appetizer for 7.95 could work.

Answer 5

Look hard at who you want to target. (Hopefully your product reflects this already). Then think about the most direct and effective way of reaching this specific target audience. Basically, know who your are trying to reach.

Market the place, dont advertise. There is a huge difference. Advertising is things like flyers and ads on the radio. Marketing is finding certain people, to whom the place will appeal. Preferably someone who will bring more people in. An example of good marketing could be to invite a concierge of a local hotel intoyour swanky restaurant to eat for free, in the hope that he will send his guests there in the future.

Answer 6

Run specials and discounts. Email local businesses about this or drop off flyers. Give them a discount for a day or a week. This way folks will come in for the discount, try the food, will be impressed and return again with their friends.

Answer 7

Every form of marketing needs money. You need to spend money to make money. Before anything, start working on building a website that people can log on and see what you are about. That way, if you some how create a name for yourself and people begin to wonder what you are about, they would have a source to find out. Nobody will bother to stop by your place just because a hint of your name pop-up up, but they will visit your site just to remedy their curiosity. You can also stick a sign on your car advertising your website and drive around town.

In short. Build a website, it's a must.

Answer 8

SUGGESTION - Create 3 specialty dishes, a fancy name. Pass out flyer's at places where it is easy for people to leave and come to your location just to try your specialty. This will boost the normal flow of traffic at the bar and spread the kitchens name to a bigger audience. Everybody have hot dogs and chili. Your specialty could be MEXICAN WIENER BOWLS. ( HOT DOGS CUT IN HALF COVERED WITH CHILE AND SHREDDED CHEESE SERVED IN A BOWL)

Answer 9

Contact some local morning radio shows and see if they'd let you come on the air during their show and promote your restaurant if you bring them in samples of the food.

Answer 10

Give away free food for one night. If they like it, they will come back.