4 Smart Back-to-School Advertising Solutions For Restaurants

In about three weeks, school bells will start ringing again! With the summer break now drawing to a close, you may think that traffic in your restaurant is about to slow down. But why should it? The back-to-school shopping season presents a golden opportunity to entice hungry students and their families to enter your eatery’s doors. What can you do to encourage them to select your restaurant?

Here are four smart back-to-school advertising solutions for restaurant:

1. Turn your eatery into a go-to study break destination.

Promote your eatery as a place that gives students and teachers much-needed respites from the classroom grind. Offer enticing deals on signature dishes or create themed menus that pay homage to different subjects. For example, you could serve up a “Math Munchies” platter or a “Literary Lunch” combo. Consider partnering with local schools to offer exclusive discounts to students with valid IDs.

According to Chris Arnett of the foodservice operations company, Notch, discounts are proven customer-pleasers. “Studies have shown that offering a particularly deep discount on one item might encourage shoppers to impulse buy more items than they otherwise would have, raising overall revenue,” reports their website, “That means the idea that two-for-one discounts might encourage guests to splurge on extra items, like appetizers or desserts, isn’t without merit.”

2. Host a creative contest that taps into the artistic and imaginative talents of students.

Invite students to submit drawings, essays or poems related to their favourite meals at your restaurant. Display the entries in your establishment and on your social media pages. The winner’s creation could become a limited-time menu item. Offer gift cards or free meals as prizes.

“Contests are an effective way to accomplish sales and marketing goals for a restaurant,” attests Restaurantify.com, “Contests are largely underestimated. Restaurants must realize that contests have the ability to boost sales, enhance brand building endeavours and also win more advocates for the business.”

3. Unveil a new and creative menu.

Add an element of fun to your menu by naming dishes after school-related terms or subjects. Turn ordinary meals into memorable experiences with names like “History Buff Burger” or “Geometry Grilled Cheese.” Encourage diners to share their quirky meal choices on social media using a unique hashtag. It will create a buzz around your offerings and attracting a younger crowd.

“According to a Technomic study…43 percent of consumers say it’s ‘important’ or ‘extremely important’ to them that restaurants offer new or seasonal items on their menus throughout the year,” reveals Arnett, “26 percent of survey respondents said they’d be willing to pay more for those special items.”

4. Forge partnerships with nearby businesses that cater to the back-to-school crowd.

Collaborate with stationary stores, bookshops or clothing boutiques to create joint promotions. For instance, you could offer a discount on a meal at your restaurant with the purchase of school supplies or a back-to-school outfit. This cross-promotion can attract new customers and boost sales for both establishments.

No matter which advertising strategy you decide to use to boost business in your restaurant, you’ll need funding to make it work. At Synergy Merchants, our merchant cash advance program can get you the cash you need immediately! For more information, call us at 1-877-718-2026 or email us at info@synergymerchants.com. You can also apply online for a free, no obligation quote!