How to work with food influencers: Top tips for restaurants

In today’s digital era, many restaurant owners and marketing professionals feel that traditional forms of advertising are no longer effective. Conventional marketing channels like print advertisements, billboards, flyers, and event sponsorships frequently struggle to attract sufficient customers. 

In contrast, harnessing the power of online promotion can be quite the secret ingredient to elevate your brand. One of the most efficient types of digital advertising, used by 1 in 4 marketers, is influencer marketing. Delicious food photos splashed across Instagram or vibrant TikTok videos featuring your restaurant can drive exceptional results.

So, how do you dip your toes into influencer marketing for restaurants? Let’s find out.

What is influencer marketing for restaurants?

Think about this — you’re walking down the street when you catch a whiff of fresh coffee brewing or smell bread baking. It’s irresistible, and you automatically want to follow the scent order: a cup of coffee or a loaf of bread. That’s sort of what influencer marketing does to users on social media. 

Here’s how it works. A restaurant teams up with social media “bigwigs” — people with a strong following on Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok. These people have followers who genuinely value the influencer’s opinions. They trust their food recommendations almost as much as they’d trust a close friend’s. And when influencers share your signature dishes or talk about their visit to your restaurant, it’s as if they’re leading their followers straight to your front door.

Restaurant influencer marketing is about pairing up with the right people to showcase how wonderful your place is. It’s bringing a fresh approach to spreading the word, ensuring your restaurant gets the recognition it deserves.

How do influencers promote restaurants?

Restaurant influencers are skilled content creators — they’ve mastered the art of making audiences practically taste a culinary experience just through a screen. Here are some of the ways influencers can promote your restaurant:

• Engaging posts: Consider an influencer sharing a captivating story about your restaurant while exploring downtown.

• Picture-perfect presence: The sight of a dessert influencer expertly photographing your crème brûlée, followed by praise in the caption, can be more enticing than any menu description.

• Food review video: A YouTube star could feature your restaurant in their “Best Vegan Restaurants in the City” video, giving viewers a look and feel of the entire dining experience.

• Live events: An Instagram Live of a famous local chef cooking your signature paella at your location can stir much curiosity and excitement among their followers.

Benefits of working with influencers for restaurant marketing

When done right, influencer marketing could cause an exciting ripple effect with many gains for your restaurant. Here’s what you can get.

• Kickstart the social media buzz: Think about what happens when someone renowned raves about your Pad Thai or talks about the fantastic evening they had at your waterfront restaurant. It gets people curious, their followers start talking, and your restaurant’s name buzzes around social media before you know it.

• Ignite the follow-the-leader effect: For many people, their favorite influencer’s recommendations are gold. So, watching them munch on your signature dish or unwind at your restaurant could be just the nudge they need to come by themselves.

• Crank up your digital presence: Joining forces with influencers could significantly boost your online visibility. The mentions, shares, comments, and subscriptions add up. This wave of engagement can nudge social media algorithms and search engines to spotlight your restaurant’s pages.

How much does influencer marketing cost?

Costs for influencer marketing can vary across the board — just like the prices on your menu. It can depend on the influencer’s reach, engagement rate, and the platform.

Some influencers charge hefty sums. For them, the amount usually correlates with their follower count, engagement rate, and the specific platform they’re popular on. Getting a shoutout from them might fetch your restaurant extensive and instant visibility.

On the other hand, collaborating with local food bloggers or micro-influencers could cost less yet bring positive results. Micro-influencers generate up to 60% more engagement than macro-influencers. 

Let’s take a look at the types of influencers by size and their typical price range for an Instagram post, according to InfluencerMarketingHub:

• Mega-influencers — million followers+, $10,000+ per post;

• Macro-influencers — 500K to 1 million followers, $5,000-$10,000 per post;

• Mid-tier influencers — 50K to 500K followers, $500-$5,000 per post;

• Micro-influencers — 10K to 50K followers, $100-$500 per post;

• Nano-influencers — 1K to 10K followers, $10-$100 per post.

To juggle the costs, think outside the cash box. Offering influencers exclusive tasting invitations or a chance to curate a particular item for your menu could be alternatives to traditional payment.

How do you choose influencers for your restaurant?

Choosing the perfect restaurant influencer is like selecting the ideal wine to accompany a meal. Here are a few factors to consider.

1. Alignment with your brand: The influencer you partner with should reflect the essence of your restaurant. Let’s say your restaurant is all about healthy, plant-based food. It wouldn’t make much sense to team up with an influencer known for their love of barbecued meats.

2. Authentic connection with followers: Influence isn’t just about having a huge follower count. It’s about how well an influencer connects with their audience. Does their audience trust what they say? Do their posts generate lots of engagement? This is worth considering.

3. A passion for food: Last but not least, your chosen influencer must love food. Their excitement and passion for culinary experiences will shine through their content, making their collaboration with your restaurant feel genuine and engaging.

Where to find the right influencers?

Finding influencers that would be a good fit for your restaurant might be a real challenge. Here are a few places to check out.

Local Google search

First up, a simple Google search. Try typing in ‘restaurant influencers’ or ‘food bloggers’ followed by your city name. Check their websites and social media platforms to get a feel for their style and influence.

Instagram

Just search for hashtags related to your restaurant or the food you serve. For instance, if you run a pizza place, #PizzaLovers or #BestPizzaInTown could lead you to influencers who share an uncompromised love for pizza.

TikTok

Don’t forget to check TikTok. This platform is perfect if you’re looking to target a younger, hip audience. Many restaurant influencers post vibrant and eye-catching restaurant reviews or cooking videos that rack up views and likes. 

Influencer databases

Influencer databases are online resources that catalog influencers by various filters such as location, follower count, or niche. These tools can help streamline your search and save time. Some popular ones are Upfluence, AspireIQ, and Klear.

How to run an influencer marketing campaign for your restaurant in 5 steps

Ready to start your influencer marketing campaign? Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make the most of this marketing strategy.

• Set your goals: Before you begin, it’s essential to pin down what you hope to achieve from the campaign. Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, attract traffic, or boost sales? Maybe you want to promote a new menu item or an upcoming event. Having clear goals will guide your decisions and help you measure success.

• Find the right restaurant influencers: Next comes influencer hunting. Remember, you’re not just looking for influencers with a massive followers list. You want individuals who align with your restaurant’s brand, have a trusted voice among their followers, and love for food.

• Detail your collaboration plans: Once you’ve chosen your influencers, decide how they’ll promote your restaurant. Can they generate buzz through Instagram posts or TikTok videos? Maybe they could host a live food tasting on their Instagram stories or blog about the history and inspiration behind your signature dishes.

• Monitor the campaign: Keep a keen eye on your influencers’ posts and audience reactions. Are their followers engaging with the post? What do they say in their Instagram comments? Keeping track will give you some early indicators of the campaign’s impact.

• Analyze your results: It’s time to measure and assess after the campaign. Did you reach your campaign goals? Did you see a rise in followers or, better yet, customers? Use these insights to refine your future campaigns.

How do you measure the success of your influencer marketing campaign?

Whether your campaign is a quick sprint or a long marathon, assessing its effectiveness is no less important than the campaign itself. To measure the results of your influencer marketing campaign, pay attention to the following aspects:

• Follower growth and social media activity: One of the first indicators to look at is whether there’s been an increase in your social media followers. Did you get a considerable follower boost on your Instagram or TikTok after the influencer posted about your restaurant?

• Website metrics: If your influencers share your restaurant website or any page in their posts or bio, keep an eye on your website analytics. Go to your GA4 reports and check such metrics as traffic, bounce rate, average session duration, and conversions.

• Table bookings: Did you notice a surge in table reservations during or after the campaign? Well, there’s a high chance that the influencer marketing campaign influences diners’ decisions.

• Physical footfall: Keep track of whether there’s been an increase in footfall at your restaurant. People dining in after seeing your place featured on influencers’ accounts is the ultimate sign of a successful campaign.

Remember, these metrics give you insights about the campaign’s effectiveness and what your audience is enjoying. Keep track, learn, and amend for future campaigns.

How to get the most out of influencer marketing?

Here are 4 tips to keep in mind to ensure you get the most bang for your buck.

• Keep it authentic: Audiences today are savvy. They can tell when a post feels too promotional. So, it’s crucial to keep your collaborations as accurate as possible. Encourage influencers to share their genuine experiences at your restaurant rather than dictating every detail of what they should post.

• Ensure clear communication: Ensure a solid communication line with your influencers. Regularly check in to see how things are going. Are they enjoying the food? Do they have enough information about special offers? The more informed they are, the better they can represent your restaurant.

• Be clear about your expectations: While giving influencers creative liberty is essential, communicating your expectations is equally important. Ensure they understand your campaign goals and how they should convey your brand to their followers.

• Nurture a long-term relationship: Build lasting relationships with influencers instead of looking at it as a one-off campaign. A long-term partnership means your restaurant remains constantly on its feed and in its followers' minds.

Example of effective influencer marketing for restaurants

In the restaurant industry, influencer marketing has become a game-changer. Let’s take a closer look at some successful influencer marketing campaigns by popular food brands as an illustration.

Chipotle’s TikTok challenges

Chipotle, the Mexican food giant, is no stranger to influencer marketing, particularly on TikTok. Recognizing that more than 50% of their clientele belonged to Generation Z, Chipotle decided to connect with this age group through engaging in TikTok challenges.

Their first challenge, called the , was introduced during the summer, a perfect time considering many of the Gen Z followers were on break. They collaborated with popular influencers, including Youtuber David Dobrik, whose promotional video generated over 600K likes, 1700 comments, and 15k shares within days.

Following the immense success of their first challenge, they rolled out another one, partnering with Loren Gray, called the #GuacDance challenge. This campaign broke records, receiving 500M views and becoming the highest-performing brand challenge in the US.

Dunkin’ collaborates with TikTok star Charli D’Amelio.

Not to be outdone, Dunkin’ took influencer collaboration to another level by creating a signature drink with widely followed TikToker Charli D’Amelio. They called it “The Charli,” a delightful blend of whole milk and caramel. The campaign was so successful that it sold “hundreds of thousands” of drinks in the first five days of launch. Additionally, it boosted the daily users and downloads of the Dunkin’ Donuts app by a whopping 57%.

Shake Shack’s mouth-watering campaign

Then there’s Shake Shack, who collaborated with influencer @foodwithmichel to stir excitement about their new chicken sandwich. The influencer’s video, highlighting the lip-smacking ingredients in the sandwich, drew over 42,000 views and created a social media buzz. The result? Increased sales and heightened interest in Shake Shack’s offerings.

These examples demonstrate how strategic partnerships with influencers can impact and bring new life into restaurant brands. All you need to do is find the right influencer, plan your campaign carefully, and watch your brand awareness (and sales!) skyrocket.

Conclusion

Influencer marketing for restaurants is an exciting recipe to try in your promotional mix. Influencers can serve as trusted intermediaries who connect you to potential customers, creating a favorable image of your restaurant. Food influencers can be particularly relevant when you use social media as a sales channel with Social Media Ordering.

By being clear about your objectives, strategically choosing the right influencers, managing campaigns thoughtfully, and measuring results, you can leverage influencers to drive a significant impact for your restaurant. So why not give this exciting recipe a try and taste the sweet success it brings?

About the Author

Nadia Basaraba is a Marketing Specialist at Coupler.io, a data analytics and automation platform. She’s passionate about content creation and data-driven marketing. Apart from experimenting with marketing tactics, she’s an avid reader and traveler.