17 Restaurant Promotion Ideas That Drive Traffic in 2026

Empty tables during the Tuesday dinner rush. A packed house on Saturday but crickets the rest of the week. Every restaurant operator knows the frustration of inconsistent traffic—and the pressure to fill seats without slashing prices so deep you lose money on every cover when trying to increase restaurant sales.

The right promotion brings guests through the door and gives them a reason to come back. This guide covers 17 proven restaurant promotion ideas, from loyalty programs and themed nights to social media contests and local partnerships, plus how to plan, promote, and staff for them.

What are restaurant promotions?

Restaurant promotions are special offers, events, or marketing tactics designed to bring in customers and increase sales. They include loyalty programs, themed nights, happy hours, social media contests, influencer partnerships, holiday specials, BOGO deals, family bundles, pop-ups, and delivery app discounts. The goal varies: build loyalty, attract new guests, or fill seats during slow periods.

Not every promotion works for every restaurant. A wine pairing dinner appeals to a different crowd than kids-eat-free Tuesday. The key is matching the promotion to what you’re trying to accomplish.

• Fill slow periods: Happy hours and weekday specials bring guests in when you’d otherwise have empty tables
• Attract new customers: First-time visitor discounts and social media contests expand your reach
• Increase repeat visits: Loyalty programs and email-exclusive deals keep regulars coming back
• Boost check averages: Bundle deals and upsell promotions encourage guests to spend more per visit

How to plan a restaurant promotion strategy

Running a promotion without a marketing plan is like cooking without a recipe. You might get lucky, but you’ll probably waste ingredients. A few minutes of planning upfront saves money and prevents headaches.

Set a clear promotion goal

Every promotion works better when it solves a specific problem. Slow Tuesdays? Launching a new menu item? Trying to grow your email list? The goal shapes which promotion type makes sense.

Think about what’s actually hurting your business right now. If your dining room sits half-empty on Monday nights, a happy hour promotion makes sense. If you’re launching a seasonal menu, a limited-time offer creates urgency. If you want more repeat visits, a loyalty program fits better than a one-time discount.

Identify your target customer

Different promotions attract different people. Before picking a promotion, think about who you’re trying to reach through restaurant market research.

A prix fixe Valentine’s dinner brings in couples celebrating a special occasion. A trivia night draws groups of friends looking for entertainment. A kids-eat-free promotion targets families. Knowing your target audience helps you choose the right offer and the right way to promote it.

Calculate your promotion margins

Here’s where many operators get tripped up: a promotion that drives traffic but loses money on every cover isn’t sustainable.

Before running any discount, know your food and labor costs on the items you’re promoting. If your burger costs $4 to make and you’re selling it for $6 during a BOGO, you’re breaking even at best. Run the numbers first to protect your restaurant profit margins.

17 restaurant promotion ideas that work

1. Start a customer loyalty program

Restaurant loyalty programs reward repeat visits through punch cards, points, or app-based rewards. Digital options track visits automatically, while physical punch cards work fine for smaller operations.

The key is making the reward attainable. If guests need 20 visits to earn a free appetizer, they’ll lose interest before they get there. Five to seven visits hit the sweet spot for most restaurants.

2. Offer BOGO and buy one get one deals

BOGO deals work well for introducing new menu items or encouraging guests to bring a friend. The structure is simple: buy one item, get another free or at a discount.

Choose the right items for BOGO. A BOGO on $12 cocktails with a $3 pour cost makes sense. A BOGO on your $35 ribeye doesn’t. High-margin items like drinks and appetizers are your best bet.

3. Create a limited-time menu item

Scarcity drives urgency. A seasonal special or chef’s creation available “while supplies last” gives guests a reason to visit now rather than later.

Promote limited-time items heavily on social media with countdown posts. “Only available through Sunday” works better than “limited time” because it creates a specific deadline.

4. Host themed nights and promotional events

Themed nights create recurring reasons for guests to visit on specific days. Pick a slow night and build the event around it.

• Taco Tuesday with margarita specials
• Wine Wednesday with half-price bottles
• Sunday brunch with bottomless mimosas
• Thursday trivia with prizes

Consistency matters here. Once guests know what to expect, they start planning their week around your events.

5. Run happy hour and slow day specials

Happy hour remains one of the most reliable promotions in the industry. Discounted drinks and appetizers during typically slow afternoon or early evening hours fill seats that would otherwise sit empty.

Extend the concept beyond traditional happy hour. Monday dinner specials, late-night deals, or mid-week lunch combos all target slow periods. Add your happy hour details to your Google Business Profile so they show up in local searches.

6. Partner with nearby local businesses

Cross-promotions with neighboring shops, gyms, breweries, or hotels expand your reach without advertising costs. Example: “Show your receipt from [local shop] and get a free appetizer.”

Choose partners whose customers match your target demographic. A partnership with the yoga studio next door makes sense for a health-focused café. Less so for a sports bar.

7. Plan holiday and seasonal promotions

Major holidays and seasonal shifts create natural promotional opportunities. Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Halloween, and New Year’s Eve all bring people out to celebrate.

• Valentine’s Day prix fixe dinner for two
• Mother’s Day brunch with complimentary champagne
• New Year’s Eve countdown party

Plan holiday promotions at least a month in advance. You’ll need time to promote properly and order extra inventory.

8. Tie promotions to local events and sports

Piggybacking on local happenings connects your restaurant to what’s already on people’s minds. Game day specials, concert pre-show dinners, and festival tie-ins all work.

Partner with local venues for cross-promotion. The concert hall promotes your pre-show dinner; you promote their upcoming shows. Both businesses benefit.

9. Launch social media contests and giveaways

Photo contests, tag-a-friend giveaways, and caption contests grow your following and create user-generated content. They also cost almost nothing to run.

• Photo contest: Best food photo wins a gift card
• Tag-a-friend: Tag someone you’d bring for dinner to enter
• Check-in giveaway: Check in on social media for a free appetizer drawing

Keep the entry simple. Complicated rules reduce participation.

10. Feature guest photos and user-generated content

Reposting customer photos builds community and encourages others to share. Create a branded hashtag and use it consistently across your social channels.

Ask permission before reposting, and always credit the original poster. It takes 30 seconds and builds goodwill with your guests.

11. Invite local influencers to dine

Influencer marketing for restaurants means partnering with local food bloggers, Instagram foodies, or TikTok creators for exposure. You don’t need celebrities.

Micro-influencers with smaller but engaged local followings often deliver better results than big names. Someone with 5,000 local followers who actually eats at restaurants beats someone with 500,000 followers spread across the country.

12. Build buzz with a secret menu

The appeal of exclusivity makes guests feel like insiders when they know about off-menu items. Promote secret menu items through email subscribers or social media hints.

Train your servers to mention the secret menu to regulars. “Have you tried our off-menu burger? It’s not on the menu, but I can get you one.” That kind of insider knowledge builds loyalty.

13. Offer bundle deals and prix fixe menus

Bundling—appetizer plus entrée plus dessert for a set price—increases perceived value and average check. Prix fixe menus work well for date nights and special occasions.

Price the bundle slightly below ordering items separately, but above your target check average. If your average check is $45, a $55 prix fixe that would cost $65 à la carte hits the mark.

14. Promote online ordering and delivery specials

Free delivery promotions, first-order discounts, and exclusive online-only deals drive direct orders. The channel matters here.

Offer better deals for direct orders to avoid third-party app commission fees. “Order direct and get free delivery” keeps more money in your pocket than running the same promotion through a delivery app.

15. Sell and promote gift cards

Gift card promotions—buy $50, get a $10 bonus card—drive immediate revenue and guarantee future visits. The bonus card brings the buyer back after the holidays.

Promote gift cards heavily in November and December. They make easy presents, and the bonus card creates a reason to return in January when traffic typically slows.

16. Host a pop-up dining event

Pop-ups are temporary, special-occasion dining experiences. A guest chef, a themed cuisine night, or testing a new concept all create urgency and buzz.

Pop-ups work well for reaching new audiences at farmers markets, local events, or even other restaurants’ spaces on their nights. The temporary nature makes them feel special.

17. Support a local charity or cause

Charity nights where a portion of sales goes to a local organization build goodwill and attract the charity’s supporters. You’re doing good while doing well.

Partner with the charity on promotion. They have built-in audiences who want to support them, and now they have a reason to eat at your restaurant.

How to promote your restaurant specials

A great promotion means nothing if guests don’t know about it. Getting the word out matters as much as the offer itself.

Send email and text campaigns

Build an email marketing list and SMS list, then send targeted promotions. Timing matters—don’t blast every day, or you’ll train people to ignore you.

Segment your list. Regulars get early access to new promotions. New subscribers get welcome offers. Personalization increases open rates and redemptions.

Post strategically on social media

Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok work well for restaurants. Post your promotion multiple times in different formats—photos, videos, Stories—because not everyone sees it the first time.

Vary your content. A static photo, a short video of the dish being prepared, and a Story reminder all reach different people at different times.

Update your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile shows up in local searches. Add posts about promotions, update hours for special events, and respond to reviews while you’re in there.

Many guests find restaurants through Google searches. Keeping your profile updated with current promotions puts your offers in front of people actively looking for a place to eat.

How to prepare your team for busy promotion days

A successful promotion falls flat if your team isn’t ready to execute. The operational side matters as much as the marketing.

Share promotion details before service

Cover promotion details in pre-shift meetings: what’s included, what’s excluded, how to ring it up, how to explain it to guests.

Print a one-page cheat sheet for servers to reference. It prevents confusion during the rush and ensures everyone gives guests the same information.

Schedule extra staff for high-traffic promotions

Promotions drive volume, so staffing needs to match. Underscheduling leads to bad service and wasted marketing spend—you brought in new guests, then gave them a terrible experience.

Review past promotion performance to estimate covers. Scheduling tools like 7shifts make it easier to adjust schedules quickly when you’re expecting a rush.

Train servers to upsell promotional items

Servers who know which promotions are most profitable—and how to mention them naturally—drive better results.

Role-play upselling during pre-shift so it sounds genuine, not scripted. “Have you tried our new seasonal cocktail?” lands better than reading from a card.

Keep customers coming back after the promotion ends

Promotions attract guests, but the experience keeps them. Capture contact info during promotions, follow up with thank-you emails, and use promotions as a gateway to your loyalty program.

The goal isn’t just one visit. It’s turning that first visit into a regular through customer retention strategies.

Ready to make sure your team is prepared for your next big promotion? Start a free trial of 7shifts to simplify scheduling and team communication.

Related watch: How to use AI for restaurant marketing

FAQs about restaurant promotion ideas

How can restaurants attract customers without offering heavy discounts?

Focus on experience-based promotions like themed nights, live entertainment, or exclusive menu items that add perceived value without cutting into your margins. Building a loyalty program also drives repeat visits without constant discounting.

How often should a restaurant run promotions?

Most restaurants run ongoing promotions like happy hour daily, while adding special promotions monthly or around key holidays. Running promotions too frequently can train guests to wait for deals instead of paying full price.

Which restaurant promotions typically deliver the strongest return?

Loyalty programs and email marketing tend to deliver strong returns because they target guests who already know your restaurant. Happy hours and themed nights also perform well by filling slow periods without heavy discounting on peak nights.