Think email's old-school? Think again. This quiet workhorse consistently prints money for restaurants month after month. If you're looking for reliable, repeatable orders without paying delivery app commissions every time, you've come to the right place. Let's dive into what to send, when to send it, and how to measure the actual revenue lift – not just vanity metrics.
Why email still works for restaurants
- High ROI: Email consistently returns $36–$42 for every $1 spent, with hospitality businesses seeing similar or even better returns. Some restaurant campaigns have reported ROI as high as 3800% – that's not a typo! (email ROI data for restaurants and hospitality).
- Strong engagement: Restaurant emails average a 43.69% open rate—significantly higher than many other industries. Nearly half your audience is actually seeing what you send (restaurant email open rate benchmark).
- Reliable sales: Unlike social media, you own this audience. No algorithm changes can tank your reach overnight. No rising bid costs eat into your margins as you scale.
For maximum impact, pair your email strategy with your broader marketing plan. The compound effect can be powerful. If you're building your annual calendar, see our comprehensive guide to creating a streamlined restaurant marketing plan that won't overwhelm your team.
How to build your list (legally) and fast
The equation is simple: Low-friction opt-ins + clear value = steady list growth.
- Guest Wi‑Fi opt-in: Add a simple, branded login page with consent checkbox. Expect 20–30% capture rates from patrons who connect (Wi‑Fi opt-in benchmarks).
- Menu QR codes: Link to a one-tap form (leveraging Apple/Google autofill). You can convert 15–25% of scans to subscribers with minimal friction (QR-to-email conversion data).
- POS incentive: Train cashiers and servers to ask a simple question: "Want to grab 10% off your next visit?" This personal touch can boost capture rates up to 40% (POS incentive impact).
- Receipts and kiosks: Add sign-up QR codes or links on printed receipts and a visual prompt at checkout/self-order screens.
- Website and online ordering: Position sign-up forms above the fold on your website and after order confirmation screens when customers are already engaged.
Compliance basics (U.S.):
- Use clear opt-in language: "Join our email list for exclusive offers and first access to new menu items" (effective opt-in phrasing).
- Disclose marketing intent: "By providing your email, you agree to receive marketing messages from [Restaurant Name]. You may unsubscribe at any time" (disclosure example).
- Footer must include: Your physical address and a one-click unsubscribe mechanism to meet CAN‑SPAM requirements (CAN‑SPAM footer rules).
Pro tip: Collect email at every touchpoint you already control—Wi‑Fi, POS, QR menus, online orders, and loyalty sign-ups. Don't create new processes; leverage the customer interactions you already have.
Segmenting that actually moves revenue
Not all guests are the same. Send different messages to different guests for dramatically better results. These segments consistently outperform generic blasts:
- Loyalty members: Loyalty program members are 100% more likely to increase spending compared to non‑members. Segment by status/tier to deliver appropriate rewards (loyalty-driven retention data).
- Order frequency: First-time visitors, occasional guests, and weekly regulars all need different offers and communication cadences. Data shows loyal members visit about once weekly versus less frequent visits from non-members (frequency insights).
- App/online order users: Mobile app users represent 28% of loyalty members versus just 13% of non-members—they're your digital VIPs and should be treated accordingly (mobile user segment insights).
- Favorite items/category: Sending targeted offers based on past orders just makes sense. Vegans don't need ribeye promotions. Pizza enthusiasts will jump at two‑pie Tuesday deals.
- Time/daypart: Your lunch crowd has different needs than your dinner patrons or late‑night visitors.
- Location (multi‑unit): Geo‑target local events, weather-appropriate specials, and neighborhood news.
With Spindl's integrated POS and loyalty systems, these segments come from actual transaction data—not guesses or assumptions. See how our POS software and loyalty programs work seamlessly together to give you these insights automatically.
The eight high‑impact campaigns every restaurant should run
Each campaign below includes specific goal, trigger, timing, offer, and a subject line idea to get you started. Begin with just two or three that make sense for your restaurant, then expand as you build confidence.
1) Welcome series
- Goal: Drive first purchase or first repeat order
- Trigger: New subscriber or loyalty sign-up
- Timing: Immediately after sign-up; follow-up at day 3 and day 10
- Offer: 10% off or free appetizer with minimum purchase, valid within 14 days
- Subject: "Welcome to [Restaurant Name]—here's 10% off tonight"
- KPI: First-purchase conversion rate (welcome timing and KPI idea)
2) Cart abandonment (online ordering)
- Goal: Recover potential lost orders
- Trigger: Customer added items to cart but didn't complete checkout
- Timing: 1 hour after abandonment, then 24 hours if still not converted
- Offer: Gentle reminder in first email; second email adds free delivery or complimentary dessert
- Subject: "Still hungry? Your order's waiting"
- KPI: Recovery rate (percentage of abandoned carts converted to orders)
3) First‑time customer series
- Goal: Transform a first-time order into a second visit within 14–21 days
- Trigger: First completed order in your system
- Timing: Send 3 days after first visit, then day 10 if no return visit
- Offer: Bounce‑back deal (e.g., "Free dip with any entrée purchase")
- Subject: "Loved your first visit? Try our [signature item] on us"
- KPI: Second-visit conversion rate within 21 days
4) Repeat order nudges
- Goal: Increase order frequency and average check size
- Trigger: Based on known favorites or lapsed frequency (e.g., customer usually orders weekly but hasn't ordered in 10 days)
- Timing: Personalized based on each guest's typical ordering cadence
- Offer: Loyalty program enrollment, app-only bonus item, or high‑margin add‑on
- Subject: "VIP perk unlocked: bonus points on your go‑to order"
- KPI: Order frequency change and average check increase
5) Win‑back campaign
- Goal: Reactivate lapsed guests (typically those inactive for 45–90 days)
- Trigger: No orders since reaching your defined threshold
- Timing: 3‑email sequence spread over two weeks
- Offer: Escalating value: friendly reminder → personal note from manager → more substantial incentive
- Subject: "We saved your table" or "We miss you—here's 20% to come back"
- KPI: Reactivation rate and retention after reactivation
6) Weekly specials
- Goal: Drive predictable, incremental orders on specific days
- Trigger: Calendar-based (e.g., every Wednesday at 10am)
- Timing: Consistent day/time; aligned with your target daypart
- Offer: Limited‑time dish or value bundle
- Subject: "This week's lineup: [featured dish], [special dish], and a surprise"
- KPI: Same-day sales lift compared to non-promotion baseline
7) New menu items
- Goal: Drive trial of innovations and seasonal features
- Trigger: Menu changes or seasonal additions
- Timing: Initial announcement plus reminder over a 10-day window
- Offer: Early access opportunity, tasting bundle, or personal note from your chef
- Subject: "Just dropped: [seasonal item] available for a limited time"
- KPI: New item trial rate and repeat orders containing the item
8) Promotions and events
- Goal: Fill traditionally slow periods and create FOMO (fear of missing out)
- Trigger: Holidays, sports finals, local events in your area
- Timing: 7–14 days prior to event + day‑of reminder
- Offer: Bundle pricing, prix fixe menus, family meal packs
- Subject: "Game night pack feeds 4—ready by kickoff"
- KPI: Bookings/orders during typically slow periods
For inspiration beyond email, explore our proven collection of restaurant marketing ideas, our playbook for creating an effective social media marketing strategy for restaurants, and our tactical guide to Instagram marketing strategies for restaurants.
Copy-and-paste templates you can use today
The best restaurant emails are short, skimmable, and feature one clear call-to-action. Use these templates as starting points:
Welcome
Subject: Welcome to [Restaurant]—enjoy 10% off
Body: You're in! Thanks for joining our list. Use code WELCOME10 for 10% off your next order—good for the next 14 days. Hungry yet?
CTA: Order now
Cart abandonment
Subject: Your order is waiting
Body: You were this close to delicious. Pick up where you left off and we'll get it cooking right away. Today only: free delivery on orders $25+.
CTA: Complete order
First‑time customer
Subject: Next visit's even better
Body: Thanks for trying us! Come back this week and get a free appetizer with any entrée purchase. Simply show this email in‑store or apply code APPONUS when ordering online.
CTA: Get your free appetizer
Repeat order nudge
Subject: Your usual, with a little something extra
Body: We noticed you love our [favorite item]. Order again through Sunday and add a [complementary high‑margin item] on us.
CTA: Reorder in 2 taps
Win‑back
Subject: Let's catch up—dinner's on us (almost)
Body: It's been a while since your last visit. Here's 20% off any order over $30. Use code MISSEDYOU—valid for the next 7 days.
CTA: Redeem 20% off
Weekly specials
Subject: This week only: [special name]
Body: Chef's recommendation: [Featured Dish] + [Complementary Side] for $X through Thursday. We prepare limited quantities daily—when it's gone, it's gone.
CTA: Reserve yours
New menu
Subject: Meet [new item]: bright, fresh, limited
Body: We're testing something special. Be among the first to try our [new item]. We'd love your feedback—our chef reads every comment.
CTA: Try it tonight
Promotions/events
Subject: Big game pack—feeds 4 for $X
Body: Wings, sliders, loaded fries, and dips. Everything you need for the perfect game day. Pre‑order now for pickup by kickoff.
CTA: Pre‑order
Compliance footer example:
This email was sent by [Restaurant Name], [Street Address, City, State ZIP]. You're receiving this because you opted in at checkout or online. [Unsubscribe here].
(CAN‑SPAM details via restaurant email compliance basics.)
How to measure success (and what to fix)
Track these four key performance indicators and continuously iterate based on the results:
Open rate
Benchmark: ~43.69% for restaurant industry emails
If below benchmark: Test different subject lines, preview text, and send times; regularly prune inactive contacts
Source: restaurant open rate benchmark
Click-through rate (CTR)
Benchmark: 2.5–3.5% for restaurant emails
If below benchmark: Focus on one clear CTA per email, tighten copy, ensure offers match your segments
Source: CTR guidance and benchmarks
Conversion rate
Benchmark: 1.5–2.5% from email click to completed order
If below benchmark: Increase perceived value of offers, reduce fees/friction points, streamline the checkout process
Source: conversion benchmarks for restaurants
Unsubscribe rate
Benchmark: Less than 0.5% per send
If above benchmark: Reduce email frequency, improve content relevance, honor customer preferences
Source: unsubscribe benchmark and fixes
Pro tip: Always tie email metrics to actual revenue and repeat visit rates—not just opens and clicks. Your POS system should confirm who ordered what and help you attribute that revenue to specific campaigns.
Budget, tools, and when to outsource
Typical costs:
- Email platforms: $15–$50/month for smaller restaurants (up to 500 subscribers); $50–$200/month for mid-sized operations (500–5,000 subscribers) (platform cost ranges)
- Freelance specialists: $50–$100/hour or $200–$500 per campaign for experienced professionals (freelance pricing ranges)
- Agency services: $500–$2,000/month for comprehensive strategy + execution (agency retainer ranges)
Rule of thumb:
- DIY approach works well when you have fewer than 1,000 subscribers and send fewer than 4 campaigns monthly
- Consider outsourcing when you need advanced segmentation, automation sequences, and professional design (outsourcing guidance)
How Spindl makes restaurant email effortless
You don't need another dashboard to manage. What you need is clean, real-time data that makes your email marketing smarter and more effective.
- Unified guest profiles: Spindl connects orders, delivery information, in‑store visits, and loyalty activity in one centralized place—fueling better segments like "weekly lunch regulars," "lapsed high‑spenders," and "app VIPs"
- Real‑time triggers: Use actual POS events (first order, favorite items, lapsed behavior) to automatically trigger your welcome, repeat-purchase, and win‑back flows in your email marketing tool
- Accurate attribution: Spindl's analytics show you actual orders, revenue generated, and repeat visit rates from each campaign—not just click metrics—so you know what truly moves the needle for your business
- Multi‑location simplicity: Easily segment by store location, set geo‑specific specials, and maintain consistent offers or test different approaches locally
- 24/7 support and rapid onboarding: Focus on crafting compelling offers and creative; we handle all the technical plumbing
Explore how our platform seamlessly consolidates POS, loyalty programs, delivery management, self-service kiosks, and comprehensive analytics on a single device in our detailed POS software overview. Or get to know Spindl at a glance to see how we're revolutionizing restaurant operations.
Quick answers to common questions
Is email marketing good for restaurants?
Yes, exceptionally so. Expect strong ROI (typically $36–$42 for every $1 spent) and high open rates around 43.69% when your campaigns are targeted and consistent (ROI and open rate data, industry open rate benchmark).
What is the 80/20 rule in email marketing?
This principle suggests roughly 80% of your content should provide value (tips, news, gratitude) and only 20% should be promotional. For restaurants, value content might include menu previews, chef's notes, or community updates that strengthen relationships beyond transactions.
How to attract customers through email?
Offer immediate value (welcome incentive), send relevant offers based on segmentation (favorites, daypart preferences), and reduce friction (one‑tap reorder links). Personalization based on past orders significantly increases conversion rates.
How much does it cost to hire someone to do email marketing?
Freelance specialists typically charge $50–$100/hour or $200–$500 per campaign, while agencies generally charge $500–$2,000/month for ongoing management (pricing ranges).
What are the 4 Ps for restaurants?
Product (menu items), Price (value perception), Place (location and atmosphere), and Promotion (marketing efforts). For a more operational perspective, see our structured restaurant marketing plan examples.
What are the 5 Ts of email marketing?
A useful framework to remember: Target (proper segmentation), Timing (optimal send windows), Trigger (behavior-based automation), Tease (compelling subject lines), and Transaction (clear call-to-action).
Level up beyond email with integrated multi-channel campaigns. If you're crafting cross‑channel promotions, our playbooks on restaurant social media marketing ideas, Instagram strategy for restaurants, and culturally-tuned restaurant viral marketing campaigns provide comprehensive guidance.
Your next step: choose two campaigns to implement first (welcome series + weekly specials is a great starting combination), connect your customer segments, and measure actual orders—not just clicks. When you're ready to integrate your POS, loyalty, and delivery data directly into your email marketing efforts, talk to Spindl. We'll help you set everything up in days, not months.
