Post ideas by industry
Daily specials, new dishes, the people in your kitchen and what to post when Tuesday is dead. 22 restaurant posts you can edit and use this week.
8 min read
Thu 11:00 AM
Weekends at our tables mean family recipes. Saturday brings the $16.50 cochinita pibil plate, and Sunday has tamales by the dozen for $34. Stop by this weekend. Buen provecho. #SanAntonioFood #MexicanFood
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Someone is deciding where to eat tonight. They pull up your Facebook Page, and if the last post is a holiday from 3 months ago, they can't tell whether you're open. Restaurant Facebook post ideas have one job: answer "are you open, and what's good tonight?"
You're running a line, not a studio. So here are 22 posts you can edit between the lunch rush and dinner prep, grouped by the problem each one solves.
Before the ideas, a quick filter. A good restaurant post answers one of these questions in the first line, and the photo makes people hungry.
Thu 11:00 AM
Weekends at our tables mean family recipes. Saturday brings the $16.50 cochinita pibil plate, and Sunday has tamales by the dozen for $34. Stop by this weekend. Buen provecho. #SanAntonioFood #MexicanFood
See more
Like
Comment
Share
What this weekend special post gets right
New page? Read what to post on your business Facebook Page first. This guide gets specific for restaurants.
A special is news with a clock on it. Post it before the lunch decision is made, around 10 or 11 in the morning, then put it on a board by the door too. Coffee shops can post their specials too, as in coffee shop post ideas.
Today's special
Today's special: [dish], with [side] and [side], [price]. We have [number] portions, then it's gone. Open until [time].
Photo: The plate on the pass, shot from above in window light.
Weekly rotation
Our week: Monday [dish], Tuesday [dish], Wednesday [dish], Thursday [dish]. Pick your day and tell a friend. We're open [hours].
Photo: Your chalkboard or printed specials sheet.
Weekend plates
Weekend plates are up: [dish] on Saturday, [dish] on Sunday. Come hungry. Reservations are open for [party size] and up.
Photo: The 2 dishes side by side.
Soup of the day
Soup today is [soup]. Cold outside, hot in the bowl. A cup with a half sandwich is [price] until [time].
Photo: A steaming bowl next to a spoon.
Limited batch
We made [number] of the [dish] today and that's it. Come early if you want one. We'll post when they're gone.
Photo: The tray or pot before service.
Guests who know your cook by name come back for that cook. A 3-line post about a server or prep cook does more than a new graphic.
Meet the cook
Meet [name], who runs the [station] line. [He/She]'s been with us [number] years and makes the [dish] every morning before we open. Say hi next time.
Photo: The cook at their station, mid-motion.
Family story
[Founder] started this place [number] years ago. Their kids run it now and [founder] still tastes the [sauce, salsa, stock] every morning. Nobody's passed the test on the first try.
Photo: 2 generations in the kitchen.
Staff anniversary
[Number] years ago today [name] started washing dishes here. Now [name] runs the whole back of house. Thanks for every Saturday night.
Photo: Then-and-now photos, side by side.
We're hiring
We're hiring a [role]. [Days and hours]. Good crew, staff meal, and a boss who answers texts. Message us or stop by after [time].
Photo: The dining room before service, chairs up.
Ask staff first before posting their face. Most people say yes, and the ones who say no deserve to be heard.
Tuesday at 6pm is not a failure, it's a calendar problem. Give people a reason to pick that night, then say it out loud. The slow season marketing ideas guide has more of these.
Tuesday reason
Tuesday night, [deal]. Every table gets [perk]. Reservations aren't needed, but we'll save you a booth if you message us.
Photo: A booth set for 2, candle lit.
Walk-in table open
We have [number] tables open right now. Kitchen's open until [time]. Come as you are.
Photo: The dining room, warm and not crowded.
Game night
[Team] plays at [time] and the bar has it on every screen. Wings are [price] during the game. Come yell with us.
Photo: The TV wall with the game on.
Take-home dinner
Too tired to cook? Take-home family dinner for [number]: [dish], [side], [dessert], [price]. Order by [time], pick up by [time].
Photo: A bag packed on the counter.
| Slow spot | What to post | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Weeknight dinner | A reason, not a discount | "Tuesday is [dish] night." |
| Late lunch | A fast plate | "In and out in 20 minutes." |
| After the game | A bar special | "Wings until the final whistle." |
| Cold or rainy day | Soup, comfort food | "Hot bowl, dry booth." |
Catering tray
Catering trays for your office party: [dish], [dish] and [side]. Feeds [number] to [number]. Order [number] days ahead and we'll have it ready.
Photo: Foil trays lined up on the pass.
Holiday booking
[Holiday] reservations are open. We have [number] tables on [day]. Message us or call [phone] and we'll hold yours.
Photo: The dining room set for the holiday.
Live music night
[Band or name] plays on the patio [day] from [time] to [time]. No cover. The kitchen stays open until [time].
Photo: The patio with string lights on.
Hours change
New hours starting [date]: [days] [hours]. We're closed [day]. Thanks for planning around us.
Photo: The new hours sign, taped to the door.
Closed for a private event or repairs
We're closed [date] for [reason]. We reopen [date] at [time]. Follow this page and we'll post the second the doors open.
Photo: A sign on the door with the reopen date.
4 posts a week
If the week goes sideways, one post is better than none. See how often a business should post on Facebook for a realistic minimum.
Do
Don't
Quick answers
3 to 5 times a week works for most restaurants. A weekly special, a face from the kitchen and an events or hours post covers the basics. If you can only manage once a week, post the special.
A reason to come tonight: a night-specific dish, a game on the TV, an open table or a take-home dinner. Give people something to do, not just a discount.
Post it once as text or a clean photo, and keep it updated on your Page. Day to day, post one dish at a time. A single dish with a good photo gets more attention than a whole menu.
Only with permission. Ask first, tag them if they say yes, and thank them. When people share their own meal, a quick comment from you shows the Page has a real person behind it.
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