- Guests become regulars through consistently good experiences, followed by timely reminders to return.
- Collect only contact details for which you have clear consent to the intended use.
- A content calendar prevents messages with nothing useful to say.
- After 90 days, focus on return visits, reservations and a workload your team can sustain.
Regular guests are not just a segment in a spreadsheet. They are people who know what to expect, feel welcome and have a reason to return.
This plan uses small, repeatable steps for restaurants where marketing happens alongside service, purchasing and staff scheduling.
Days 1–14: foundations and consent
- Set which messages you really want to send.
- Have your consent process and privacy information professionally reviewed.
- Add a newsletter signup option to your website and in your restaurant.
- Determine the responsible person and monthly time budget.
- Use existing contacts only where you have a valid legal basis.
Make a clear promise, such as “Seasonal menus, events and news about once a month.” Avoid prize draws that mainly attract people with little interest in your restaurant.
Days 15–30: build a content calendar
Plan the next six months: seasonal openings, public holidays, terrace season, events, annual closures, new menus and quieter periods. Include only occasions that give guests a real reason to visit.
| Occasion | Possible content |
|---|---|
| Seasonal menu | Three dishes and a link to the menu |
| Event | Date, inclusions, price and booking |
| Birthday | A personal greeting or small treat |
| Annual closure | Closure and reopening |
| A quieter date | A specific offer without artificial urgency |
Days 31–45: Send first newsletter
Choose the strongest upcoming occasion and write a short invitation. Use a specific subject line, your own image, and a main action. Test all links on the smartphone and send to the team first.
After sending, record clicks, related reservations, replies and unsubscribes. Do not judge by opens alone. What matters is whether guests found the message relevant and whether the work involved was manageable.
Days 46–60: Add personal moments
Check if birthday greetings or a message after an event fits your business. Personal does not automatically mean automated. The content must fit the occasion and the relationship.
If you want to test WhatsApp, start with a small, explicitly registered group and a clear occasion. Use a business channel, respect unsubscribes immediately, and don't automatically send the same message across all channels.
Days 61–75: make it easy to return
Analyze frequent hurdles: Guests can't find the new menu, don't know anything about the Sunday brunch, or make reservations through scattered channels. Improve the guest journey before sending more messages.
- Use the same menu link in messages and profiles
- Shorten the path to a reservation
- Bundle upcoming dates on the website
- Inform team about ongoing promotions
- Prepare reply templates for common questions
Days 76–90: review results and plan the next cycle
Compare the 90 days with the previous period, if data is available. Pay attention to newsletter subscriptions, clicks, reservations from campaigns, returning guests and working hours. Small amounts of data are not a problem; look for clear signals instead of false accuracy.
- What triggered real reservations or responses?
- What content was easy to create?
- Which guests want which channel?
- Which task takes a disproportionate amount of time?
- What monthly schedule can your team sustain?
Guest loyalty grows through reliability - during the visit and in every message afterwards.