Restaurant Advertising Strategies

After reading “Frequency of Restaurant Advertising Strategies: Exploring an Urban Market” I have learned interesting facts about ten advertising and promotion strategies used by various urban restaurants. The ten areas included food and beverage displays, advertising specialties, food samples, electronic or internet resources, newspaper advertising, radio advertising, directory advertising, direct mail, coupons, and frequent diner programs. As a marketing manager I do not feel the sample size or population size gives an accurate response rate to the survey conducted.

Out of 500 members of the Urban Texas Restaurant Association a random selection of 224 potential participants were asked to participate in a phone survey. The phone survey had two major objectives, one was first to study promotion and advertising strategies that was used by urban restaurateurs as well as evaluate the perceived benefit from each of the strategies used. Only 89 out of the 224 phone surveys were completed making the response rate 39.7%. “Full service restaurants accounted for 65.5% of the respondents and Quick Service accounted for 20%. Independent restaurants accounted for 84.4% of the respondents and franchise restaurants accounted for 10%”. (Jackson, Titz, & DeFranco, 2004)

Demographic variables in the restaurants varied from restaurant operation, business format, style of service, restaurant longevity, percent of repeat customers, number of seats and average per person guest check. Each variable had a different impact on advertising and promotions used that benefits their establishment. Every business has advertising budgets and is used differently based on years in business and money allotted for their advertisement. Collateral advertisem...

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...urant. Money definitely needs to be spent to gain a little extra. A restaurant in Austin, TX had spent over $4000 a month in advertising and it always amazed me that I never read or ran across a paper, coupon, promotion, or any advertisement. The business failed and to this day I am curious to where the advertisement money went to. Taking this article can help point establishments in the right direction. Large franchises have more money and are able to spend more money on radio and television promotions. Small independent restaurants need to be wise when choosing their advertisement for their establishment in order not to wash away their money without benefiting from it building their clientele.

Works Cited

Jackson, F. H., Titz, K., & DeFranco, A. L. (2004). Frequency of Restaurant Advertising and Promotion Strategies. Exploring an Urban Market , 17-30.