A restaurant is often chosen in a few seconds on a phone: a map, a photo, a glance at the menu, the hours. Restaurant marketing in Chicago is mostly about making those few seconds go well, every day, in a city of 77 community areas, each with its own choices for dinner. This page covers the parts that matter most and the rules that come with them.
Marketing Company Chicago is an independent referral service, not a marketing agency. When you send the form, your details go to an independent marketing agency that prepares any proposal and does any work.
Your Google Business Profile is your front door
Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and popularity, and that there is no way to pay for a better local ranking. For a restaurant, relevance starts with a complete and detailed profile.
- Real name. The name on the awning and the menu, with no added words such as a cuisine or neighborhood.
- Specific category. The most specific category that fits, and as few as possible.
- Hours that are right. Including holidays and changes, updated before they happen.
- Photos. Real photos of the food, the room and the outside, so people recognize the place when they arrive.
- Menu link. Straight to a menu page that works on a phone.
A menu page that works on a phone
Some restaurant sites still put the menu in a file that has to be downloaded and zoomed. Put it on a web page instead: readable on a phone, quick to load, and easy to update when a dish changes. Add the address, the hours, how to book or order, and whether you take walk-ins.
Photos that look like your place
Real photos do more than pretty ones. Shoot the dishes people order most, the room at a busy time, the entrance from the street, and the people who make the food if they are happy to be shown. Bright, sharp and honest beats styled and unrecognizable.
Social media and local creators
Social media suits restaurants: there is always something new to show. Post what is on today, short videos from the kitchen, and what is happening in the neighborhood. If you invite food creators or give free meals for coverage, the FTC’s Endorsement Guides require that connection to be disclosed clearly and conspicuously; a disclosure only in the comments is not enough. Both the restaurant and any agency running the campaign can be responsible.
Reviews without breaking the rules
Reviews matter to diners, and the rules are strict. Google’s Maps policy bans paid reviews, incentives such as discounts or free food in exchange for reviews, and asking only happy guests. The FTC’s Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule bans fake reviews and undisclosed reviews by managers. A free dessert for a review breaks Google’s policy. Ask every guest for an honest review and offer nothing for it.
Ads for a restaurant
Paid ads can help with an opening, an event or a quiet night. Google Ads can target a radius around the restaurant, and the broad Presence or Interest option also reaches people showing interest in the area, such as someone planning dinner in your neighborhood from across the city. Social ads can do the same on the platforms your guests use. Keep every ad account in the restaurant’s name.
What a restaurant marketing proposal should include
- A review of the Google profile: name, category, hours, photos, menu link.
- A plan for the menu page and the website.
- Who takes the photos and videos, and how often.
- How creator visits are disclosed.
- How reviews are requested inside Google’s and the FTC’s rules.
- Whether ads fit, and for which nights or events.
Running a restaurant in Chicago? Tell us what you need and an independent marketing agency sends a proposal.
For the posting side, see social media marketing Chicago. For the profile in depth, see local SEO Chicago. Restaurants west of the Loop may also find the West Town and Near West Side page useful.
Questions people ask
Can I give a free dessert for a Google review?
No. Google’s Maps policy bans incentives such as discounts or free goods in exchange for reviews.
Should my menu be a PDF?
A web page is usually easier to read on a phone and quicker to update.
Do food creators have to say they ate for free?
Yes. The FTC says a free meal is a connection that must be disclosed clearly and conspicuously.
Can I add my cuisine to my restaurant’s name on Google?
Only if it is part of your real-world name. Google says not to add keywords to the name.