Owner guide · Guests and texts

20 text message ideas for restaurants

The best restaurant texts are short, come from the restaurant by name, have one link, and reach the right guest at a good time.

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Step by step

  1. Slow afternoon. “[Restaurant]: Slow Tuesday in the kitchen. Order before 4:30 and a free drink is on us. [link] Reply STOP to opt out.”
  2. Regular away a month. “Hi Sarah, it’s [Restaurant]. We miss you! Your usual bun bo hue is waiting, dessert on us this week. [link]”
  3. Birthday. “Happy birthday from all of us at [Restaurant]! Your dessert is free this week. [link]”
  4. New dish. “New at [Restaurant]: crispy pork banh mi. Try it this week. [link]”
  5. Weather. “Cold and rainy today. Pho weather. Order ahead and skip the wait. [link]”
  6. Holiday. “Lunar New Year trays are open for orders until Feb 14. [link]”

Guests and texts

Fourteen more ideas

Order ready for pickup. Thank you after a first order. Points almost at a reward. Friend gift to share. Game day group orders. Lunch order ahead. Catering for the office. Mother’s Day family meal. Back to school dinner deal. Holiday hours. New hours. Patio open. Favorite dish is back. Thank you after a busy weekend.

Rules that keep texts welcome

Text only guests who agreed to hear from you, say who you are, include how to opt out, keep it to about one a week, and send at a normal hour. See our guide to text marketing rules.

EatFuti is in Des Moines, Iowa, and works with independent restaurants across the United States, most of all in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas and Texas.

How it works with EatFuti

  1. Run the free check. Three minutes, no sign-up. See your Google page, where your Order button goes and how your site does on a phone.
  2. Say yes. Send your photos and menu, or we take the menu from your POS or online. Online ordering is live 48 to 72 hours after signup.
  3. Your website goes up. Built for you from your photos, menu and reviews, right after ordering is live. You approve it before it goes up.

Questions owners ask

How long should a restaurant text be?

One or two short sentences and one link. Long texts get cut off and skipped.

What time should I send texts?

Before the meal you want to fill: late morning for lunch, mid afternoon for dinner. Never late at night.