SMS marketing for restaurants: collecting consent, the four messages that work and when to send them
Text messages reach guests who asked to hear from you, so the list has to be built with permission and used sparingly.
Published by AI Knows Us · Updated 12 October 2026
SMS marketing for restaurants works when the list is made of guests who agreed to receive texts, the messages are short and useful, and the timing fits how people decide where to eat. Build the list with a clear opt in, send four kinds of message, and keep to a low frequency, and the channel becomes a direct line to the guests who already like your food.
This guide covers consent, how to grow the list, the four messages worth sending, timing, and how to measure the return. Rules on marketing texts differ by country, so confirm the current rules in each market where you send.
Consent comes first
Marketing texts need the recipient's permission in most countries. The rules differ:
- United States. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act requires prior express written consent for marketing texts sent with automated systems.
- United Kingdom. The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations require consent, with a limited exception for existing customers who were offered an opt out when their details were taken.
- India. Telecom regulation requires businesses to register their sender header and message templates on the operators' platform before sending commercial messages.
Whatever the market, the practical rules are the same. Say clearly what the guest is signing up for and how often you will text. Record when and how they agreed. Include a simple way to stop, and honour it at once. Confirm the details with your messaging provider and, where needed, a legal adviser.
How to grow the list with permission
| Place | How it works |
|---|---|
| Table card or receipt | A short code or QR link to a sign up page with a one line promise |
| Booking form | An optional tick box, unticked by default, for offers by text |
| Counter or till | Staff ask at payment, with a clear script and a simple form |
| Website and social bio | A sign up link for the offers and event notices |
| Loyalty programme | Texts as the delivery channel for rewards members chose |
Offer a reason to join that suits the guest: first notice of the weekly special, a birthday treat, or a booking reminder. A list of people who joined for a real reason outperforms a larger list built by pressure.
The four messages worth sending
1. Booking confirmation and reminder
These are service messages, and guests value them. Send a confirmation with the date, time and party size, and a reminder the day before with a link to change or cancel. Reminders reduce no shows, which is the cost a restaurant feels most.
2. A time limited offer for a slow shift
Aim texts at the hours you need to fill: a midweek lunch, an early evening table. Name the deal, the hours and the end time. "Tuesday lunch, a free dessert with any main, until 3 pm" is a message a guest can act on in a minute.
3. New dish, event or seasonal menu
Give your list first notice. Guests who hear early feel like regulars, and a limited run of a dish creates a reason to come this week.
4. Thank you and feedback
A message the day after a visit, thanking the guest and linking to a review page, builds the reputation that fills tables. Keep the ask to one tap.
Timing and frequency
Match the message to the decision. People choose lunch in the morning and dinner in the afternoon, so send lunch offers between mid morning and just before noon, and dinner offers in the afternoon. Avoid very early and late hours. Most restaurants find that one to four promotional texts a month is plenty, with service messages sent as needed. Review the opt out rate after every send. A rise tells you the last message was too frequent or too dull.
Writing the text
- Open with your restaurant name so the guest knows who is writing.
- Put the offer first and the terms last.
- Give one action: a booking link, a phone number or a code to show.
- Add the opt out instruction in the way your provider and local rules require.
- Keep it short enough to read without scrolling.
A sample month
A single restaurant might send a booking reminder with every reservation, one lunch offer on the first Tuesday, a new dish notice mid month, and a thank you with a review link after each visit. That is one promotional text and a few service texts, which stays well inside the range most guests accept. Adjust after the first month using the opt out rate and the redemption count.
Measure what it earns
Give each campaign its own code or link, and count redemptions or bookings. Compare against the cost of sending and the margin on the dishes involved. Track opt in growth and opt outs month by month. Our overview of mobile marketing channels and consent rules sets this against the other mobile options, and the piece on restaurant marketing shows where texting fits alongside the rest of your week. If you run a loyalty scheme, read loyalty card marketing for the reward arithmetic.
What guests ask an assistant before they get your text
A text reaches someone who already knows you. The guests you have not met are asking an assistant: "good Italian near me open late", "restaurant with a private room for twelve". The assistant answers with a few named places and a line each, built from your listings, menus, reviews and articles, and the details can be stale. An old closing time or a missing private room page means the guest never reaches your booking link.
Ask those questions yourself, in the words your guests use, and read what comes back about your restaurant: the cuisine, hours, price level and which sites are cited. Fixing the sources is the way to change the answer. AI Knows Us runs this check across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude and Google AI Overviews for a restaurant and shows which pages the answers rest on, so the text list and the first impression online can improve together.
Questions about texting restaurant guests
How often should I send?
One to four promotional messages a month for most restaurants, plus service messages for bookings.
Can I text people who ordered once?
Only if the rules in your country allow it and they were offered an opt out. The safest approach is a clear opt in.
What is a good first offer?
A small, specific reward for joining, such as a free drink on the next visit, delivered by the first text.
SMS or WhatsApp?
Use the channel your guests already use and that your market's rules support. Many restaurants use both.
How do I know it is working?
Count redemptions by code, bookings by link and opt outs by send.