Should you still rely on social networks to fill your restaurant in 2026?
08 December 2025
Social networks may not be universally appreciated by restaurateurs, but there's no denying their impact. Even those who don't like to publish recognize that they have changed the way customers discover a good address.
However, in 2026, the economic context complicates matters: attendance is down in many establishments, purchasing power is putting the brakes on outings, competition is intensifying and algorithms sometimes seem to decide for you.
Relying solely on TikTok or Instagram becomes risky. Reach varies, trends change and there's no guarantee that your content will be visible when you really need it. Networks are still useful, but they no longer guarantee regular traffic.
We suggest 3 levers (+ one bonus) to activate to secure your traffic, without depending on platforms.
What social networks have brought (and are still bringing!) to the restaurant business
Staying connected in times of crisis
During Covid, social networks served as a lifeline for many restaurants that were not yet fully digitalized.
They provided an immediate response to a real and unprecedented need: to inform, to reassure, to remain visible despite closed doors. Restaurants that communicated regularly were able to keep in touch with their customers. They could say when they opened, how to order, where to pick up dishes. It was an accessible solution for holding out during an unstable period.
Establish an identity and create a community
Since then, usage has evolved. The new generation of foodpreneurs knows the mechanics of these platforms and uses them with a truly structured approach. Digital strategy is just as much a part of launching a new venue as the choice of kitchen materials, menu or visual identity.
It's no longer enough to simply announce opening hours or a dish of the day: restaurateurs are developing a seamless customer experience. They federate a community, set a tone, share behind-the-scenes stories, involve teams and give personality to their establishment. The need for visibility remains, but it's accompanied by a desire to belong.
Create appealing content
Food works very well on networks because it triggers something effortlessly. Cheese melting, cream dripping, steak crackling on the plancha ... Social networks love these moments of life in the kitchen. They create emotion and nostalgia, and don't take much to make a big impact. Forget long speeches: good visuals + good framing + good timing.
And it works. Foodporn" trends are exploding. Millions of users scroll down, stop on a photo, click on the profile, share and tag their buddies. Digital word-of-mouth starts even before the customer has made a reservation.
What social networks can no longer compensate for in 2026
No answer to inflation and flagging purchasing power
You can publish the best content, but if your local customers reduce their outings, the impact will remain limited. The problem is not visibility, but the ability of customers to return often. The networks increase attractiveness, but they do not transform an average ticket price that has become too high for some members of the public.
This lever helps to attract the eye, not to compensate for a structural decline in spending. To continue building volume, you need to rely on other tools (we'll tell you about them right after!).
No solution to increased competition
Competition is no longer just played out on the street, it's now also played out in the news feeds. If you publish, your neighbors publish too. Platforms will put your content in direct competition, even with restaurants several kilometers away.
Mechanically, your chances of emerging diminish. You're no longer compared to those in your neighborhood, but to all those who have mastered the video format. And with more and more new establishments opening every year, networks are amplifying competition rather than reducing it.
To stay visible, you need a solid rhythm, formats that work and real consistency... which not all teams have the time or financial resources to take on.
No guarantee of regular traffic
A post can fill a shift, but a restaurant doesn't run on isolated peaks. It runs with stable attendance. This is where networks show their true limits: everything is too random. The reach of posts is unpredictable, engagement changes, trends fade in a matter of days, and customer reaction often depends on external factors such as the weather or their current budget.
You can publish a piece of content that's doing very well and experience a quiet service the next day. If you want a regular room, you have to act on customer return. Acquisition alone is not enough, even with excellent content.
Costly leverage
For a long time, it was said that networks were "free". In a professional context, this is no longer true.
➜ You need to produce formats adapted to each platform.
➜ You need to be constantly on the lookout for new products, trends and so on.
➜ You must publish often.
➜ You need to respond, track messages and analyze feedback.
If your team doesn't have the time, delegate. If you want to get more visibility, you need to boost your publications and set aside an ads budget.
The cost is not just financial:
➜ it's energy
➜ time taken away from operations
➜ it's internal logistics
➜ it's continuous creation
And when margins tightenIf you're looking for the right balance, any lever that consumes time or budget needs to be measured carefully.
The 3 antidotes to falling visitor numbers: loyalty, data and activation
01. Building a solid customer base: the real engine of growth
A returning customer is more profitable than a new one, because it costs less to activate, it often orders a little more, and it returns at key times of the year. You don't have to convince him to come to your home every time. Yet many establishments have no customer data at all.
A loyalty program changes the game. Each time you pass by, you collect useful information: a first name, a number, an email, a visit date, a name, a phone number and a password. favorite disha birthday.
This information is consistent with a database that you can activate when you need to:
✔ a targeted offer for those who have been away for 30 or 60 days
✔ a message for a birthday
✔ an invitation to discover a new product
✔ a special formula on a weak niche
Each visit feeds the next, and you build your traffic rather than suffer from it.
Want to find out more? See our resource ➜ Customer data and loyalty: 5 key actions to boost your sales
02. Activate targeted campaigns all year round rather than generic posts
A TikTok or Instagram post can reach your direct target, but it can also be completely missed. The algorithm, the time of day, the competition of the moment, the format... all come into play, and nothing is guaranteed. A post may work one time, and go unnoticed the next. And "walking" mostly means gaining visibility, but not necessarily converting into customers.
An SMS sent to customers who haven't ordered in 45 days always reaches the right people. You activate those who already know you and are most likely to come back. It's a lever that has a direct impact on visitor numbers.
With a segmented database, you can identify who's disappearing, who's a loyal weekly customer, who's a lunchtime customer, who's a lunchtime customer, who's a lunchtime customer, who's a lunchtime customer, who's a lunchtime customer. Click & Collect. You adapt your messages to their habits. This precision improves recurrence and secures weeks. You keep control of your traffic instead of waiting for content to take off.
Want to find out more? See our resource ➜ Building customer loyalty in the restaurant business: 10 SMS marketing ideas to try out
03. Think "overall experience" before "content
If your room is pleasant, if the welcome is smooth, if ordering is simple and if the promise is kept, your customers will come back. It's the only strategy that lasts over time.
Platforms attract the curious, but it's the on-site experience that turns them into regular customers. Customers come back when they know what to expect and when they've experienced something that makes their day easier.
An establishment that continually improves its customer experience naturally reduces its dependence on networks. It secures your reputation, limits disappointment, improves word-of-mouth and boosts the impact of your campaigns. You can publish less, but better, because what you're showing really exists in the room.
Want to find out more? See our resource ➜ Customer experience in the foodservice industry: innovations that are changing everything (and more to come)
04. Bonus: Working on local SEO before going viral
When customers are looking for where to go, they often open Google Maps before Instagram. Your listing needs to be clear, up-to-date and provide everything you need to make a quick decision: opening hours, photos, menu, reviews, location. This regular work brings you a constant flow, regardless of the platforms' algorithms. Local referencing remains one of the rare levers that stabilize traffic without depending on a novelty or a trend.
Do it now:
✔ check that info is up to date and complete
✔ publish recent photos
✔ respond to opinions (especially neutral and negative ones)
✔ use relevant categories and filters
Want to find out more? See our resource ➜ How to create an attractive Google Business page for your restaurant?
Stop relying on algorithms to fill your rooms
Take advantage today: Capture data on every visit, follow-up with the right customers at the right time, and build loyalty that really supports your business.
