Guide
Social media for restaurants, run by people who also run the kitchen
Updated
Restaurant owners know social media matters. People check Instagram before they book, and a good photo of a dish fills tables. The problem is time. Posting gets done on quiet Tuesdays and forgotten in a busy week, which is exactly when it would have paid off. This guide gives you a plan small enough to keep: what to post, three posts a week, a list of ideas for when you're stuck, and how to hand most of it to an app.
What restaurant customers look for
- The food. Clear, close, well-lit photos of real dishes. This is the main reason people follow a restaurant.
- The practical details. Opening hours, holiday closures, how to book, whether you take walk-ins.
- What's new. A seasonal menu, a weekly special, a new dessert.
- The people. The chef, the regulars, the team. It makes a place feel known before the first visit.
- A reason to come this week. An event, an offer, a dish that won't be around long.
A three-post weekly plan
Three posts a week is enough to stay visible, and possible to keep up through a busy month.
| Day | Post | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Useful carousel: "how we make it", pairing tips or a FAQ | Gets saved and shared, builds trust |
| Wednesday | Dish of the week or seasonal special | Gives people a reason to come in |
| Friday | Weekend post: hours, booking, events | Catches people deciding where to eat |
20 post ideas for restaurants
- The story behind your most-ordered dish.
- Five things on the menu most people don't try, and should.
- Myth vs fact about an ingredient you use.
- How a dish goes from prep to plate, in steps.
- Wine, juice or coffee pairings for this week's specials.
- Meet the chef: three questions, three slides.
- Your regulars' favourite order.
- Holiday hours and closures, in one clear image.
- Behind the counter at 7am.
- Where your produce comes from.
- FAQ: parking, booking, dietary options, kids.
- Before-and-after of a renovation or new terrace.
- Staff picks for the week.
- What's leaving the menu, and the last day to order it.
- A dish for each dietary need: vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free.
- Group bookings and private events, how they work.
- The playlist or the room on a busy night.
- A recipe for something simple from the menu.
- Thanking a local supplier.
- Gift cards before a holiday.
Keep it going in a busy week
Plans fail in the weeks you're short-staffed. The fix is to plan once and let posting happen without you.
Vidpop is an iPhone app that does that. Give it your restaurant's website, or answer six short questions and add a few photos of your food and room. Autopilot plans three carousels a week, designs each with 5 to 7 slides and writes the caption. Post for Me publishes them to Instagram and your Facebook Page at the scheduled time.
When something comes up, like a special or a closure, Create with AI makes a caption, image post or carousel from a sentence, and you can post it straight away. Turn on "Ask me first" if you want to approve every post; you can change anything up to 15 minutes before it goes out.
On the Pro plan, Vidpop also makes one UGC video ad a week with an AI presenter, up to 30 seconds and vertical, which can go to TikTok, Instagram or Facebook. Videos can be in English or Arabic; carousels and posts are in English for now.
Starter is $8.99 a week or $29.99 a month on the US App Store, with a 3-day free trial. Vidpop is iPhone only.
Photo tips that cost nothing
- Shoot near a window. Daylight beats any flash.
- Shoot the dish as it's served. Before anyone touches it.
- Get close. Fill the frame with food, not the table.
- Use the tall format. 1080x1350 takes more of the feed than a square.
- Keep a folder. Ten good photos a month gives you material for weeks.
Frequently asked questions
- What should a restaurant post on social media?
- Food photos, what's new on the menu, practical details like hours and booking, the people behind the place, and a reason to come in this week. Useful carousels like pairing tips or FAQs get saved and shared.
- How often should a restaurant post on Instagram?
- Three times a week is a pace most restaurants can keep. A useful post early in the week, a dish mid-week and a weekend post on Friday covers the main jobs.
- Which social media is best for restaurants?
- Instagram for food and atmosphere, Facebook for hours, events and local reach, and TikTok if you make short videos. Vidpop posts carousels to Instagram and Facebook, and on Pro can post its UGC video ads to TikTok.
- Can an app post for my restaurant automatically?
- Yes. Vidpop's Autopilot plans three carousels a week from what it learns about your restaurant and posts them on schedule. Instagram needs a Business or Creator account and Facebook needs a Page.
- Can Vidpop write captions for my own food photos?
- Yes. In Create with AI, choose Caption and describe the photo and what you want people to do. You can also add a few photos when you first tell Vidpop about your restaurant.
- What does Vidpop cost for a restaurant?
- Starter is $8.99 a week or $29.99 a month with a 3-day free trial. Pro, which adds a weekly UGC video ad, is $16.99 a week or $59.99 a month. US App Store prices.
Try it on your own app or product
Free to download on iPhone. A subscription is needed to render a reel.
