10 Social Media Content Ideas That Actually Grow Restaurant Bookings.

Posting just for the sake of it won’t get you booked out. To drive real growth, your content needs to build desire, trust and personality, all while being scroll-stopping. Here are the 10 content types we know work best for hospo brands and are easy to execute.

1) Tell your origin story.

Most diners and potential customers see similar food all over social media, so constant food content may not interest them. That’s why adding context and origin is important. Why did you open? What’s the story behind the name? What’s your vibe? Your journey builds brand personality.

Share a reel showing your venue before opening and pair it with a caption like “Why we started.” Use old photos, short voiceovers or even a carousel that maps your evolution.

2) Behind the scenes.

People are obsessed with how things are made - from your signature sauces to cocktails being shaken. Showing what happens behind the curtain builds a connection.

Film the making of a signature dish, daily prep rituals or even plating. Bonus: narrate with a story or use trending audio with on-screen captions.

3) Meet the team.

Personality sells. Introducing your people makes your venue feel warm, welcoming and human.

Post a team highlight each week: “Meet Jess, our head barista.” Pair with their favourite drink, a quick quote or even a funny moment. Whichever direction you take, make sure you keep the content consistent.

4) Shout out your suppliers and partners.

Where your ingredients come from tells your audience what kind of quality and care you bring to the table.

Post an image or reel with your supplier, from the cheesemonger to the butcher. Include why you chose them and what dish their ingredient shines in.

5) Ask your audience.

Engagement = reach. Ask your audience questions or run polls to create interaction.

Q&A: To celebrate our 3rd year anniversary, we plan on bringing back either our discontinued pork pizza or garlic pasta. Whichever gets the higher vote will return to our menu for a week.

6) Share real customer reviews.

Social proof drives bookings. Highlighting a guest’s genuine feedback is one of the most underrated content moves. Plus, it’s one of the easiest to post.

Screenshot reviews, overlay them on vibey photos or film a reel that shows the review plus the dish or experience it referenced.

7) Use and repost UGC (user-generated content).

Let your customers do the work. Reposting content they tag you in builds trust and multiplies your exposure.

Repost photos or videos you’re tagged in with gratitude. Consider a pinned Story Highlight of “Guest Posts” or a monthly feature post.

8) Update menus visually.

Don’t just announce your new menu - make it scroll-stopping and worth watching or swiping.

Use carousels or motion reels to show off new items, specials or events. Add urgency if applicable: “This weekend only” or “Launching Friday.”

9) POV content.

Show what it feels like to dine at your venue, not just what it looks like. Think steaming dishes arriving, a laugh between friends, cocktails clinking etc.

Set up a mock table with friends or staff. Film a 10-second Reel that includes a dish being placed on the table, someone pouring wine and ambient conversation or laughter.

10) What to order if you are new here.

Guide new customers with a carousel or voice-over reel of your best-sellers.

Film a video or carousel showing 3 to 4 best-sellers with quick reasons why they're must-orders.

Want to grow your social media into a booking engine?

We’re not a generic content agency - we’re hospo growth partners. At Caramel, we help venues like yours grow through cinematic content, strategy and social campaigns that drive real bookings.

Book a free Entry Discovery Workshop - get in touch with us via our Contact page and mention you found us from this article.