Restaurant Text Marketing: How to Use SMS and Push to Increase Orders

In a world where consumers spend nearly five hours a day on their smartphones, restaurant text marketing is one of the most effective ways to boost customer engagement, retention, and loyalty. Whether you're announcing daily specials, re-engaging lapsed customers, or driving traffic during slow shifts, SMS and push notifications deliver your message instantly—and in a way your guests are likely to see.

Let’s walk through how restaurants are using SMS and push messaging to send personalized messages, drive repeat visits, and build long-term loyalty using tools like customizable email and text marketing.

Why restaurant text marketing works

Smartphones aren’t just for texting: they’re for deciding what’s for dinner. SMS marketing for restaurants can help increase order frequency, fill tables during off-peak hours, and keep your brand top of mind. That’s because text message marketing gives you a direct line to your customers, with 90% of consumers opening text messages within three minutes. 

Restaurant text messaging taps into an intimate channel—one typically reserved for close friends and family—to share offers, updates, and menu items. With the DoorDash Commerce Platform Pro package, you can go beyond SMS to send push notifications through your own branded app, giving you another cost-effective and high-impact way to communicate.

4 benefits of SMS marketing campaigns for restaurants

1. Instant delivery and action

Your message appears right on the customer’s screen—at the right moment, with the right message.

2. Personalized messages

Send messages that feel tailor-made by segmenting based on customer preferences, order history, or visit frequency. 

3. Cost effective

Unlike print ads or broad digital campaigns, SMS marketing campaigns cost just pennies per message while generating measurable ROI. SMS messages sent through the customizable email and text marketing tool cost $0.05 each. 

4. Boost customer engagement

Remind customers about your loyalty program, promote new menu items, or invite them to special events.

You can also increase your success with personalized marketing strategies that segment and tailor messages based on guest behavior.

How to get started with restaurant text marketing

Build your subscriber list

Collect phone numbers through in-store signage, table tents, receipts, and online checkout flows.

Segment and target

Use customer data to send targeted, relevant messages. Examples:

• Customer type: Remind inactive guests of a past favorite

• Loyalty status:  Send a lunch special promo to loyalty members

• Order history: Promote family meals to users with larger order histories

Use templates and automation

The customizable email and text marketing tool makes sending messages easy with built-in templates.

Combine SMS and push

When paired with your branded mobile app, push notifications can complement your text message marketing—reaching customers who prefer app alerts.

For more tactics, check out these 10 proven restaurant marketing strategies that include loyalty programs, menu promotions, and digital campaigns.

Have a clear call to action

A clear call to action like "Text TACOTUESDAY to 12345 for a free appetizer" can help drive sign ups.

SMS marketing strategies that work

Here are five simple yet effective SMS marketing ideas:

• Limited-time promotions: "Flash Sale! Order before 2pm and get 20% off your meal."

• Loyalty reminders: "You've earned 50 points! Redeem now for a free side."

• Event invitations: "Live Jazz Night this Saturday. Reserve your table now."

• Reorder prompts: "Craving that Pad Thai again? It’s just one tap away."

• Birthday messages: "Happy Birthday! Enjoy a free dessert on us this week."

Add-on opportunities with SMS marketing

Beyond reorders and promotions, SMS can unlock more value for restaurants:

• Encourage feedback: Text surveys sent after a meal help gather real-time guest sentiment. Use short links for post-meal feedback forms to track satisfaction.

• Promote seasonal campaigns: Whether it's Valentine’s prix fixe dinners or holiday gift card offers, text campaigns can amplify seasonal specials.

• Highlight secret menu items: Create exclusivity by texting loyal guests about limited-time dishes not listed on the menu.

• Coordinate events: Push notifications and texts are ideal for inviting regulars to cooking classes, wine tastings, or grand openings.

• Reduce no-shows: Send reservation confirmations and friendly reminders—plus upsell opportunities—by text.

• Cross-promote social media: Text a link of your latest Instagram contest or customer photo gallery to boost engagement and follower growth.

Real example: Green Tomato Grill

Green Tomato Grill worked with DoorDash to create a branded mobile app and used the customizable email and text marketing tool to communicate with app users. The result? A 13% lift in digital orders, and customers who used the app reordered 1.4x more often than others.

Nearly half of digital orders came from loyalty members who received consistent updates and offers via mobile channels.

The mobile app and customizable email and text marketing tool are included in the DoorDash Commerce Platform Pro package. DoorDash’s tools are part of a larger suite of restaurant technologies that help streamline operations.

DoorDash makes it easy to send texts and push

With DoorDash’s customizable email and text marketing, restaurants can:

• Create SMS marketing campaigns in minutes

• Segment by behavior, location, or order history

• Monitor SMS, push, and email campaigns from one dashboard

Track open rates, click-throughs, and sales in real time

Want to grow your reach with personalized, cost-effective message marketing for restaurants? Learn how it fits into your restaurant marketing plan to boost visibility and retention.