3-minute read ---

Marketing a restaurant during the start of the school year can be an exciting and profitable venture, as students and families are looking for social hubs to gather with friends, study, and celebrate after homecoming games and events.

​As the start of the school year quickly approaches, here are a few strategies to effectively market your restaurant:

Consider what food and beverage types are most in-demand for your target audience

Offer specials for students and staff who are members of local tutoring centers

Enhance the homecoming season by matching or complimenting school themes

Sponsor sports teams, school clubs, theaters, or charity events to demonstrate support for students

Asking for feedback helps build positive rapport with local customers

1. Understand Your Target Audience
Consider your target audience. Is it high school and college students? Families? Consider what food and beverage types are most in-demand for those customers, and tailor your menu and marketing efforts to reflect that.

2. Create Seasonal Promotions
The start of the school year is often full of gatherings that are enhanced with special offers from local restaurants. Consider creating promotions that cater to students and school groups, like ‘Homecoming Meal Deals' or ‘New School Year Discounts.' Market your promotions with QR codes access to digital menus, distributing QR code-based flyers and business cards, and posting signage all around your restaurant premises. Combining marketing campaigns with introductory promo cards and loyalty programs reward first-time purchases and incentivize guests to frequently return throughout the fall semester.

3. Collaborate with Schools and Tutoring Centers
Collaborating with local schools and tutoring centers gives restaurants a direct pathway to engaging with students and families. Consider bulk-order discounts for takeout, delivery, or catering services that these establishments can use to promote homecoming parties, dances, fundraisers, or other start of the school year events. Restaurants can even offer specials for students and staff who are members of local tutoring centers.

4. Host Themed Events
Consider hosting themed events that resonate with the start of the school year. Homecoming parties and parades typically have a central theme, so enhance the homecoming season by matching or complimenting school themes! In addition, host unique themed events such as a '80’s throwback night,' 'family fun day' with activities for younger kids, can attract different customer segments.

5. Offer a Memorable Dining Experience
In addition to offering great food and drinks, focus on providing unforgettable dining experiences. Excellent service, a vibrant or festive ambiance, and live music can make your restaurant the go-to place for school year celebrations. Consider inviting student musicians or bands to perform!

6. Community Involvement
Get involved with school communities and extracurricular organizations to increase your restaurant’s visibility. Sponsor community sports teams, school clubs, theaters, or charity events to demonstrate support for students and the broader community.

7. Leverage Social Media
Social media is a powerful tool, especially among younger audiences. Leverage your social media presence to draw families and students to your restaurant. Create engaging content like behind-the-scenes kitchen tours, showcasing your special menu items, or even hosting live sessions with chefs.

8. Utilize Email Marketing
Set up and utilize email marketing to share information about promotional offers, special events, and menu updates. Personalize email marketing efforts by using customer names, and consider offering birthday discounts or limited-time discounts to new subscribers.

9. Engage with Local Influencers
Partnering with local social media influencers, bloggers, or online communities can help reach a broader audience. They can promote your restaurant to their followers, increasing your visibility and potentially driving more customers to your restaurant.

10. Feedback and Improvement
Encourage written, online, or in-person feedback from your customers about their food and dining experience. Be open to making improvements! Asking for feedback and improvement not only helps in enhancing the customer experience but helps build positive rapport with local customers by demonstrating how you value their opinions.

Get Creative with Aldelo Express and Masa+
Marketing your restaurant during the start of the school year requires a mix of creativity, understanding of your audience, and engagement with the community. By implementing these strategies, you can attract more customers and create a lasting impression that keeps them coming back.

​Aldelo Express and Masa+ support convenient dining solutions for restaurants as they help customers celebrate the start of the school year:

• Seamless cloud point-of-sale software across iPad, Android Terminal, Android Tablet, and Android Mobile devices
• QR code-enabled Masa+ Online Ordering, Digital Payments, Loyalty, Rewards, Promo Cards (smart coupons) and eGift Cards
• Multiple Aldelo Express AI Automation Services
• Digital Table Management, Reservations, and Waitlists
• Self-Service Kiosks
• Multimedia Customer Displays
• Native Inventory Module
• and much more!

​Learn more by contacting an Aldelo representative today at [email protected] or 925-621-2410

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​Restaurants that use ultra-competitive
Aldelo Pay or Aldelo Partner Merchant Services
obtain access to
a Centralized Multi-Store Restaurant Technology Platform
that includes Masa+ Online Ordering,
Unlimited Software Releases,
​Unlimited Software Upgrades, and 24/7 Technical Support!


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Please contact an Aldelo representative today for more details, 
including a free Aldelo Express POS demo trial

[email protected] | 877-639-8767 | [email protected]

Learn More About Aldelo Express and Masa+ ...
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