Food is the most crowded category on Instagram. Every restaurant has beautiful photos. Very few have full tables on a Tuesday. Pretty content is not a marketing plan.
I've run campaigns for food brands in Cairo, from a koshary brand with more than 60 years of history to a Turkish restaurant fighting for attention in the busiest content category online. Here's what actually moves people from scrolling to sitting down.
First, know which job your marketing has
Restaurants usually need one of three things:
- More first-time visitors (awareness)
- More repeat visits (loyalty)
- More delivery orders (convenience)
Each needs different tactics. Trying to do all three with the same posts is why most restaurant pages feel random.
1. Own Google Maps
When someone searches "restaurants near me" or "best shawarma in Maadi," Google Maps decides who gets the visit.
- Claim and complete your Google Business Profile: hours, menu, photos, phone
- Ask happy customers for reviews (a QR code on the table works)
- Reply to every review, especially the bad ones, calmly
This is free and it is often the highest-return thing a restaurant can do.
2. Show the food being eaten, not just plated
Perfect overhead shots look like every other page. Steam, cheese pulls, sauce being poured, a real table of friends: that's what makes people hungry and makes them stop scrolling.
3. Short video, every week
Reels and TikTok are where discovery happens now. Simple formats work:
- "How we make it" behind the scenes
- The owner or chef talking to camera
- Customer reactions to the first bite
- "What 100 EGP gets you here"
4. Give a reason to visit this week
A new dish, a limited item, a family deal, a game-night screening. Restaurants that post "we're open, come visit" get scrolled past.
5. Use legacy if you have it
With Koshary Zizo, the challenge was modernizing a brand that three generations grew up with without losing what made people love it. If your restaurant has history, that's an asset nobody can copy. Tell it.
6. Authenticity beats polish
For Turkan, authenticity was the only real edge in a crowded feed: real ingredients, real cooking, real Turkish details. People trust what feels real.
7. Work with micro food creators
Local food bloggers with 10,000–50,000 engaged followers often bring more visits than one big influencer, for a fraction of the price. Ask for real reviews, not scripted ads.
8. Run local ads, not national ones
Target people within a realistic distance of your branch and the areas you deliver to. A Zamalek restaurant doesn't need to pay to reach people in Alexandria.
9. Treat delivery apps as marketing
Your listing on Talabat or other delivery apps is a storefront. Great photos, clear names, bundles, and fast replies to ratings. A 4.2 vs. 4.6 rating changes orders.
10. Build repeat visits
A WhatsApp broadcast list, a simple stamp card, or a birthday offer. Getting a happy customer back is far cheaper than finding a new one.
What to measure
- Google Maps views, calls and direction requests
- Reservations and walk-ins (ask "how did you hear about us?")
- Delivery orders and app rating
- Cost per order on ads
The bottom line
The restaurants that win in Egypt don't just look good online. They're easy to find, give people a reason to come this week, and make regulars feel known.
Running a restaurant and want a plan that fills tables? Let's talk.