It’s five times more expensive to bring in a new customer than to keep one—a clear signal for restaurant owners that cracking loyalty can be a real game-changer.
The way restaurants build loyalty has shifted. Social media is now the secret sauce for turning first-time customers into regulars. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok aren’t just about showcasing meals—they’re about creating a buzz, building communities, and telling stories that keep your guests engaged long after they leave your venue.
In this guide, we’ll explore how food bloggers and influencers are reshaping customer loyalty in hospitality. You’ll learn actionable strategies to leverage social platforms and track results, helping you create a loyal customer base that comes back for more.
Why repeat customers are essential for Restaurants
Repeat customers aren’t just more likely to return—they’re significantly more valuable. Loyal diners spend 67% more per visit than first-timers, making them essential for profitability.
Retaining customers is also far more cost-effective. It’s 6-7 times cheaper to keep an existing guest than to acquire a new one, a crucial factor in an industry with tight margins.
But the value of repeat customers goes beyond spending. They’re your natural advocates, driving 20-50% of purchases through word-of-mouth recommendations—free marketing that’s priceless.
Here’s why they’re invaluable:
Reliable Revenue: They fill seats regularly, even during slow periods.
Menu Enthusiasts: They eagerly try and promote new dishes.
Feedback Champions: Their insights help you improve.
Marketing Multipliers: They bring others along, reducing your acquisition costs.
With 65-80% of restaurant revenue coming from regulars, focusing on retention isn’t just smart—it’s essential. Loyal customers also provide operational stability, helping you predict demand, streamline inventory, and plan staffing more effectively.
Best of all, their trust leads them to explore more of your menu, boosting per-visit spend and making every return even more profitable.
How social media creates loyalty
Social media has changed how we build lasting relationships with our guests in today's digital world. This connection goes way beyond the reach of casual scrolling.
Social media's power to create loyalty comes from consistency and visibility. Restaurants with an active social media presence see 5-10% higher sales annually. The key isn't just posting regularly - it's about building meaningful connections.
Our most effective engagement comes from:
Visual content that showcases our dishes and atmosphere
Behind-the-scenes glimpses into our kitchen operations
Live responses to customer feedback
Exclusive offers for our social media followers
Customer loyalty through social media becomes clear when we look at response rates. 76% of customers appreciate a quick response on social media. 71% are more likely to recommend restaurants that involve them on these platforms.
Social media influencers have altered the map of customer trust. Our experience at Joli shows that micro-influencers - those with under 50,000 followers - create the most authentic connections. Their recommendations carry weight, as 69% of consumers trust influencer recommendations.
Social proof drives repeat visits in fascinating ways. Customers who see others enjoying their restaurant experience create a ripple effect. 70% of customers have visited a restaurant based on social media recommendations.
Social media isn’t just a marketing tool—it’s a loyalty engine. By combining authentic connections, influencer collaborations, and the power of social proof, restaurants can turn casual followers into loyal diners. The more your guests feel seen, heard, and inspired online, the more likely they are to return, recommend, and become advocates for your brand.
Why influencers are key to building loyalty
Building customer loyalty in restaurants has a secret weapon - influencer marketing. Our work with restaurants shows that influencers create exceptional levels of trust and connection with potential repeat customers.
Influencer marketing builds trust faster
Influencer marketing packs a powerful punch: 32% of Gen Z visit new restaurants after seeing them featured by social media influencers. This goes beyond mere exposure - trust matters most. Micro-influencers with fewer than 50,000 followers get up to 60% more engagement than macro-influencers.
Local food influencers create authentic connections that traditional ads can't match. Followers trust their favourite influencers who genuinely enjoy a meal, which creates a ripple effect. The numbers back this up - 92% of consumers trust influencer recommendations more than direct brand messages.
Our influencer partnerships deliver these key benefits:
Higher engagement rates with targeted local audiences
More authentic content that appeals to potential customers
Increased trust through genuine recommendations
Better conversion rates from engagement to actual visits
Reaching more customers at scale
Influencer marketing stands out because of its scalability. Restaurants now generate an average return of £5.16 for every 79p spent on influencer marketing. This impressive ROI comes from influencers reaching highly engaged, local audiences who love dining experiences.
Joli's platform makes this process simple for restaurants. We connect restaurants with vetted micro-influencers who create authentic content in exchange for dining experiences. This works well because it emphasises genuine experiences over paid endorsements.
The reach extends beyond immediate impact. Influencer-shared dining experiences often get more word-of-mouth marketing. Research shows influencer campaigns deliver 11 times greater ROI than traditional digital marketing methods.
Social media strategies to drive repeat visits
A strong social media presence goes beyond regular posting - it needs a strategy that converts followers into loyal customers. Our data shows restaurants with active social media see 5-10% higher sales annually. The right approach makes a vital difference.
Showcase your brand personality
A consistent brand voice helps you stand out from the crowd. Restaurants that keep their visual identity and tone consistent on social platforms get much more interaction from users. The numbers speak for themselves - 30% of millennial diners actively avoid restaurants that don't have a solid Instagram presence.
Your brand personality will shine through if you:
Keep a consistent look across platforms
Show behind-the-scenes content that adds a human touch
Create a unique voice that strikes a chord with your audience
Post regularly to stay relevant
Use engagement tools to build relationships
Engagement on social media goes beyond likes and comments—it’s about creating meaningful connections with your audience. For restaurants, this means turning social platforms into two-way conversation hubs that strengthen trust and loyalty.
Interactive Tools That Foster Connections
Social media offers plenty of opportunities to interact directly with customers:
Instagram Stories Polls and Questions: These tools invite your audience to share their preferences, from favorite dishes to menu suggestions, making them feel heard and involved.
Quick Comment and Message Responses: Responding promptly to questions or shoutouts not only improves customer satisfaction by 25% but also reinforces the relationship.
Why It Works
Engagement builds trust. When customers feel valued and heard, they’re more likely to return, recommend your restaurant, and interact with your content. This dynamic relationship transforms followers into loyal diners and advocates for your brand.
By using engagement tools strategically, restaurants can create authentic connections, turning every touchpoint into an opportunity to strengthen the customer relationship.
Run exclusive social media campaigns
Exclusive campaigns deliver impressive results consistently. Special deals for social media followers build community and reward loyal customers.
Our platform connects restaurants with micro-influencers who create genuine content in exchange for meals. These campaigns work because they create FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Customers who see others enjoying special experiences want to join in. Limited-time offers and special menu items announced first on social media have proven especially effective.
A consistent approach to these strategies helps restaurants build stronger customer relationships. The secret lies in staying authentic while making use of the right tools and platforms to boost interaction and encourage return visits.
Measuring success on Social Media
Social media success requires more than just posting content. Measuring what works and optimising our approach makes all the difference. Our experience shows that tracking the right metrics can transform sporadic visitors into loyal customers.
Key metrics to track
These significant metrics define social media success:
Engagement Rate: Shows how well content strikes a chord with audiences
Reach and Impressions: Measures content visibility
Click-through Rate: Tracks website visits from social posts
Conversion Rate: Monitors bookings from social channels
Brand Mentions: Tracks organic discussions about your restaurant
Restaurants that track these metrics see a 57% higher like rate and a 33% higher comment rate on their social media posts. This engagement builds customer loyalty, as 93% of consumers say online reviews affect their dining choices.
Tracking influencer campaigns on Joli
Our platform makes campaign tracking straightforward for restaurants. Each influencer collaboration measures these elements:
Metric | What It Tells Us |
Reach | Total audience exposure |
Engagement | Interaction with content |
Story Views | Content visibility |
Saved Posts | Interest level |
Website Clicks | Traffic generation |
Using feedback to improve
Turning feedback into action isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a game-changer for building loyalty and improving performance. Research shows that 71% of customers are more likely to recommend restaurants that actively respond to their feedback, but responding isn’t enough. Real improvements based on feedback make the difference.
Tools like Feed It Back empower restaurants to capture and analyze customer feedback in real time, turning insights into actionable changes. With live tracking of dining experiences, satisfaction trends, and guest concerns, restaurants can make informed adjustments that enhance the guest experience.
Joli takes feedback a step further by providing detailed insights from every influencer visit. Positive feedback can be shared with your team to celebrate what’s working, while constructive insights pinpoint areas to improve. This data-driven approach helps restaurants refine their content strategy and service quality to resonate better with their audience.
Why Feedback Matters
Performance Monitoring: Joli’s automated system tracks influencer campaign success, helping restaurants identify which content drives engagement.
Customer Retention: Restaurants that act on feedback see up to a 30% increase in repeat visits.
Customer Loyalty: When diners see their suggestions implemented, they’re 68% more likely to return.
This creates a powerful feedback loop: every improvement makes the dining experience better, which keeps guests coming back. With tools like Joli and Feed It Back, you can capture the insights you need to grow, ensuring that no valuable feedback gets lost in the noise.
By integrating feedback systems into your operations, you’ll turn metrics into meaningful, ongoing improvements that strengthen your relationship with customers and influencers alike.
Conclusion: the power of social media for restaurant loyalty
Social media has emerged as a game-changing tool for restaurants to build lasting customer relationships. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok help restaurants achieve 5-10% higher annual sales while spending nowhere near as much as traditional marketing methods.
The data speaks volumes - micro-influencers drive up to 60% more engagement than larger accounts. Restaurants that involve themselves on social media see 71% of their customers more likely to recommend their business. These numbers represent real opportunities to build loyalty and grow.
Our team at Joli has seen restaurants reshape their social media presence into a customer loyalty engine. The platform connects you with ideal micro-influencers seamlessly. It tracks campaign results and stores content automatically, which removes uncertainty from influencer marketing.
Your social media strategy needs influencer marketing to convert occasional diners into regulars. Strong social media presence goes beyond content posting - it creates authentic connections that bring customers back repeatedly.
FAQs
Q1. How can social media help restaurants attract repeat customers? Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok can significantly boost customer loyalty. By maintaining an active presence, restaurants can increase annual sales by 5-10%. Engaging content, prompt responses to feedback, and exclusive offers for followers can create meaningful connections that encourage customers to return.
Q2. What role do influencers play in building customer loyalty for restaurants? Influencers, especially micro-influencers with fewer than 50,000 followers, are crucial in building trust and loyalty. They can generate up to 60% more engagement than larger accounts, and their authentic recommendations carry significant weight. In fact, 32% of Gen Z diners have visited new restaurants after seeing them featured by social media influencers.
Q3. What strategies can restaurants use on social media to encourage repeat visits? Effective strategies include showcasing brand personality through consistent visual identity and tone, using engagement tools like polls and questions to build relationships, and running exclusive social media campaigns. Offering special promotions to followers creates a sense of community and rewards loyalty, with 68% of consumers willing to pay more for better experiences.
Q4. How can restaurants measure the success of their social media efforts? Key metrics to track include engagement rate, reach and impressions, click-through rate, conversion rate, and brand mentions. Restaurants actively tracking these metrics see higher engagement on their posts. For influencer campaigns, it's important to measure reach, engagement, story views, saved posts, and website clicks to gauge effectiveness.
Q5. Why are repeat customers so important for restaurants? Repeat customers are essential for restaurants as they spend 67% more per visit than first-time guests. It's also 6-7 times more cost-effective to retain existing customers than to acquire new ones. Moreover, loyal customers often become brand ambassadors, providing valuable word-of-mouth recommendations that influence 20-50% of all purchases.
