Top 5 Takeaways from Talk Shop LIVE Raleigh

Highlights from the discussion on driving traffic and restaurant marketing

1. Cultivate a Community


When Angela Salamanca opened North Carolina’s first mezcal bar – Gallo Pelón – in Raleigh, she designed the space with community and comfort in mind. Guests are encouraged to stay for more than just a quick cocktail and a bite. Servers and bartenders alike are trained to educate diners on the world of mezcal, in a casual atmosphere. Sera Cuni of Root Cellar Café & Catering, a scratch-kitchen-style café and market in Chapel Hill and Pittsboro, says her restaurant thrives on being a community hub with great food and a stay-a-while atmosphere. The Café makes Wi-Fi and outlets readily available for college students and remote workers to grab a meal, plug in and be productive.

2. Get On Board with Online Ordering

Damion “Dame” Moore, of Dame’s Chicken & Waffles in Cary and Greensboro, says incorporating online food ordering has increased sales and been a great restaurant marketing tool for his operation. He says while he was reluctant at first – because his product can be difficult to carry out – takeout is about 10% of his business now. Looking to launch online ordering in your restaurant? Dame tells operators to take a strong look at how much more your kitchen can truly handle before launching. His first priority is keeping quality strong and consistent, so customers and employees alike can have a great experience. Start slow and scale up as your kitchen capacity permits.

3. Social Media, Social Media, Social Media

While word of mouth and a strong culture reign supreme in the restaurant marketing world, all panelists tout social media as having a great positive influence on broadening visibility and attracting diners to their operations. Each panelist uses a mix of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram; however, all say Facebook is used for more administrative updates, and Instagram for the drool-worthy imagery that drives customers into their restaurants. Each operation’s social channels are a healthy mix of menu best-sellers, community involvement and shared customer or influencer posts. Wondering how much they post? Dame’s Chicken & Waffles posts about every three to four days, Gallo Pelón every two and Root Cellar four to five times weekly. The trick is to commit to a realistic schedule and be consistent to stay top-of-mind and at the top of customers’ social media feeds.

4. Expand Your Offerings with Meal Kits

Root Cellar Café & Catering launched their ‘Family Dinners’ program as an affordable and convenient option for families and individuals on the go. Several years in, they have well over 100 families picking up the meal kits each week, which are made up of five scratch-made meals diners can simply heat and eat throughout the week. They continue to expand their offerings to include various dietary needs including vegetarian, paleo and more. Sera Cuni says the best restaurant marketing tactics for this program have been word of mouth and Instagram.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Change Up Restaurant Marketing Ideas


Damion of Dame’s Chicken & Waffles makes a constant effort to stay connected to his loyal customer base. In addition, he reads reviews objectively, because often they help him make positive changes to his service culture and menu. Sera Cuni is a champion of trial and error. She said of her Pittsboro location, “I was adamant about not having fries on my burger menu because we’ve got a great potato salad! But the customer demanded it, and guess what? We have fries now!” She has learned over the years to always have a big-picture vision, but never to let it cloud the voice of the customer. What will truly drive traffic and keep customers coming back is that they are happy with your product.

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