Email marketing has been around a long time, and it’s likely to remain a core part of a marketer’s toolkit for a long time to come. It’s easy to see why, given how cost-effective it is. Restaurants have enough overhead costs as it is, and effective automated communication at scale doesn’t need to be one of them.

With a good email workflow template, you can nurture leads and acquire more business without breaking the bank. Restaurants and other service industry businesses will find that email marketing is an effective way to reach prospective customers, secure and manage bookings, and bring patrons back for more.

Dining and food-related services, as an industry, enjoy an above-average email open rate of 33.25%, according to research from Constant Contact, while the overall average across industries stands at 30.35%. With an audience that is already receptive to email marketing, you only need to play your cards right to enjoy a real return on your time and efforts. We can help you do just that while demonstrating that your business is professional and well-organized.

Email Templates for Restaurants

The email templates below will equip you with a winning formula for restaurants and related businesses. Give these a try:

New lead first contact

Reach out to new leads by introducing yourself and your business, and encourage them to get in touch for more information about what you have to offer.

Hi [prospect name], Are you looking for a great restaurant or venue in [your area]? Because that’s us! My name is [your name] and we’d love to host you. Take a look at what we have to offer: [website or menu link] I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Kind regards,
[your name]
[your contact number]
Copy To Clipboard

Follow-up after a booking is made

Especially after making a large booking for a special occasion, customers will appreciate the reassurance that the details of the booking are correct and that everything is in safe hands. Also, offer to accommodate any special requirements or requests.

Hello [customer name], We look forward to hosting you on [booking date] at [booking time]. We’re sure that you’ll enjoy the occasion, but please let me know if there’s anything we can do to accommodate you, such as dietary preferences or allergy requirements. Please don’t hesitate to let me know and I’ll be sure to take care of it. I’m also happy to answer any questions you may have. Thanks,
[your name]
[your contact number]
Copy To Clipboard

Lead going cold

A lead that opted in a while ago and has since been inactive may need to be reminded of your service offerings. Get in touch to coax them by showing them your business’s rating on your preferred review sites like TripAdvisor or Yelp.

Hi [prospect name], I hope you’re well. A while ago you were looking for a good restaurant in [your geographic area]. If you haven’t tried [your business name] yet then you’re missing out! Making memorable occasions is what we do, and you’re sure to love what we have to offer. Take a look: [website or menu link] You’ll see that our establishment is highly regarded. Have a look at our rating on [review site]. We can help, so stay in touch. Kind regards,
[your name]
Copy To Clipboard

Day of booking

Send a last-minute message on the day of a scheduled booking as both a reminder and a prompt for any last-minute requirements or booking adjustments.

Hi [customer name], Today’s the day, we look forward to hosting you at [booking time] at [your business name]. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if there’s anything extra we can do to help you feel welcome. I hope you enjoy a memorable occasion with us. Kind regards,
[your name]
[your contact number]
Copy To Clipboard

Post-booking date follow-up

A day or so after a customer has been to your business, send them a message to ask how they enjoyed themselves so that you can quickly respond to any complaints or issues that need to be resolved.

Hi [customer name], It was great to have you with us and we really hope you enjoyed the occasion. But if anything wasn’t entirely to your satisfaction, please don’t hesitate to let me know and I’ll do whatever I can to address it. Thanks again for choosing [your business name]. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Until next time, [your name]
[your contact number]
Copy To Clipboard

Request a review

Some days or weeks after a customer has been to your establishment, get in touch with them and request a review. Be sure to include a link to your preferred platform. Positive reviews from other customers are a powerful marketing asset, and by openly addressing negative reviews positively, you can demonstrate trustworthiness.

Hi [client name], A while ago you visited [your business name] and I hope it was a memorable experience. If it’s no trouble, please would you write us a review on [platform] – it would mean a great deal. Thank you! [your name]
[contact number]
Copy To Clipboard

One year follow-up

Close to one year after a customer’s booking, drop them a line to remind them about your business. There’s always a chance they might want to make another booking with you for an annual event if they enjoyed the previous experience.

Hi [client name], I hope you’re well. It’s been almost a year since you shared an occasion with us, and I was wondering if you might consider letting us host you again. Take a look at what we have to offer: [website or menu link] Feel free to get in touch any time. It would be great to see you again. [your name]
[contact number]
Copy To Clipboard

These email templates will help you streamline your messaging and make every customer feel properly looked after. It’s that personal touch which really wins people over, so be sure to make the most of it. Email is ideal for building a long-term relationship with your customers, and you’ll soon see the benefits. Let us help you get started. Get in touch with CODESM.

+20 Text Message Templates for Lead Management in the Restaurant and Hospitality Industries

The service and hospitality industries have a lot to gain from adopting automation for communicating with customers or guests. There is an expectation for any quality establishment to have timely and clear messaging about availability, bookings, payments and more. It alleviates pressures on staff while ensuring patrons get the information they need in a manner that suggests a well-run and efficient establishment.

Just about everybody uses a cell phone these days. In fact, Statista puts the number of active mobile devices in the world at nearly 16 billion, which is roughly two for every person on the planet. What’s more, users take them everywhere and research from SMS Comparison shows that 95% of SMS messages are read and responded to within the first three minutes, and that nine out of ten people prefer to receive a text to a phone call.

This means that your patrons are most likely to be responsive on mobile, especially if they’re traveling, and that text messaging is likely their channel of choice. Now consider how you can put it to use to streamline your business processes to create a seamless experience for your guests or customers.

This is a primer in auto reply messaging that will help you make the most of text messaging in your establishment, impress your patrons and encourage them to return.

Restaurant Text Message Templates

Any bar, cafe, restaurant, hotel or similar business needs to make a great first impression, so it’s a good idea to personalize messages to prospective customers or guests. Use the template below to introduce your establishment.

Hello [prospect first name]. It’s [your first name] from [your establishment’s name]. Feel free to text me with any questions you have about what we can offer and how can best serve you. Always here to help!
Copy To Clipboard

Follow-up introduction texts

Hi [prospect first name]. This is [your first name] from [your establishment’s name] Please let me know if there’s anything more you’d like to know. You can call or text me on this number. Have a great day!
Copy To Clipboard

Good morning [prospect first name]. This is [your first name] from [your establishment’s name] we spoke recently about our establishment. Please don’t forget about us!
Copy To Clipboard

Learn how to setup an automated restaurant introduction SMS with GoCRM.

Restaurant Booking SMS Templates

Booking confirmed template

Once a guest or customer has made an online reservation, contact them to thank them and confirm the reservation’s date and time.

Hey [prospect name], thank you for making a booking at [your establishment’s name]. We looking forward to hosting you on [booking date] at [booking time].
Copy To Clipboard

Hi [prospect name], your booking for [booking date] at [booking time] is confirmed! We’ll see you then.
Copy To Clipboard

Booking reminder template

Hi [prospect name], your booking at [your establishment’s name] is getting close and we just wanted to remind you. We look forward to seeing you on [booking date] at [booking time].
Copy To Clipboard

Hi [prospect name], this is to remind you of your booking at [your establishment’s name] on [booking date] at [booking time]. We look forward to welcoming you!
Copy To Clipboard

Hi [prospect name], we just wanted to remind you of your reservation at [your establishment’s name] on [booking date] at [booking time]. See you then!
Copy To Clipboard

Booking cancelled template

Hi [prospect name], this is to confirm that your booking at [your establishment’s name] for [booking date] at [booking time] has been cancelled. We hope to see you another time.
Copy To Clipboard

Hi [prospect name], you booking at [your establishment’s name] for [booking date] at [booking time] has been cancelled. We hope to hear from you again soon.
Copy To Clipboard

Restaurant Welcome SMS Templates

When guests first arrive, it’s a good idea to make contact and welcome them. This will also open a line of communication to make it easier for them to get in touch if there’s anything they require.

Welcome to [your establishment’s name], [prospect name]. We hope you enjoy your time with us. If there is anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask. You can call or text on this number.
Copy To Clipboard

Hi [prospect name], my name is [host name] and I wanted to welcome to you to [your establishment’s name]. If there’s anything you need I will be happy to help, so please reach out on this number. I hope you enjoy your time with us.
Copy To Clipboard

Restaurant Post-visit Follow-up SMS Templates

After a booking/event, you can make contact to see that everything was satisfactory so that any complaints can be quickly addressed.

Hi [prospect name], I hope you enjoyed your time at [your establishment’s name] and that everything was satisfactory. Please let us how you found the experience.]
Copy To Clipboard

Hi [prospect name], thank you for choosing us. We hope everything was to your satisfaction. Please feel free to tell us what you thought about your experience with [your establishment’s name].
Copy To Clipboard

Hello [prospect name], unfortunately your time with us has come to an end but we hope you’ll be back soon. Please let us know what you enjoyed most and if there’s anything we can improve. Thank you.
Copy To Clipboard

Review template

After a visit, make contact to encourage customers to write a review of your establishment on your preferred platform.

Hi [prospect name]! We hope you enjoyed your time with us as much as we enjoyed hosting you. Would you mind leaving a review for us on [platform link]? We would really appreciate it. Thank you!]
Copy To Clipboard

Hello [prospect name], thank you so much for choosing [your establishment’s name]. We hope you enjoyed it and it would be great if you left us a review on [platform link]. Thank you!]
Copy To Clipboard

Hi [prospect name], it was great to have you with us on [booking date], we hope you enjoyed it. It would mean a lot to us if you took a moment to write us a review on [platform link]. Thank you!
Copy To Clipboard

Re-engagement template / Season / Event reminder templates

After some time has passed, make contact with previous customers to remind them of the good time they had at your establishment.

Hi [prospect name], it’s been a long time since we last saw you at [your establishment’s name]. We look forward to hosting you again so please keep us in mind next time you’re in our neighborhood.
Copy To Clipboard

Hi [prospect name], this is [your name] from [your establishment’s name]. It’s been a long time since we saw you and I just wanted to say hi and tell you that we’re looking forward to hosting you again some time.
Copy To Clipboard

Hi [prospect name], it’s been a long time since we last saw you at [your establishment’s name]. We hope to see you again during the upcoming [restaurant & hospitality expo event/holiday season].
Copy To Clipboard

Reopening after COVID-19

Keep guests and customers in the loop about COVID-19 restrictions and opening times.

Good news [prospect name], we’re opening for dine-in from [date] and we’re now accepting bookings with COVID-19 guidelines observed. Call [number] or visit [URL] for more info.
Copy To Clipboard

Hi [name], with the further lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, [your establishment’s name] will be accommodating additional bookings from [date]. Call [number] or visit [URL] for more info.
Copy To Clipboard

Hi [prospect name], in line with new COVID-19 restrictions, [your establishment’s name] will only be operating from [day of the week] to [day of the week] between [opening time] and [closing time]. We apologise for any inconvenience and will keep you updated on any changes.
Copy To Clipboard

User guidelines

The service and hospitality industries are fiercely competitive. Any establishment can offer a polished, efficient, and customer-centric service that makes patrons feel welcome and well-cared for is sure to have an edge on its competitors.

With GoCRM, our CRM solution for hotel and restaurants that comes with VOIP SMS capabilities, you gain access to these templates to reach prospective guests and customers with personalized messages.
Request a trial today to get started!

Follow Us

Category: Restaurants & Hospitality

Essential Email Marketing Templates for Restaurants