When it comes to spending power, the younger generations have officially entered the chat. Gen Z is set to become the highest-spending generation in history, with an estimated $12.3T in spending power by 2030. MGH found the number TikTok users visited a restaurant after seeing it on TikTok skyrocketed from 38% in 2022 to 58% in 2025—perhaps not surprising for a generation that has never known life without a smartphone.
Deloitte reports that social-first restaurant brands (those with the most successful social strategies) see an average revenue increase of 14.1%.
Needless to say, social media has become an essential avenue for finding and attracting new guests—especially those under the age of 40. And, social media is no longer just a place for brand awareness—it is a mandatory revenue channel.
Deloitte reports that social-first brands (those with the most successful social strategies) see an average revenue increase of 14.1%. For successful restaurant brands, the goal has shifted from getting a "like" to earning repeat guests’ attention and business.
It’s not enough to post an occasional video or photo. Restaurants need to outline specific goals for each social platform—building brand awareness, engaging directly with guests, showcasing unique offerings, driving app downloads, or placing an order—and above all, spending time cultivating a community of ride-or-die guests.
Success will look slightly different for each restaurant, but you’ll be better positioned to reach Gen Z and Millennials if you follow these tips.
1. Optimize everything
To ensure guests can find your restaurant and engage with your brand, fill out every aspect of your social media profiles, including the bio, online ordering links, location details, contact information, etc. Take advantage of platform-specific features like busy hours, reviews, and buttons that enhance the user experience, and make sure to drive content to a page you own so you can retain guest data.
(And yes, there’s an easy way to keep all that information up to date.)
Create a clear, visible call to action—such as “Order online” or “Reserve a table”—to maximize conversions. You can also use your bio to spotlight noteworthy happenings (“Coming soon to Madison Square Park,” “Get free fries when you become a loyalty member,” etc.).
2. Make a great first impression
90% of diners check a restaurant’s social media before deciding to dine there. If you think of social media as the front porch of your restaurant brand, what do you want your guests’ first impression to be? Consider everything from the look and feel, to the information provided, reviews, and engagement with followers.
3. Have a clearly defined brand persona
Imagine your restaurant brand was a real person. How would they speak? Are they playful, thought-provoking, punny, or personable? And what would they care about?
A brand persona with these types of details can serve as a filter to ensure consistency across every caption, image, video, etc., and build trust with your audience on social media.
In a study from SproutSocial, 78% of consumers say a brand’s social media presence has a large impact on whether they trust that brand—but for Gen Z it’s even higher at 88%. And McKinsey found that brands with higher trust are more likely to grow faster and have higher loyalty.
4. Prioritize quality over quantity
Focus your efforts on two or three major social platforms, so you don’t spread yourself too thin or appear inauthentic to your audience. If you’re unsure which social channels are worth the investment, consider your current guest demographics, watch reputation management tools, look at referral traffic sources in Google Analytics, and/or survey your guests with high lifetime value (GLV).
It’s important to know what your competitors do well on social, but also what they don’t. Seize opportunities to engage your target audience in new ways and, most importantly, stay laser-focused on your brand’s goals.
5. Think of it as a conversation
If you only take away one point from this blog, let it be this: The key to bringing hospitality online and creating community around your brand on social media is communicating directly with your audience. At the end of the day, people want to feel seen and valued, just like they do in your restaurants. 73% of social media users say they would buy from a competitor if a brand isn’t responsive.
If you only take away one point from this blog, let it be this: The key to bringing hospitality online and creating community around your brand on social media is communicating directly with your audience.
The best brands don't just post on their own pages—they show up in the comments, jumping into relevant conversations wherever they're happening across the platform. This is where the algorithm rewards you and where audiences actually pay attention—people scroll past ads, but they read comment sections. A witty, timely comment on a trending post or a creator's video can generate millions of impressions without ad spend, positioning your brand as culturally relevant rather than just another advertiser.
(If watching the comments sounds time-consuming, it doesn’t have to be—reputation management platforms can help you manage the process and identify trends.)
Brands like Duolingo and Ryanair have built cult followings not through perfect grid posts, but through relentless, personality-driven participation in conversations across the platform. When you show up authentically in unexpected places, you transform from a faceless corporation into a personality people want to engage with—and that's when social media actually works.
6. Embrace authenticity
People go on social media to feel connected, inspired, and educated. And Gen Z, in particular, craves authenticity and transparency from brands—and they can sniff out the frauds a mile away.
So instead of trying to be perfectly polished and promotional at all times, embrace the real on social media. For example, well-lit, expensive photography is important for your website, app, and menu, but your social followers also want natural, lo-fi content (one study found lo-fi gets 40% more views than hi-fi visuals).
7. Go all in on video
Photography and carousels go a long way, but video is still king—TikTok alone has 2 billion+ monthly active users. Restaurants use video to tell visual stories of their food, brand, employees, and guests.
For example:
- The work that goes into preparing a large catering order
- Piping-hot food coming off the line
- Employees sharing their favorite toppings
- Meet the “Guest of the Month”
- The origin story of your famous queso
- A DIY smoothie tutorial
8. Be consistent
When it comes to curating your restaurant’s Instagram profile or deciding which TikTok trends to hop on, consistency—from the overall look of your grid to the posting schedule—is key. Brands that are consistent achieve faster growth and spend less on ads than those who are inconsistent.
A strategic content strategy can help. Establish a regular posting cadence with recurring themes (food, drinks, people, restaurant vibe, brand story, user-generated content, etc.) and an aesthetically pleasing brand color palette.
When it comes to TikTok trends, a word to the wise: Not everything is relevant to your brand. I would wager a steakhouse isn’t likely to participate in a dance trend. Have clear guidelines for who your brand is, so when those fleeting viral opportunities occur, you can spend more time executing the trend and less time questioning yourself.
9. Do good
Gen Z is heavily invested in social issues, particularly as they play out online. According to Nielsen, Gen Z considers environmental sustainability, social justice, and corporate transparency when making purchases, and they are more likely to support brands that demonstrate a genuine commitment to these causes with sustainable sourcing, eco-friendly packaging, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
By demonstrating your restaurant brand values on social channels (for example, showing donation checks from roundup donations at checkout), you can foster community and loyalty through transparency and goodwill.
10. Leverage influencers
This is one of the most underutilized strategies for restaurants. Deloitte found that, after loyalty programs, influencers generate the second-highest rate of return—yet restaurants consistently rank it low on their priorities list. In a survey of millennials and Gen Z, 73% of respondents said they visited a restaurant in the last three months because of a social media review they saw. Gen Z and millennials trust influencers more than celebrities.
And it doesn’t have to be someone expensive with a huge following. You can leverage micro-influencers (who may be able to interact more personally with your ideal guests) with strong engagement in your restaurant community to help drive sales, followers, and general awareness via co-branded posts.
From Likes to Loyal Customers
When it comes to marketing to Gen Z and Millennials on social media, restaurants need to be highly intentional and authentic. Anything less and you risk missing out on an increasingly valuable segment of your target market.
Taking this cross-channel approach will not only boost brand awareness but also grow your following, drive orders, give regulars an easy way to advocate for your business, and set your brand apart from the competition.
Need a restaurant marketing platform to support your guest acquisition and retention goals? Check out Engage and request a demo today.
