You have a mailing list, your CRM is in order and you know how to send newsletters. But when do you send what? Too little and guests forget you. Too much and they click unsubscribe. The art is timing, frequency and content that is truly relevant.
In our previous article on newsletters for restaurants we explained how to email: via CRM, with Mailchimp or Brevo integrations, and with the offer function in your widget. This article covers the practical questions: when, how often and what to send.
When do you email?
Good email marketing follows the rhythm of your restaurant, not a random calendar. Email when you have something concrete to share. Think: a new seasonal menu, wine evening or chef's table, a quiet period you want to fill (Tuesday lunch, Sunday evening), holidays such as Valentine's or Christmas, or when regular guests have not booked in three months. Do not send an email "because it has been a month" without news. Every email needs a reason: inform, invite or win back. Plan campaigns around your own agenda, not what other restaurants do.
How often is too often?
For most restaurants one to two marketing emails per month is a healthy baseline. That keeps you top of mind without feeling like spam. In busy periods (December, holidays) you can send a bit more, provided each email has a clear call to action. Regulars tolerate more email when content is relevant; new subscribers you should not overwhelm right away. Measure what works: if opens drop after three emails in one month, it was too much. One strong email with a clear offer beats four vague "come visit us" messages. Quality over quantity, always.
What do you send?
Vary your content, but stay concrete. This works in practice:
- Seasonal menu or new dish with photo and link to book
- Events such as wine evenings, tastings or live music, with limited seats to create urgency
- Fill quiet moments: "Book lunch this week and try our new starter"
- Win-back emails to guests who have not visited in a while, personal and without excessive discounts
- Gift cards around holidays, linked to your online sales via the widget
Keep emails short: one message, one clear button to your reservation page. No newsletter full of text nobody reads.
Marketing vs. transactional email
Not every email is marketing. Confirmation emails and reservation reminders are part of daily operations and run automatically in Restotailor, included in €65 per month. You do not send those "too often": they are functional and expected by guests. Marketing emails are optional: newsletters via the newsletter module or your connected tool. Do not confuse the two. A guest who just received a confirmation does not need a promotional email the same day. Spread transactional and marketing communication so your inbox does not feel like advertising.
Not everyone gets the same email
The power of email marketing is segmentation. In your guest profiles you filter on who subscribed to the newsletter, when someone last booked, how often they visited and which preferences are registered. Send your wine evening only to guests with multiple reservations, not everyone on your list. Send your win-back campaign only to those absent for three months. Each email feels more personal and opens and clicks rise. Read more about smart filtering in our article on CRM for restaurants and the technical setup in newsletters for restaurants.
From email to reservation
Every marketing email should lead somewhere: your reservation page with widget. Show the same offer you promote in the email in your reservation widget via the offer function. The guest who clicks immediately sees what you promised. Then measure in Restotailor Analytics whether the campaign actually drove bookings. Combine email with social media and your own website for one consistent story. Email attracts, your widget converts.
Conclusion
Email marketing for your restaurant is not about volume, but the right message at the right time. Email when you have news, stick to one to two campaigns per month and vary content between menus, events and win-back campaigns. Segment via your guest profiles and link every email to your reservation widget. Technical setup not in place yet? Start with our article on newsletters for restaurants. Few subscribers? Read how to grow your mailing list first. Then use this as your checklist for timing and content. Your mailing list becomes a tool that fills tables, not a mailbox that annoys guests.