Email Marketing for Restaurants: Turn Delivery Customers into Regulars

The Email Opportunity

You're paying $8-10 to acquire each delivery customer through platforms. But once they order, you lose them.

Unless you capture their email.

Email marketing is the most cost-effective way to turn one-time delivery customers into regulars. Restaurants with strong email programs see 40% more repeat orders.

Here's how to build and leverage your email list.

Why Email Marketing Works

The Numbers

The Control

Unlike delivery platforms, you own the relationship. You can:

Building Your Email List

Method 1: Package Inserts

Include a card in every delivery order:

Conversion rate: 8-12% of delivery customers

Method 2: In-Store Sign-Up

Table tents, counter cards, receipts:

Conversion rate: 15-25% of in-store customers

Method 3: Website Pop-Up

For customers who visit your website:

Conversion rate: 3-5% of website visitors

Method 4: Social Media

Promote email sign-up on social:

Conversion rate: 2-4% of followers

Email Campaign Strategy

Welcome Series (Days 1-7)

Email 1 (Immediate): Welcome + 15% off code

Email 2 (Day 2): Your story + menu highlights

Email 3 (Day 4): Customer testimonials + ordering link

Email 4 (Day 7): "We miss you" + 10% off code

Goal: Convert new subscribers to first order

Regular Campaigns

Weekly Newsletter:

Promotional Emails:

Re-engagement:

Best Practices

1. Personalization

Use customer data:

2. Timing

Best send times:

Avoid:

3. Subject Lines

Good subject lines:

Bad subject lines:

4. Mobile Optimization

60%+ of emails are opened on mobile. Ensure:

5. Clear CTAs

Every email should have one clear call-to-action:

Make buttons large and obvious.

Email Content Ideas

Menu Spotlights

Behind the Scenes

Customer Stories

Special Offers

Educational Content

Measuring Success

Track these metrics:

Engagement

Revenue

List Health

Tools and Platforms

Email Service Providers

Mailchimp:

Constant Contact:

Klaviyo:

Sendinblue:

Common Mistakes

1. Sending Too Often

More than 2-3 emails per week = unsubscribes. Find the right frequency for your audience.

2. Not Segmenting

Sending the same email to everyone = lower engagement. Segment by:

3. Ignoring Mobile

Non-mobile-friendly emails = deleted. Always test on mobile.

4. No Clear CTA

Emails without clear action = no results. Every email needs one clear goal.

5. Buying Lists

Never buy email lists. They're low-quality, violate CAN-SPAM, and hurt deliverability.

Getting Started

The Bottom Line

Email marketing is the highest-ROI channel for restaurants. It's cheap, effective, and you own the relationship.

Start by capturing emails from your next 100 delivery orders. That's 8-12 new subscribers. Send them a welcome series and watch the orders come in.

The math is simple: 100 subscribers × 2 orders/year × $30 AOV = $6,000 in additional revenue. For a $20/month email service, that's a 2,500% ROI.