A restaurant social media calendar that fills tables

Key takeaways

A restaurant social media calendar works best in two layers: monthly slots for the food, the people, the venue and events, planned and batched, and a weekly fill for specials, menu changes and availability. Aim posts at the nights you need to fill, not the ones that are already full, and plan seasonal bookings, such as Christmas parties, months ahead.

• Plan slots monthly; fill specials weekly.
• Aim booking posts at quiet nights, not full ones.
• Christmas party posts start in September.
• State allergens accurately: never guess in a caption.

What should a restaurant post each week?

Three to four slots a week work for most venues: a dish (photographed in daylight, not under the pass lights), a person (the chef, the team, a regular with permission), the room or an event, and on one quiet day a booking post with a reason to come, such as a set menu. Stories carry the daily specials.

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• Social media for UK hospitality businesses

How do you plan for quiet nights?

Look at your booking data for the nights that need filling, often Monday to Wednesday, and post a reason to come a day or two before: a midweek menu, a quiz, a tasting night. Posting 'we're open tonight' on a Saturday that is already full does nothing.

• Turn restaurant followers into bookings and repeat visits

Which dates matter for restaurants?

Valentine's Day, Mothering Sunday, Father's Day, bank holidays, big sporting fixtures, summer outdoor season, and Christmas, which is booked from September. Start posts two to three weeks before each smaller occasion and months before Christmas. Plan Dry January and Veganuary menus if they suit you.

• UK key dates to mark on a social media calendar
• How early should seasonal content go out?

Which rules apply to restaurant posts?

Be accurate about allergens and dietary claims, and point people to staff for allergy questions rather than answering in comments. Alcohol posts must follow CAP Code rules, such as not appealing to under-18s or linking drinking with social success. If you mention your food hygiene rating, make sure it is current.

• A monthly compliance check before posts go live
• Big sporting events: content without breaking rules

When should a restaurant plan weekly instead?

Plan weekly when the menu changes most days, but keep the slots monthly. A venue whose food changes daily can still plan the people, room and event posts a month ahead, and fill the dish slots each Friday.

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What does this look like in practice?

A pattern in hospitality: beautiful food photos posted on busy weekends, and empty tables midweek. Moving the booking posts to Monday and Tuesday, with a midweek reason to visit, usually helps the nights that need it.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Restaurant calendar checklist

• Plan food, people and venue slots monthly.
• Fill specials weekly and in Stories.
• Aim booking posts at quiet nights.
• Start Christmas in September.
• Check allergen and alcohol posts.

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Next step

Find your two quietest nights from last month's bookings and plan one post a week for each, a day before, with a reason to come.