How to promote a weekly special at your restaurant or café

Choose a special that is easy to explain

The best weekly specials can be understood in a few words. A single dish at a set price, or a dish and a drink together, is easier to promote than a complicated deal with several options and exceptions.

Think about what your kitchen can make reliably all week. If a special sells out on the first day, people who come in later will be disappointed. If stock is limited, say so from the start.

A good special often uses something you have plenty of, or a seasonal ingredient at its best. That way the special helps the kitchen as well as the till.

Decide the details before you post

Write down the facts first, then build every post from them. That way your reel, caption and chalkboard all say the same thing.

• The dish name, as it appears on your menu.
• The exact price, for example £9.50.
• The days it runs, with a clear start and end date.
• Any conditions, such as dine-in only, lunchtimes only or while stock lasts.
• What you want people to do: book, order, call or simply walk in.

How to promote a weekly special on social media

A short vertical video is the simplest way to show a special on Instagram Reels, TikTok and Stories. Open on the dish, show the name and price, then the dates and what to do next. Fifteen seconds is plenty.

Post the reel at the start of the week, or the evening before the special begins, so people can plan. Share it to your Stories on the days it runs as a reminder, and repeat the price and dates in plain words in the caption.

If the special is popular, post a short Story on its last day, so anyone who has not tried it yet knows it is their final chance.

Use every place people already see you

Social media is only one channel. The same message can go in several places with almost no extra work:

• A post on your Google Business Profile, with the photo and dates.
• A board or printed card by the till or in the window.
• A message to regulars on WhatsApp, if they have asked to hear from you.
• A line on your website or online ordering page.
• Your team, who can mention it when people order.

Keep the special honest

Only call something a special if it is genuinely different from your usual menu or price. If you show a lower price than normal, make sure the normal price is the one you really charge. Do not say “limited time” unless it truly ends on the date you give.

If the special includes allergens that your regular dishes do not, update your allergen information for it and make sure your team knows where to find it. Customers will ask.

Make promoting your weekly special a habit

Promoting a special gets easier when it is routine. Choose the dish on the same day each week, make the reel, post it, and set a reminder for a Stories post mid-week. Over time, regulars will start to look out for it.

Keep your best dish photos in one folder on your phone, so you are never starting from nothing. Many weeks, a photo you already have will do the job.

At the end of each week, make a quick note of how the special sold. It helps you choose the next one with your own evidence rather than guesswork.

Where BiteReel fits

BiteReel’s Weekly Special style is made for this job. You upload your dish photo, type and confirm the name, exact price, dates, conditions and call to action, and see a free storyboard before any credit is used. You approve the finished reel before downloading it, and next week you can change only the words and reuse the same pictures at no extra credit.