Are today’s restaurant-goers spending based on the recommendations of social media creators and influencers? The data says yes.

Find out what our 2025 State of Social research reveals about how restaurant marketing is changing thanks to innovative social strategies.

Social media has become an “extra guest” at dinner tables across the world. When was the last time you tried a new restaurant because a creator you follow posted about it or it showed up in your feed? Or maybe you snapped a photo of an incredible dessert to share it with your friends. You’re not alone. Our recent research revealed that 65% of consumers follow food and lifestyle topics on social media, making it the largest community among those surveyed.

In 2024, restaurants reported an average 9.9% increase in business-to-consumer (B2C) revenue as a direct result of their social media strategies. In fact, 90% of restaurants say social media is either very or extremely important to their overall digital marketing approach. This sounds like a five-star review— except that overall, social-first brands (those with the most successful social strategies) saw an even greater average revenue increase of 14.1%.

The takeaway? Restaurants are leaving money on the table when they don’t implement effective social media strategies. 

The good news: Effective social tactics don’t need to be on the secret menu. Drawing on Deloitte Digital’s deep industry experience—powered by our IndustryAdvantage™ approach—we examined what sets social-first brands apart from the competition in three core pillars: community, content, and conversion.

COMMUNITY

Our research uncovered that there is an active and interested audience on social, specifically 41% of consumers who follow brands on social media follow restaurant brands. This provides restaurants with a powerful opportunity to tap into the most engaged audiences.

Ninety-three percent of surveyed social-first restaurant brands place a high or very high priority on community management, further activating these eager audiences and engaging with their communities. Only 63% of less-savvy restaurant brands placed this same priority on community. For restaurants, bringing the spirit of hospitality to social platforms—through social listening and active engagement—is critical. 

CONTENT

While our research revealed that working with creators was ranked as the lowest-priority social tactic among restaurant brands, 46% of respondents reported it as the second-highest return strategy, after loyalty and rewards programs. To put it simply, restaurants are underutilizing one of the most effective approaches to engaging key audiences.

We also discovered that consumers are increasingly turning to creators for recommendations. Eighty-three percent of those surveyed say that they view the influencers and creators they follow as trusted sources of information, and on average, they follow 13 creators compared to just seven brands. Furthermore, one in three consumers say that creator recommendations or posts have led them to discover a new brand or product in the past year. 

It’s evident that consumers are increasingly engaged by creator-driven content, making it essential for restaurants to fully leverage creators to connect with niche communities and amplify voices beyond their own brand.

CONVERSION

Blending digital and real-world experiences is increasingly vital for today’s restaurant brands to drive sales through in-store traffic. Fifty-one percent of surveyed restaurants say that promoting in-person events on social media is the most effective way to drive visits, followed by optimizing owned platforms for mobile experiences, at 48%. As restaurants consider their customer journey, it is important to consider consumers’ behaviors and how to bridge the gap between online channels and physical spaces.   

Leveraging a social-first mindset across community, content, and conversion tactics is a promising way for restaurant brands to drive connection with their guests and build lasting loyalty.