Imagine this...

You’ve spent hours crafting the perfect Instagram posts.
Your reels are stunning.
Your food photography is mouth-watering.
You’ve built an aesthetic feed that any foodie would love.

But despite all this… your tables are still empty.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

Many restaurant and café owners make this one mistake: They focus on content but forget the right strategy.

Social media isn’t just about posting beautiful pictures and hoping people will show up. If you’re not using strong Call-to-Actions (CTAs) and smart ad targeting, you’re leaving money on the table.

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to:

  • Get more people to visit your café or restaurant using the right CTAs.
  • Use Facebook & Instagram ads to target customers who are actually likely to visit.
  • Avoid the biggest mistakes that most restaurant owners make when running ads.

1. Why Your Social Media Posts Need CTAs (Call-to-Actions)

Your social media should not just show—it should tell people what to do next.

Imagine this: You post a delicious photo of your signature burger with the caption:
“Weekend mood

It looks great, but there’s no action step for your audience. Instead, try this:

“Craving a bite? We’re serving this till midnight! Tag your burger buddy & visit us today!”

Here’s why this works:

  • It creates urgency (“serving till midnight”).
  • It makes the user take action (“tag your burger buddy”).
  • It encourages a visit (“visit us today”).

CTAs that work for restaurants & cafés:

  • “Order now via link in bio!”
  • “Visit us today and enjoy a 10% discount – just show this post!”
  • “Tag a friend who owes you a coffee date ☕”
  • “Drop a ‘😍’ if you’d love to try this dessert!”
Why Your Café or Restaurant Isn’t Getting Enough Footfall (Even If Your Posts Are Great) — And How to Fix It

2. Posting Isn’t Enough , You Need Ads Strategy (But the Right Ones!)

Instagram and Facebook have over 2 billion users—but only a fraction of them will see your posts organically. The algorithm favors paid content, meaning if you want actual footfall, you need to boost your posts and run ads.
But don’t just hit “Boost Post” randomly—you need a strategy.
a) Smart Targeting: Who Should See Your Ads?
Instead of wasting money showing your ad to everyone, target the right people based on:

🔹 Demographics

  • Age: If you run a late-night café with live music, target 18-28-year-olds.
  • Location: Focus on people within 3-5 km of your café or restaurant.

🔹 Interests

  • Target food lovers, café hoppers, coffee enthusiasts, and brunch lovers.
  • Find people interested in food delivery apps like Swiggy, Zomato, Uber Eats.

🔹 Behavior

  • Show ads to people who frequently dine out or travel to your location.
  • Retarget those who visited your page but didn’t take action.
Example: If you own a cozy café perfect for work-from-home professionals, target freelancers, remote workers, and students in your area!

3. Types of Ads That Work for Cafés & Restaurants

Don’t waste money boosting posts randomly. Use these ad types instead:

  • “Visit Us” Ads: Show ads to people nearby and direct them to your location.
  • Engagement Ads: Get more likes, comments, and shares to build social proof.
  • Offer-Based Ads: Promote discounts, limited time offers, or new menu launches.
  • Retargeting Ads: Remind people who checked your page but didn’t visit or order.

4. What to Consider While Running Ads

Checklist for Winning Ads:

  • Use eye-catching images & videos – Make food look irresistible.
  • Write compelling captions – Create FOMO (“Only available this weekend, Only a Few Tables Left”).
  • Choose the right placement – Instagram stories, reels, Facebook feed.
  • Set a budget wisely – Even ₹200–₹500/day can bring great results if targeted right based on the area and product.
  • Track performance – See which ads bring visitors and optimize accordingly.

Conclusion: It’s Time to Turn Social Media Into Actual Footfall!

If you’re putting in effort into beautiful photos and reels, don’t let that go unnoticed. Add strong CTAs and run targeted ads.

Need help planning your social media strategy and ad campaigns?
Dev opus is specialized in helping cafés and restaurants turn into reservations and footfall.

Call us today: +91 99045 10864
Learn more: www.devopus.com