5 ways to use social media to attract tourists to your restaurant this summer

With the summer season presenting an unparalleled opportunity for your restaurant to tap into the increasing number of tourists visiting the UK, there’s no time like the present to sort out your multichannel marketing strategy.

Social media will certainly play a central role in advertising your restaurant this summer, but have you updated your tactics for 2025?

The world of social media has completely transformed in the last couple of years, as major platforms evolve and user behaviours shift. From the rise of TikTok being used as a search engine to Instagram becoming a video-first platform, an outdated social strategy won’t cut it if you want to make an impact with your content this summer.

Luckily, you don’t have to spend hours and hours crafting intricate content to attract tourists to your restaurant on social media. You just have to embrace three things: creativity, personality, and community.

At our recent event, TheFork Manager Presents: British Summer Tourism, social media agency a Friendly Bunch presented their tips for creating a social media strategy that turns heads — and fills tables — this summer. Read on to discover their top five.

1. Get noticed with creativity

Remember when your social media feeds were dominated by ultra-glossy content that looked like it was made in a professional studio? Us too.

While there’s still plenty of high-production-value content out there, more and more of the most high-performing content on platforms like Instagram and TikTok is remarkably simple and, most importantly, creative.

This type of content embraces a ‘lo-fi’ approach, conjuring up a feeling of spontaneity and fun that will catch the eyes of tourists researching dining spots in your area this summer.

If you’re stuck for initial ideas, think about what makes your restaurant special and have fun with it. You could experiment with unexpected formats such as top-down photography, first-person POV videos, or timelapses, or put your own spin on popular trends and challenges.

Don’t be afraid to go off-the-wall — @blacksheep.dp on Instagram is a great source of highly creative inspiration.  

2. Building emotional connections by showing your personality

Dining out is all about connecting with others over a shared love of delicious food, so it makes sense that connecting with customers on an emotional level is a powerful way to capture the attention of tourists this summer.

Every restaurant has a unique story to tell, so make sure you’re telling yours through your social content. Whether you want to reveal a recipe for one of your signature dishes or share fun Q&As with your front-of-house team, personality-driven content is attention-grabbing, and these emotional connections will help you turn social media scrollers into eager diners

3. Using EGC to break down barriers with tourists

Employee Generated Content (EGC) lets you put a face (or several) to your brand, welcoming tourists into your world as they browse your socials.

Of course, some employees will be more camera-shy than others, but try to select one or two of your team members to become regular faces on your feed and build a connection with your audience.  

These brand ambassadors can paint a picture for tourists of what it’s really like to dine in your restaurant by relating to them on a personal, behind-the-scenes level. Not to mention, EGC has some of the most viral potential, particularly if you allow your team to be tongue-in-cheek with it.

4. Facilitating UGC to grow a team of tourist cheerleaders

The only better advocates for your restaurant than your employees are, of course, your diners. 

When tourists plan their travels, they’ll likely look for recommendations from creators for restaurants to add to their itinerary. These personalised recommendations offer you a treasure trove of brilliant content that’s just waiting to be used.

You can encourage happy diners to share their experiences, pictures, and reviews on social media by promoting your account handles on your menus and receipts. When you see someone post UGC related to your restaurant on Instagram, share it to your Stories or main feed with some praise or a bit of context to build further affinity with this diner and tempt tourists looking at your profile.

5. Interacting with other accounts to broaden your reach

Put the ‘social’ into social media by engaging and interacting with other accounts. This way, you can tap into your target audience of tourists by connecting with them in spaces they already inhabit.

For example, as well as adding your location tag to posts on Instagram and TikTok, you can engage with content shared by other nearby businesses and attractions to improve your visibility with tourists looking for local recommendations.

Think of high-profile accounts that share local guides, such as Secret London or TheFork UK, and comment on their posts to spread the word about your restaurant to diners actively seeking spots in your area.

Whatever new tactics you try on your social media channels this summer, don’t forget to have fun with it — and make sure it feels authentically you.

If you’re ready to drive even more bookings with tourists this summer, sign up to TheFork today.