Email Marketing for Restaurants: How to Build a Strategy that Drives Repeat Orders

Email marketing remains one of the most powerful ways to help you connect with your guests and build loyalty, especially when paired with tools like automation, segmentation, and loyalty integration.

If you've already mastered the basics of advertising, now's the time to take your restaurant's email marketing strategy to the next level with smarter, more personalized tactics.

Why a restaurant email marketing strategy still matters in 2025

Restaurant loyalty email campaigns deliver the kind of ROI most channels can't match. In fact, 65% of small businesses reach their customers with email marketing, which delivers $36 to $42 per dollar spent—a massive 4200% ROI. And about 18% of companies achieve email marketing ROI greater than $70 per $1 invested.

It's also efficient. Email automation for restaurants can help small teams drive up to 320% more revenue while staying focused on operations.

Email also gives restaurants more room to connect meaningfully with guests. It offers a flexible space to tell a story that showcases your restaurant's personality, while incorporating branding elements, engaging visuals—ideal for newsletters, menu spotlights, or promotional content. It also scales efficiently, letting you reach hundreds or thousands of guests at once.

How to build and grow your restaurant's email marketing list

Before you start sending campaigns, you need a strong foundation: an email marketing list. While your reservation system may already provide some customer emails, relying on passive collection alone won't be enough. Actively inviting diners to sign up—both online and in person—helps your list grow organically with minimal ongoing effort. The result is a high-quality audience that's more engaged and more likely to visit your restaurant or order online.

Here are a few of the best ways to grow your email list:

• In-store sign-ups: Your existing customers are your warmest leads. Encourage them to join your list with table signage, prompts on printed receipts, or loyalty program. A small nudge at checkout can go a long way.

• Site opt-ins: Many visitors come to your site to check your menu, place an order, or make a reservation—all high-intent actions. Add a prominent email sign-up form to your homepage or online ordering page, and follow up with an automated welcome email that includes a special offer.

• Social media promotion: Let your followers know that your email list includes perks they won't want to miss, like exclusive discounts, sneak peeks of new dishes, or early access to holiday menus. It's a great way to convert casual followers or new customers into loyal guests.

• Promos: Tie email sign-ups into your broader promotions. Whether you're running a seasonal special or launching a new menu item, include a strong call to action that encourages guests to subscribe in exchange for a deal or early access.

It's also good to remember that today's guests know their email is valuable. Offer them something in return: a discount on their next online order, a free app or dessert, or loyalty points for signing up are all nice incentives. 

And of course, make sure to always follow email compliance best practices:

• Use a clear opt-in strategy to build an engaged email list.

• Make it easy to unsubscribe—it helps avoid spam flags and protects your sender reputation.

• Respect privacy and use customer data responsibly.

Segment smarter: How to tailor your restaurant email strategy to customer behavior

One-size-fits-all email blasts rarely get the results you want. Segmented campaigns, which are tailored to specific customer groups, see significantly higher open and click-through rates.

With the DoorDash Commerce Platform Pro package, you get access to customizable email and text marketing tools that offer advanced segmentation. You can create campaigns for first-time guests, frequent diners, loyalty program members, lapsed customers, or even those who used a certain promotion. By sending the right message to the right audience, you increase relevance, boost conversion rates, and reduce unsubscribes.

Think of segmentation as a way to show guests that you truly understand them—what they like, when they visit, and what might bring them back.

What restaurant loyalty email campaigns every restaurant should run

There are several restaurant loyalty email campaigns that can be effective for almost any kind of restaurant. Some of the most popular ones include:

• Welcome flows: These emails go out immediately after someone joins your list, when interest is highest. It's a great time to offer a first-order discount or highlight your most popular dishes.

• Birthday rewards: Celebrate your guests with a personalized offer based on their preferences. Think: "Enjoy a glass of your favorite red on the house this weekend!"

• Win-back campaigns: If a customer hasn't ordered in a while, an automated reminder with a relevant promo can bring them back. These campaigns are triggered by inactivity and can run quietly in the background while you focus on operations.

Ready to take your restaurant's CRM marketing to the next level? 

Discover how DoorDash marketing tools can help you turn more guests into regulars.