How to Promote Your Restaurant in 2025 Without Breaking the Bank

Low-Cost, High-ROI Strategies That Actually Work

Let’s face it — restaurant marketing budgets in 2025 are tighter than ever. Between rising food costs, staffing shortages, and unpredictable traffic, you can’t afford to waste a single dollar on advertising that doesn’t perform.

We believe smart, low-cost marketing tools outperform big-budget campaigns when used strategically. That’s why we’ve compiled the top ways to promote your restaurant in 2025 — without draining your budget.

1. Turn Your Vehicle Into A Billboard

Your delivery car or personal vehicle can bring you more business than you think — especially with the right signage.

Adding an illuminated car topper, die-cut car magnet, or custom door sign transforms your vehicle into a moving ad seen by thousands every week.

Why restaurant owners love this:

• Visible day and night (lighted signs are perfect for dinner rush)
• Promotes your brand on every delivery, drive, or parking spot
• One-time investment — no recurring ad costs

“After adding HTH magnetic signs to our delivery fleet, we started getting catering inquiries from people who saw us at stoplights. It's paid for itself many times over.” – Brandon, Burger Bar Owner

Tip: Add a QR code to your car magnet linking directly to your menu or ordering page.

2. Fridge Magnets = Repeat Orders

Flyers get trashed. But fridge magnets stick around — literally. They’re one of the most overlooked tools for turning one-time orders into repeat customers.

Include a branded magnet with every takeout or delivery order to:

• Stay top-of-mind at dinnertime
• Make reordering frictionless
• Build customer loyalty with a visual reminder

Our restaurant-grade magnets are designed to resist grease and last months — not days.

Bonus: Use your magnet space to offer a discount or promote your loyalty program.

3. Get Noticed With a Window-Mounted LED Sign

Are you really going to let thousands of free impressions go to waste every time your delivery car hits the road without your restaurant’s name on it?

An illuminated window sign gives your restaurant round-the-clock visibility. Whether it’s your logo, specials, website link or QR code to your menu or Google Business Profile — this low-cost signage gets noticed.

Why it works:

• Perfect for delivery cars or food trucks
• Grabs attention even after dark
• Works 365 days a year with no monthly fees

4. Partner with Micro-Influencers (and Let Them See Your Branding)

Skip the celebrities — work with local micro-influencers who have 2k–10k followers in your city. Offer a free meal in exchange for a story, video, or reel.

Pro tip: Ask them to film near your car topper or window sign for subtle but effective brand reinforcement.

This drives:

• Awareness from real locals
• Trust through peer-driven content
• Free content you can reshare

5. Retarget Past Visitors with a $5 Ad Budget

Your website visitors might not convert immediately. But with retargeting ads on Facebook or Instagram, you can bring them back for a second look — and likely a first bite.

Pair digital retargeting with physical exposure using fridge magnets or car signage to surround your audience in both the digital and real world.

Smart marketers are creating omnichannel brand recall — and you can too, on a budget.

6. Run a Loyalty Program Without Fancy Tech

Forget expensive apps. You can build loyalty with simple tools — like a printed punch card or a QR code magnet from HTH Car Signs that links to your menu, Google Business Profile, promotional offer or website and has a digital tracker.

Text-based reward clubs and email loyalty offers also work — especially when customers receive your promo right after a great experience.

Tip: Use your magnet or window sign to promote your loyalty program with a short call to action like:
“Join our text club — scan here for 10% off!”

7. Send Direct Mail That Doesn’t Get Tossed

Traditional postcards often get a 1–2 second glance before they’re tossed.

But when you include a custom fridge magnet inside your direct mail, the entire dynamic changes. Customers stick it on their fridge — and remember your name when they’re hungry.

Best times to send:

• Grand openings
• Holiday promos
• New menu launches
• “We miss you” campaigns

We offer magnet bundles for affordable mail-ready promotions.

8. Ask for Reviews (And Make It Easy)

Positive online reviews are free advertising. Train your staff to ask for reviews — and provide an easy way to leave one.

Best practice: Add a QR code to your magnet or table tent that links directly to your Google review page. Make it frictionless.

“Loved your meal? Scan and leave us a review!”

Wrap Up: Market Smart, Not Expensive

You don’t need a $5,000/month ad agency to fill tables in 2025. With the right tools and consistency, you can build strong brand visibility on a modest budget.

Start with assets you already have — your car, your window, your takeout bags — and turn them into revenue-generating ad space with help from HTH Car Signs.

What We Recommend to Start

• HTH Fridge Magnets – For takeout/delivery branding
• HTH Illuminated Car Toppers – Mobile exposure, day or night
• HTH Car Door Magnets – Removable, cost-effective vehicle branding
• HTH Window-Mounted LED Signs – Eye-catching storefront or vehicle signage
• HTH Die-Cut Magnets – Custom branded shapes that get remembered

Ready to Grow on a Budget?

HTH Car Signs has helped hundreds of restaurants build smarter advertising systems without the ongoing costs of digital ads. Let’s build yours next.