Most restaurant accounts post photos of plates and the odd special. Short video works differently: people decide in the first second whether to keep watching. Here’s what worked in the films we made for restaurants, from one Toronto shawarma shop to franchises with more than a hundred locations.
Start with the food, not the logo
The film that travelled furthest for Da.Si.Mar Shawarma had no joke and no words on screen: one beef wrap, start to finish, in twenty-four seconds. The bread warmed against the spit, the sauce, the beef, the pickles and fries, rolled and pressed on the grill. It went viral, and in under four weeks our films for the shop had 3.88 million views, for an account with fewer than 2,000 followers.
Food that’s made in front of the camera does the selling. Keep the camera close, keep the sound, and let it happen in order.
Give people a reason to answer
For Adobo Mexican Grill, a member of the team built her favourite bowl and named every step, then set a dare: comment your favourite bowl, and if your comment has zero likes, you get a free bowl. Every comment is someone’s order.
Let your team be the cast
Another Adobo film is seven seconds behind the counter: the boss says “Great job today, you’re killing it!”, and the answer is the tip screen, held up to the camera. Jokes from your own kitchen land because everyone who has worked a shift recognises them.
Film the big moments too
For Shah’s Halal Food we filmed a new sandwich in a whisper, a $500 platter challenge in the crowd at a Ramadan festival, and the line on a new location’s opening day. A new item, a busy night and an opening are each a reason to post. There are more in “Video ideas for restaurants”.
How often to post
Often enough that a new post is always on the way. Our plans post 5 posts a week on Base, 7 or 8 posts a week on Growth and 14 to 16 posts a week on Premium, on all four platforms. Read “How often should a business post?” for why the rhythm matters.
Do it yourself, or hire help?
If someone on your team enjoys filming and has the hours, start there, with a plan for the month. If the kitchen is too busy, hire it out. “Agency, freelancer or in-house?” walks through both.
What it costs
With us, a month of short video for a restaurant is $3,599.99 for 20 posts, up to $9,999.99 for 60, with 250,000 to 1 million views guaranteed. See what goes into the cost.
Questions owners ask
Should a restaurant be on TikTok or Instagram?
Both, and on Facebook and YouTube Shorts too. The same video can go on all four, which is what we do on every plan.
What should a restaurant post on TikTok?
The food being made, your team, and the moments that make a night: a new item, a busy weekend, an opening. Short and close up.
How long should a restaurant video be?
Short. Many of our restaurant films run under twenty seconds, and the one that went viral for Da.Si.Mar Shawarma was twenty-four.
Do restaurant videos need to be funny?
No. Da.Si.Mar Shawarma’s viral film had no joke and no words at all. Mix food films with the odd skit from your own team.
How do I start?
Book a free thirty-minute video consultation with a partner: a few quick questions, then pick a time. Book a consultation