10 Great Restaurant Email Examples & Why They Worked [2025]

As a food enthusiast, I’m always on the lookout for restaurants and here’s what I’ve noticed:

The ones that do email marketing well usually have fuller tables, more loyal customers, and more consistent revenue.

It makes sense. Restaurant emails get an average open rate of 40.03%.

But opens alone doesn’t pay the bills. You need emails that drive action, bookings, orders, visits.

That’s why I have put together this list of 10 restaurant email examples that really worked. You’ll see exactly what made these emails effective and how you can apply the same strategies to your own campaigns.

Let’s get into it.

TL;DR- 10 Great Restaurant Email Examples & Why They Worked

• Email marketing is one of the most effective tools for restaurants, boasting a 40.03% average open rate.
• The key to success is using the right email marketing strategies that keep customers coming back and ordering more.
• This blog breaks down 10 proven restaurant email examples that work, including:
  1. Welcome emails that build rapport (Goop Kitchen)
  2. Discounts on new dishes (PizzaExpress)
  3. Holiday promotions (Cracker Barrel)
  4. “Meet the Chef” storytelling (PosterMyWall)
  5. New menu announcements (Gusto)
  6. Birthday celebration offers (Jefferson’s)
  7. Review requests to boost reputation (Jack’s Backyard Bar-B-Que)
  8. App download drives (McDonald’s)
  9. Weekly special offers for ongoing engagement
  10. Urgency-triggered special offers (Doughp)
• You’ll also learn best practices: avoid cold emails, personalize content, show appreciation, keep frequency reasonable, and automate repetitive campaigns.
• Following these tips helps you build a loyal customer base, increase reservations, and boost online orders — all without breaking the bank.
• Mail Mint helps you automate and optimize your email marketing for even better results.

Is Email Marketing Effective for Restaurants?

Absolutely — and here’s why.

For most restaurants, success depends on repeat business. You want customers to come back, tell their friends, and stay connected with your brand. Restaurant email marketing is one of the easiest ways to make that happen.

Think about it: when someone joins your email list, they’re already interested in your food. Now you have a direct line to them without any algorithms & ads. Just a chance to show up in their inbox with something that gets them hungry.

Of course, this only works if you’re using the right email marketing strategies. When you do, here’s what email can do for your restaurant:

• Keeps loyal customers engaged. A good welcome email or a quick update about a new dish helps you stay on their radar.
• Drives bookings and orders. Whether it’s a special event or a seasonal menu, the right email can push people to reserve a table or order online.
• Promotes offers without big ad spend. Compared to other channels, restaurant email marketing is cost-effective, especially when you’re running promotions or limited-time deals.
• Personalizes the experience. Simple things like using someone’s first name, or sending offers based on past visits, make your emails feel more personal (and more effective).
• Encourages feedback. A quick follow-up asking for a review not only helps with reputation but also gives you insights to improve the experience.

And if you want to take things further, working with a restaurant marketing agency can help refine your email campaigns — from strategy and copy to design and targeting.

Bottom line: when you use the right email marketing strategies, email becomes a powerful tool to drive more business and keep your customers coming back.

Restaurant Email Marketing Best Practices

Now that you know how powerful email marketing can be for restaurants, the next step is using it the right way.

See, email works a little differently in the restaurant business. It’s not just about blasting offers and hoping for new customers. The real value is in increasing customer retention, getting people to come back more often and order more each time.

But to do that, you need to avoid a few common mistakes and follow a few simple best practices. Here’s what matters most when you’re doing your campaign planning:

• Don’t send cold emails. Never send cold emails to people who’ve never been to your restaurant or never signed up. That’s a quick way to end up in spam. Only email people who gave you permission through online orders, newsletter signups, loyalty programs, or in-person visits. If someone ordered online last month, great — they’re ready to hear from you. If you just bought a random list of names, don’t waste your time.
• Stay positive — don’t bash the competition. No one wants to read emails that bad-mouth other restaurants. Focus on what makes your food and your experience great. Keep your tone positive and friendly. For example: “Our new hand-rolled pasta is made fresh daily” works much better than “Don’t bother going to X restaurant across the street.”
• Always show appreciation. Your customers chose to dine with you. That’s something worth thanking them for. Make sure your emails show real appreciation, not just constant promotions. A simple “Thanks for visiting us last week — we’d love to see you again soon” goes a long way.
• Don’t flood their inbox. No one wants five emails a week from their favorite restaurant. Stick to one or two emails per week, max — and make sure each one has a clear purpose. One week: new menu launch. Next week: invitation to a wine tasting night. That’s the kind of pace you want.
• Don’t make discounts a habit. Sure, discounts work. But if you rely on them too much, you’ll teach your customers to only come when there’s a deal. Mix things up. Share stories, menu updates, events — not just “20% off” emails. Send: “New fall menu just dropped — come try it” instead of “20% off again this week.”
• Personalize emails whenever possible. It doesn’t take much. Even basic segmentation — by location or food preferences — makes your emails feel more personal. And personalized emails almost always get better results. If you know someone’s a vegetarian, don’t send them steak night promos. Instead, highlight your new plant-based options.
• Automate what you can. Some emails don’t need to be written fresh every week. Set up automated welcome emails, loyalty rewards, and birthday offers so you’re staying in touch without extra effort. A “Welcome to our list” email that fires off automatically after signup? That’s an easy win.

If you follow these simple tips, your restaurant emails will feel more personal, more relevant, and way more likely to bring customers back again and again.

Now, let us look at a few restaurant email examples that have worked well for other restaurants. Focus on learning their best elements and improve your email marketing efforts as much as possible

10 Great Restaurant Email Examples (And Why They Work)

The following are a few restaurant email examples that I believe have been well-written and properly designed.

Let us learn why they work so well.

1. Restaurant Welcome Email (by Goop Kitchen)

Goop Kitchen has used a great welcome email which is perfect for connecting with new customers.

This email is a good example because

• The whole email is a step-by-step section that people will enjoy reading.
• The email copy is neutral, with no promotions in mind.
• The customers feel genuinely welcomed.

The purpose of welcoming the customer seems genuine, just what customers like about their favorite restaurants.

2. Discount On New Dish (by PizzaExpress)

Pizza Express is a great pizza joint, and they used the following email to offer a discount on a returning dish that people demanded in the past.

This email is good because

• Highlighting a dish that was in high demand.
• Offered a good 25% off.
• A clear message that this is a customer-favored decision.

3. Holiday Food Promotion (by Cracker Barrel)

Cracker Barrel is a popular restaurant in Tennessee, and before Christmas, they boosted their sales via restaurant emails.

Here’s the email they used:

This email is good because

• It’s referring to an upcoming festival, Christmas, which people will be able to relate to.
• States the emotional connection involved in buying the dish highlighted.
• A bonus is offered to give a push for orders.
• Clear instructions on placing orders and deadlines.
• The design resonates with the Christmas emails.

4. “Meet the Chef” Email (by PosterMyWall)

PosterMyWall planned this amazing restaurant email template to introduce the Chef and the next special of the week.

This email is good because

• Introducing the Chef who will be cooking in the next event.
• Connected the theme beautifully with Halloween.
• In the next few sections, the chef’s special is also highlighted.
• Made the whole thing transparent, i.e., more personalized for the customer.

5. New Menu Update Email (by Gusto)

Gusto is a great Italian cuisine, and they used a beautiful email template to inform people about the change in their menu.

It is one of the cleanest restaurant email examples in this list.

This email is good because

• The email is a good mix of showing how positive the new menu is and inviting customers to try it out.
• Cleary states that they have a new menu, which they are confident about.
• Kept it simple with no distractions or promotions.

6. Birthday Celebration Email (by Jefferson’s)

Jefferson’s is famous for chicken wings and is usually very creative with their marketing activities. Their approach to birthday emails is super effective.

Here’s the email.

This email is good because

• The “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” header immediately resonates with the occasion, making the customer feel special.
• Design, color, and image are just about perfect to highlight the brand and create excitement.
• Highlighted “FREE DESSERT” to grab the attention of the customer.

The overall email is well-planned and is designed to make the customer feel that they really care. This is definitely one of the best restaurant email marketing examples you will get online.

7. The “Ask for Review” Email (by Jack’s Backyard Bar-B-Que)

Jack’s Backyard Bar-b-que did a great job in designing a good email to ask for people’s feedback and reviews.

Here’s an email from Jack’s Backyard Bar-b-Que :

This email is good because

• The image of the chef shows that this email is not about promotion.
• A humble email copy indicates there is no additional intention other than asking for a review.
• It shows how confident the restaurant is about its food quality while still caring about what people think.

This approach will help get more reviews for your restaurant on public review sites.

8. Increase App Downloads via Email (by McDonald’s)

McDonald’s is pretty famous all over the world for fast food and takeaways. They have used a brilliant email to increase their app downloads.

This email is good because

• First, it made sure people knew what brand it was. (This is important to do for large restaurant brands.)
• The message is clear – they want people to order via the app.
• A clear offer stated – free fries – if an order is placed using the app.

It just shows how large brands know their customers really well. This email got their app downloads to millions in no time.

9. Weekly Feast Offers To Keep a Constant Engagement

Regular deals keep customers coming back! But you could also plan a deal on a weekly basis.

Here’s an email that was used by Chiptle to highlight their Monday special free delivery. This is a weekly promotion they use for more orders on Mondays.

This email is good because

• Using “the Mondays” cleverly addresses the typical Monday blues, making it relatable.
• The email directly highlights the “FREE DELIVERY” benefit, drawing attention immediately.
• The “REMIND ME” allows users to avail it another week if not the next Monday.

Having a weekly special deal on a particular day will help keep your restaurant in mind if people are to place orders on that day.

10. The Urgency Trigger On Special Offer (by Doughp)

Doughp has taken its cookie selling to the next level with email marketing for restaurants. Here is an example where they used urgency to get more people to sign up in their rewards club.

This email is good because

• The highlighted text is perfect for creating hype.
• Email clearly indicates people are missing something important and time is running out.
• Clearly states the special offer they will miss if they do not take action.

It’s a well-written email and a brilliant design.

Conclusion

In conclusion, email marketing is an effective way to connect with customers, boost reservations, and promote special offers.

By following successful restaurant email examples and using personalized content, you can keep loyal customers engaged and attract new ones.

A clear strategy with targeted promotions and timely messages will enhance customer engagement and drive revenue.

To simplify this process, consider using Mail Mint to create easy, effective restaurant emails that engage customers and drive results.

** FAQs **

How to write an email to a restaurant?

• Start by keeping it simple and clear. Restaurant emails work best when they sound personal — like you’re talking to a loyal customer. Focus on one message (a special offer, a new menu item, an event). Use a clear call to action and always close with appreciation and your contact info.me.

How do I write an email for a restaurant reservation?

• When writing an email for a reservation, make it easy for the reader. Mention the occasion (weekend dinner, event, holiday menu), dates, and how to confirm — through a link or phone. A warm, friendly tone works best in restaurant email marketing when you want to drive more bookings.

What are some good email examples?

Good restaurant emails are simple, timely, and relevant to the customer. Here are a few that work really well:

• A welcome email when someone first joins your list
• A birthday email with a special treat
• A quick promo when a new seasonal dish drops
• A friendly “We miss you” email if they haven’t ordered in a while
• A reservation reminder or a table confirmation

You’ll find 10 strong restaurant email examples in this blog — all based on real campaigns that drove results.

How to get restaurant emails?

The best way to build a restaurant email list is through opt-ins. You can:

• Add a signup form to your website or online ordering system
• Offer a small incentive (like a free appetizer or discount) to join your list
• Collect emails in person at the restaurant using QR codes or check-in promos
• Use loyalty programs or digital receipts to grow your list over time

Avoid buying lists — they hurt deliverability and don’t align with solid restaurant email marketing practices. Always get permission before emailing.

What are some good email examples?

Good restaurant emails are simple, timely, and relevant to the customer. Here are a few that work really well:

• A welcome email when someone first joins your list
• A birthday email with a special treat
• A quick promo when a new seasonal dish drops
• A friendly “We miss you” email if they haven’t ordered in a while
• A reservation reminder or a table confirmation

How often should a restaurant send marketing emails?

Aim for 1 to 2 emails per week — that’s the sweet spot for most restaurants. It keeps your brand top-of-mind without overwhelming your subscribers.

Each email should serve a clear purpose: promoting a special, sharing an event, sending a reminder, or giving something helpful or personal.

Avoid sending too many back-to-back promotional emails. A smart restaurant email marketing strategy balances offers with updates, stories, and appreciation.