For Restaurant Owner-Operators ·
What you'll accomplish
Marketing your restaurant tends to happen in leftover minutes, and every piece sounds a little different. You will set up a ChatGPT Project that holds your restaurant's story, your voice and a few samples of writing you like. Then you can ask it for a website About page, a pitch to a local business, an email or loyalty program plan, or a press pitch, and each one sounds like you.
This guide covers the business as a whole. Replies to individual reviews and social media graphics belong to your general manager's routines, so leave them out of this project.
What you'll need
Keep guests and staff out of it. Marketing material is public by nature, but your source files are not. Leave out guest names, emails and reservation history. If you want to describe your regulars, describe them in general terms. Do not paste partner agreements, loan terms or payroll. Use first names of staff only when they have agreed to appear in your marketing. Check ChatGPT's data controls in Settings so you know whether your chats may be used to improve models, and decide that before you add anything beyond the story and samples.
What you should see: A folder with a story file, a voice-notes file and samples. Troubleshooting: If you are stuck on the story, record yourself talking for three minutes and type it out.
What you should see: A project page with a place for instructions and for files. Troubleshooting: ChatGPT's help pages are not reachable from some networks, and screens change. If you do not see Projects, check the ChatGPT help center or your plan, and make sure the app is up to date.
Look for the project instructions or settings box and paste the text below. Instructions apply only inside this project, so your other chats are unaffected.
You help the owner of a full-service restaurant market the business as a whole. Write in the voice described in the project files. Use only facts from the files or from the owner in the chat. Never invent awards, press mentions, years in business, ingredients or sourcing claims. If you need a fact, ask. Keep paragraphs short. Avoid slang and hype. Do not write replies to individual reviews or social media graphics. For anything about contests, giveaways, discounts or loyalty program terms, list the rules the owner should check with their attorney or local authority. Do not state legal requirements as fact.
What you should see: The instructions saved in the project.
What you should see: Three or four files listed. Troubleshooting: If the file limit is reached, merge the story and voice notes into one file.
Start a chat inside the project and use the prompt in the next section. About pages are low risk and easy to judge against your own sense of the place.
Marketing copy invents things easily.
What you should see: A draft where every fact is something you have confirmed.
Local partnership pitch
Write a short email from me to [name of nearby business, such as a hotel, brewery or theater] proposing a partnership. The idea: [your idea]. Keep it under 150 words, say what each side gets, and end with one clear next step. List the details I should confirm before I send it.
Email or loyalty program plan
Outline a simple plan for an email or loyalty program for our restaurant. Cover the goal, what guests get, how often we write, three email ideas, and what we would measure. Keep the setup small enough for one person. List what I must check with my attorney or local authority before launching, without stating rules as fact.
Press pitch
Write a pitch to a local food writer about [angle]. Use only facts from the project files and the details below. Keep it short, include why this is interesting this season, and offer a visit or an interview. Details: [your details]
Month of marketing ideas
Based on our story and slow days, suggest six ideas for bringing in guests this season. For each, say what it costs me in time, what supplies it needs and how I would know it worked. Do not make up costs.