Email Marketing for London Restaurants: Fill Empty Tables

Automated Campaigns, Loyalty Programs & SMS Integration to Drive Repeat Bookings

45:1
Average ROI on Email Marketing
52%
Repeat Customer Increase
£450
Starting From (Setup)
View Your Location

Why Email Marketing Is Your Secret Weapon

Social media is rented land—email is YOUR database. You own it forever. Average restaurant spends £4,000+/month on Google/Instagram/TikTok ads to acquire customers. Email lets you bring them back for £0.02 per message. It's the highest-ROI marketing channel in hospitality.

📊 Email Marketing ROI Statistics

£45
Revenue per £1 spent (45:1 ROI)
68%
Of email subscribers made purchase based on email
3.2x
Higher customer lifetime value vs. non-subscribers
22%
Average email open rate for F&B industry

🎯 The Empty Table Problem

It's Tuesday 6pm. You have 20 empty tables. You post on Instagram—12 likes, 0 bookings. You run a Facebook ad—£40 spent, 2 bookings (£20 per booking = unsustainable). You send an email to 2,400 past customers: "Tonight only: 20% off mains 6-8pm." Result: 38 bookings in 90 minutes. £0 spent.

Real example: Clapham restaurant with 2,800-person email list. Quiet Monday-Wednesday. Started "Monday Madness" email (sent Sunday 6pm): £25 three-course menu + glass of wine. Open rate: 28% (784 people). Click rate: 12% (94 people). Bookings: 42 (45% conversion). Result: Monday revenue +£980 (was £1,200, now £2,180). Cost: £0. Time: 20 mins to write email.

That's the power of owning your customer database. Social media = you're begging the algorithm. Email = you control the message, timing, and audience.

📧 Email List Building

Table tent QR codes, website popups, booking form integration, Wi-Fi capture, Instagram bio link. Build 100-300 subscribers/month (1,200-3,600/year). Your database = your asset. Worth £3-8 per subscriber in lifetime value.

🤖 Marketing Automation

Welcome series (1-3 emails post-signup), birthday automation (trigger week before), win-back campaigns (3-6 months inactive), abandoned booking recovery. Set once, runs forever. 40% open rates on automated emails.

📅 Campaign Management

Weekly newsletters, event promotions, seasonal menus, special offers, "fill empty tables" flash campaigns. Professional design, mobile-optimized, A/B tested subject lines. Average 22% open rate, 3.2% click rate.

🎁 Loyalty Programs

Points-based rewards, VIP tiers (Bronze/Silver/Gold), exclusive offers for repeat customers, referral incentives. Increase visit frequency: 1.8x/month → 3.2x/month. Loyalty members spend 67% more than non-members.

📱 SMS Integration

Same-day promotions (SMS has 98% open rate vs. 22% email), booking confirmations, "table ready" notifications, last-minute cancellations. SMS + email = 2.4x higher conversion. Use SMS for urgent, email for relationship.

📊 Analytics & Segmentation

Segment by: visit frequency, average spend, preferences (vegan, gluten-free), location, last visit date. Send relevant messages to each segment. "Brunch lovers" get Saturday brunch emails. "High spenders" get premium events. Segmented emails = 3x higher revenue.

7 Email Campaign Types That Fill Tables

Different campaigns for different goals. Smart restaurants use all 7 in rotation.

👋 Welcome Series

Convert New Subscribers to Customers

Someone just signed up—strike while they're hot! Send 3 emails over 7 days: Day 1 = Welcome + 10% off first visit. Day 3 = Your story + menu highlights. Day 7 = Social proof + book now.

Typical Results:

  • ✅ 48% open rate (Email 1)
  • ✅ 32% click rate
  • ✅ 18% conversion to booking
  • ✅ Best ROI of any campaign type

Why it works: New subscribers are MOST engaged. Capture them immediately.

🎂 Birthday Automation

Free Dessert = Guaranteed Bookings

Automatically send email 7 days before birthday: "Celebrate with us! Complimentary dessert on your birthday week." Average birthday party: 4-8 people. You "lose" a £6 dessert, gain £120-240 table revenue.

Typical Results:

  • ✅ 42% open rate
  • ✅ 28% redemption rate
  • ✅ £180 average table spend
  • ✅ 67% become repeat customers

Birthday parties = high spend + emotional connection + repeat business. Pure gold.

💔 Win-Back Campaigns

Re-Engage Dormant Customers

No visit in 3-6 months? Send: "We miss you! Here's 20% off to come back." They've been before (low barrier), just need a nudge. Cheaper than acquiring new customers.

Typical Results:

  • ✅ 18% open rate (lower—expected)
  • ✅ 8% conversion to booking
  • ✅ 42% become regular customers again
  • ✅ ROI: 12:1 (£12 per £1 spent)

Don't let customers ghost you. 70% of lapsed customers WILL return with the right offer.

🎉 Event Promotions

Fill Event Nights & Special Occasions

Valentine's, Mother's Day, Christmas, New Year's Eve, Wimbledon, Rugby Finals. Send 3-4 weeks early, then reminder 1 week before. Early birds book early, procrastinators need nudges.

Typical Results:

  • ✅ 32% open rate (high interest events)
  • ✅ 14% conversion to booking
  • ✅ Higher average spend (£42 vs. £28 regular)
  • ✅ Sell out events 2-3 weeks in advance

Events = guaranteed bookings + premium pricing. Email is your booking engine.

⚡ Flash Campaigns

Same-Day Revenue Rescue

It's Tuesday 3pm. Tonight's bookings are weak. Send SMS + email: "Tonight only: 2-for-1 mains, 6-8pm." Urgent, time-limited, high discount. Use sparingly (max 1x/month or customers expect it).

Typical Results:

  • ✅ SMS: 98% open rate (within 5 mins!)
  • ✅ Email: 38% open rate (urgency works)
  • ✅ 22% conversion (need speed)
  • ✅ Turn £600 night into £1,400 night

Emergency use only. Better to fill tables at 50% margin than empty tables at 0% margin.

🍂 Seasonal Menu Launch

Create Buzz Around New Menus

Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter menu launches. Tease new dishes, send photos, create FOMO. "Try it first" VIP preview for email list (24 hours before public). Makes subscribers feel special.

Typical Results:

  • ✅ 28% open rate
  • ✅ 12% conversion to booking
  • ✅ Creates social media content (people share)
  • ✅ Higher spend (trying new premium items)

Menu launches = excitement. Email subscribers = first to know = VIP treatment = loyalty.

👑 VIP Loyalty Emails

Reward Your Best Customers

Bronze (1-3 visits), Silver (4-9 visits), Gold (10+ visits). Gold members get: priority reservations, exclusive tastings, birthday champagne, early event access. They already love you—make them OBSESSED.

Typical Results:

  • ✅ Gold members: 4.2 visits/month (vs. 1.8 average)
  • ✅ 67% higher spend per visit
  • ✅ 84% refer friends (free marketing!)
  • ✅ 3.8x lifetime value vs. non-loyalty

20% of customers drive 80% of revenue. Identify them, pamper them, keep them forever.

Email Marketing Success Stories

Real campaigns, real revenue. These venues now control their bookings instead of hoping Instagram works.

🍸 Clapham - Bar & Grill

Monday-Wednesday Revenue +£3,400/Week

Challenge: Packed Thursday-Saturday, dead Monday-Wednesday (20% capacity). Tried Instagram ads—£600/month spend, minimal results. Needed to fill midweek without cannibalizing weekend.

£550/Month Email Strategy: Built 2,800-person list (table tents, Wi-Fi capture). Launched "Monday Madness" email (sent Sunday 6pm): £25 three-course + wine. "Tuesday Takeover" for groups (4+ people, 20% off). "Wine Wednesday" half-price bottles.

Results (12 weeks):

  • ✅ Monday: +42 bookings/week (+£980 weekly revenue)
  • ✅ Tuesday: +38 bookings/week (+£1,140 weekly revenue)
  • ✅ Wednesday: +34 bookings/week (+£1,280 weekly revenue)
  • ✅ Total: +£3,400/week = +£14,450/month
  • ✅ Email cost: £550/month = 26:1 ROI

"We went from begging people to come in on Mondays to being 70% full. Email saved our business." - Owner

🍷 Richmond - Italian Restaurant

Birthday Automation: +£24K Annual Revenue

Challenge: Strong regulars but no system to capture birthdays or create repeat occasions. Wanted to increase visit frequency from 1.8x/month → 3x/month for existing customers.

£450 Setup + £550/Month Managed: Added birthday capture to booking form + website. Automated email sent 7 days before birthday: "Celebrate with us! Complimentary tiramisu on your birthday week." Follow-up email 2 days after visit asking for review.

Results (12 months):

  • ✅ 1,840 birthdays captured (82% opt-in rate)
  • ✅ 28% redemption rate (515 birthday bookings)
  • ✅ £180 average birthday table spend
  • ✅ £92,700 birthday revenue (cost: £3K tiramisu)
  • ✅ 67% became regular customers (2+ visits after)

"We 'lose' a £6 dessert and gain a £180 table + create a customer for life. Best marketing we've ever done." - Chef-Owner

☕ Surbiton - Brunch Café

Win-Back Campaign: Recovered 340 Lapsed Customers

Challenge: Built strong email list (3,200 subscribers) but 40% hadn't visited in 6+ months (1,280 dormant customers). Losing them to competitors. Needed re-engagement without looking desperate.

£550/Month Email Strategy: Segmented list by last visit date. Created 3-email "We Miss You" sequence: Email 1 = "Where did you go?" (soft). Email 2 = "Come back! 20% off" (offer). Email 3 = "Last chance—expires Sunday" (urgency).

Results (8 weeks):

  • ✅ 18% open rate (low but expected for dormant)
  • ✅ 340 customers returned (27% reactivation rate!)
  • ✅ £18 average spend (even with 20% discount)
  • ✅ £6,120 recovered revenue (would have been £0)
  • ✅ 42% became regulars again (142 customers saved)

"We thought they were gone forever. Email brought back 340 people. That's £73K/year in recovered lifetime value." - Owner

Email Marketing Across 24+ London Locations

Local nuances matter: Clapham loves nightlife flash campaigns. Richmond wants theatre pre-show offers. We tailor campaigns to each area's customer behavior.

🎯 Complete Email Marketing Available

Kingston upon Thames

Student offers • Riverside events • Family loyalty

Wimbledon

Championships campaigns • Village VIP • Pre-theatre

Richmond

Theatre timing • Wine club • Birthday automation

Hammersmith

Apollo events • Commuter lunch • Corporate loyalty

Surbiton

Family events • Commuter deals • Village loyalty

Clapham

Flash campaigns • Happy hour SMS • After-work timing

📍 Now Serving 18+ Additional Locations

• Fulham
• Putney
• Wandsworth
• Chiswick
• Barnes
• Twickenham
• Battersea
• Chelsea
• Kensington
• Balham
• Tooting
• Clapham Junction
• Brixton
• Shoreditch
• Camden
• Islington
• Notting Hill
• Mayfair

Don't see your area? Contact us - we serve all London F&B businesses.

Email Marketing Investment

Transparent pricing. Average ROI: 45:1 (£45 revenue per £1 spent). Most clients see 3-6 month payback on setup fee.

Email Setup

DIY campaigns

£450

One-time setup fee

  • ✅ Email platform setup (Mailchimp/Klaviyo)
  • ✅ List building strategy (QR codes, forms)
  • ✅ Welcome series automation (3 emails)
  • ✅ Birthday automation setup
  • ✅ Email templates (5 designs)
  • ✅ Segmentation strategy guide
  • ✅ Training video (60 mins)
  • ✅ You manage campaigns ongoing
Get Started
MOST POPULAR

Managed Email

We run campaigns

£550/month

Includes £450 setup (first month)

  • ✅ Everything in Setup, PLUS:
  • ✅ 4 campaigns/month (weekly newsletters)
  • ✅ Event promotions (as needed)
  • ✅ Flash campaigns (emergency table filling)
  • ✅ A/B testing (optimize open rates)
  • ✅ Monthly analytics report
  • ✅ List growth strategy
  • ✅ We write, design, send everything
Get Started

Email + SMS

Maximum impact

£850/month

Includes £450 setup + SMS (first month)

  • ✅ Everything in Managed, PLUS:
  • ✅ SMS integration (same-day campaigns)
  • ✅ Booking confirmations (SMS)
  • ✅ 8 campaigns/month (2x frequency)
  • ✅ Advanced segmentation (10+ segments)
  • ✅ VIP loyalty program setup
  • ✅ Win-back automation (3-email series)
  • ✅ Quarterly strategy review call
Get Started

💡 Need a complete digital strategy?

Combine email marketing with web design, SEO, social media, branding, or F&B consultancy for 360° growth. View all services

Email Marketing FAQs

Multiple methods: (1) Table tent QR codes with incentive ("Sign up for 10% off next visit"), (2) Wi-Fi capture (require email to access), (3) Website popup (10% off first online order), (4) Booking form (checkbox opt-in), (5) Instagram bio link. Target: 100-300 new subscribers/month.

Only if emails are irrelevant. Key: segment + personalize. Don't send "brunch specials" to dinner-only customers. Don't email daily (max 2-3x/week). Always provide value (offers, new menus, events—not spam). Unsubscribe rate under 0.5% = you're doing it right.

Industry average: 22% open rate, 3.2% click rate. Good: 25-30% open, 4-6% click. Excellent: 30%+ open, 6%+ click. Automated emails (welcome, birthday) perform better: 40-50% open rates. If you're under 18% open rate, your subject lines need work.

Email = relationship building (weekly newsletters, events, new menus). SMS = urgency (same-day table filling, booking confirmations, "table ready"). SMS has 98% open rate but costs more (£0.05-0.08 per message vs. £0.02 email). Use both strategically: email for nurturing, SMS for action.

Immediate (if you have a list). First campaign = bookings within 24 hours. Building list from scratch: 3-6 months to reach 1,000+ subscribers (critical mass). Most clients see positive ROI within 2-3 months. By Month 6, email is typically their highest-ROI marketing channel.

Ready to Build Your Customer Database & Fill Tables?

Book a free 30-minute consultation. We'll audit your current email strategy (or lack thereof) and show you exactly how much revenue you're leaving on the table. No obligation.

Book Free Email Audit

Or call us: +44 7496 766792

Or email us: hello@epicureandigital.com