Restaurant marketing ideas
What the biggest restaurant and fast food brands did to get people talking and ordering. Grouped by tactic, with a one-line version you can use for your own restaurant.
Doable with a small team, gifting or a simple partner swap.
Needs a paid creator, some production or a co-branded product run.
Celebrity fees, TV airtime or a large custom build.
Budget is our estimate of what it would take to run the same idea yourself, not what the brand spent.
The collab
12 examples
Partner: [BRAND / PERSON] with an obvious link to you Thing: one product, ad or event you make together Run: limited Launch: both post the same day
Budget: Small to mid.
Mexican Pizza: The Musical
After fans campaigned for its return, Taco Bell brought back the Mexican Pizza, announced by Doja Cat at Coachella and promoted with a TikTok musical starring her and Dolly Parton.
Result It sold out, and Taco Bell made it a permanent menu item.
Why it spread
It rewarded a real fan campaign and let the fans be part of the launch. Source
The Travis Scott Meal
McDonald's sold Travis Scott's usual order as a named meal, promoted to his fanbase.
Result Demand was high enough that some restaurants ran short of Quarter Pounder ingredients.
Why it spread
A celebrity's real order is cheap to produce, and fans could buy into it for a few dollars. Source
The Charli
Dunkin' put Charli D'Amelio's usual cold brew order on the menu as "The Charli".
Result Sold hundreds of thousands of drinks and app downloads spiked 57% on launch.
Why it spread
Her fans could buy the exact drink they'd seen her order in her videos. Source
Chicken Wine bar
Fans nicknamed La Vieille Ferme "Chicken Wine" because of the bird on its label. KFC and the wine brand opened a fried-chicken-and-wine bar in Shoreditch.
Why it spread
The idea came from fans, so it felt earned rather than forced. Source
Hawkins Fried Chicken
Ahead of Stranger Things' final season, KFC UK dropped a collaboration set in the show's Upside Down.
Why it spread
Fans of a huge show get something to buy and share in the final-season moment. Source
Not Made By Gordon
Burger King UK cast Gordon Ramsay not as a collaborator but as the man who didn't make the burger.
Why it spread
Flipping the celebrity chef format makes a famous face the punchline. Source
Sausage rolls and gravy
Greggs and KFC made a limited comfort food collaboration of sausage rolls and gravy, starting with a three-day tour.
Why it spread
Two British favourites together is a combo people argue about and want to try. Source
The doughnut diss track
For National Doughnut Day, Krispy Kreme and rapper Lady Leshurr released a diss track aimed at rival doughnuts.
Why it spread
A diss track is a format people share to pick sides. Source
Gravy Gelato
KFC and Hackney Gelato made a limited gravy ice cream.
Why it spread
A disgusting-sounding flavour people have to try once. Source
The Big Mike order
McDonald's teamed up with Stormzy for its first UK Famous Order.
Why it spread
A celebrity's real order makes fans want to try it. Source
Chipotle x Strava
Chipotle UK launched its first Strava Challenge with the fitness app.
Why it spread
Meeting runners in the app they use makes rewards feel earned. Source
Sabrina's espresso
Dunkin' teamed up with Sabrina Carpenter on a drink, playing on her song Espresso.
Why it spread
A song fans know is the perfect name for a coffee order. Source
The stunt
10 examples
Act: [WHAT YOU DO] in [PUBLIC PLACE / LIVE MOMENT] Twist: the one thing people will repeat Proof: why it fits your product Capture: film it properly and send to press the same day
Budget: Mid to big.
World Menu Heist
Using social listening, McDonald's "stole" nine menu items fans wanted most from eight countries and brought them to the UK and Ireland, told as a heist story.
Result The 2025 edition was adapted by more than 40 McDonald's markets.
Why it spread
The fans chose the targets, so the launch felt like it was for them. Source
Whopper Detour
The BK app unlocked a 1-cent Whopper, but only if you ordered while standing near a McDonald's.
Result The BK app climbed to the top of the App Store charts.
Why it spread
Trolling a rival gave the press a story and gave people a reason to download the app.
Guacabono
Buying anything with guacamole gave customers a chance to have up to a year's rent covered, a joke on the "avocado toast is why you can't afford a house" line.
Why it spread
It takes a generational in-joke and puts real money behind it. Source
The flattened restaurant
A&W made a Toronto restaurant look squashed flat for a day to launch its first smash burger.
Why it spread
The whole building becomes a visual pun for the product. Source
The Vertical Pizza Box
Pizza Hut used actors in London to debut a so-called vertical pizza box as a social-first stunt.
Why it spread
An absurd product people half-believe gets shared to ask "is this real?" Source
The fast food mosaic
McDonald's installed an ancient-style mosaic of fast food in central Rome.
Why it spread
A playful take on local heritage gets people arguing, and sharing. Source
A sausage roll at Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds London unveiled a Greggs sausage roll in its hall of fame.
Why it spread
A national treasure joke that newspapers love to run. Source
Hijacking a McDonald's opening
Burger King France hijacked the opening of a McDonald's in Firminy.
Why it spread
Showing up at a rival's big day steals the local headlines. Source
Battle of the Balls
Subway gave away meatball marinara subs to welcome IKEA's new Oxford Street store.
Why it spread
A cheeky nod to a new neighbour's famous product. Source
The Out-Door
KFC removed the doors from some restaurants to show they're open 24/7.
Why it spread
A physical act proves a claim. Source
The limited product or merch drop
10 examples
Product: [YOUR PRODUCT] as a [SNACK / GARMENT / OBJECT] Why: ties to [A HABIT / JOKE / ANNOYANCE] Run: [NUMBER] units Assets: 3 photos and a 10-second video
Budget: Small to mid.
McNugget Caviar
A free, online-only Valentine's kit pairing Chicken McNuggets with real caviar, made with Paramount Caviar.
Why it spread
High-low luxury is funny on its own, and a limited free drop makes people rush to get one. Source
Wedding Flavours
Couples can order McDonald's sauce pots with a personal message to use as wedding favours.
Why it spread
Guests actually use them and post about them, so every wedding becomes a small piece of content. Source
The Pickle Puffer
A see-through puffer jacket filled with pickle juice and gherkins, with a built-in straw, for KFC's Pickle Mania menu.
Why it spread
Absurd merch gets the menu talked about far beyond people who'd see an ad. Source
Picklecore
KFC Australia swapped its red for pickle green and turned a limited gherkin menu into a fashion-style aesthetic called Picklecore.
Why it spread
Borrowing fashion's language makes a menu item feel like a trend people want to join. Source
Garlic and herb ice cream
Domino's stirred its cult Garlic & Herb dip into a limited-edition ice cream and served it on Brighton seafront.
Why it spread
A dip fans already love, in a form nobody expects, is made for a taste-test video. Source
The garlic and herb Easter egg
Domino's launched a garlic and herb Easter egg, mixing its cult dip with chocolate.
Why it spread
An absurd flavour mash-up at Easter gets people talking and tasting. Source
The Finger Lickin' Fork
KFC had a jeweller craft a bespoke fork for its saucy rice bowls, taking fan feedback literally.
Why it spread
A luxury version of a small utensil is a funny, shareable object. Source
Garlic face cream
Nando's launched a garlic and black pepper face cream.
Why it spread
An absurd product launch gets people talking. Source
Eau de Pepperoni
Domino's debuted a pepperoni-inspired fragrance for Valentine's Day.
Why it spread
A food scent as a gift is funny enough to share. Source
The lockable pizza box
Domino's offered students lockable pizza boxes to protect leftovers from flatmates.
Why it spread
A real student problem, solved with humour. Source
The real-time reply
6 examples
Moment: [NEWS / LIVE EVENT / RIVAL / VIRAL POST] Reply: one image or line, within hours Sign-off: one person who can approve quickly Follow-up: deliver on it if people rally
Budget: Mostly small.
Chicken sandwich wars
After Chick-fil-A tweeted about its sandwich, Popeyes replied with a short jab and the internet picked sides.
Result The sandwich sold out in about two weeks.
Why it spread
A brand rivalry framed as a fan debate. Everyone had an opinion to post.
#NuggsForCarter
A teen asked how many retweets he needed for a year of free nuggets. Wendy's replied: 18 million.
Result Became the most-retweeted tweet at the time, passing the Ellen Oscars selfie.
Why it spread
A clear, impossible target turned retweeting into a group project.
Whopper of a Finish
Burger King positioned the Whopper as the post-race reward at the UK's biggest marathons.
Why it spread
It speaks to how runners actually feel at the finish line. Source
The toothless Colonel
KFC Canada gave the Colonel a classic hockey smile, knocking out his teeth for hockey season.
Why it spread
One small edit to the logo ties the brand to the sport fans love. Source
Blocking the Big Arch
Burger King posted a video of its van reversing to block a McDonald's billboard for the new Big Arch burger.
Why it spread
Crashing a rival's launch is a quick, cheap way into the conversation. Source
The F1 bucket
At the Canadian Grand Prix, KFC Canada rolled out a motorsport campaign in which its bucket design doubled as something from racing.
Why it spread
Seeing your icon in a new shape at a big event makes people look twice. Source
Let people make it
5 examples
Ask: one simple thing people can make Reward: [FEATURE / PRIZE / THE REAL THING] Show: the best entries, with credit Timebox: [2–4 WEEKS]
Budget: Mostly small.
Million Dollar Whopper
Fans designed their own Whopper with a generative AI tool that made an image and a personal jingle. Three finalists went on menus and the winner got $1 million.
Result More than a million submissions, per Burger King.
Why it spread
Everyone gets a shareable result in seconds, and the prize makes it worth entering. Source
#GuacDance
For National Avocado Day, Chipotle launched a TikTok dance challenge set to a song about guacamole, with free guac as the hook.
Result Chipotle reported a record day for guacamole orders.
Why it spread
A low-effort, copyable format on a platform built for copying.
Camera Rolls
McDonald's built a campaign from real late-night photos found in fans' camera rolls.
Why it spread
Real photos of real nights out feel more honest than anything staged. Source
The Secret Menu
McDonald's officially launched the fan-made "secret menu" hacks people had been sharing for years.
Why it spread
Making fan hacks official rewards the community and gives the press a story. Source
Draw How You Feel
McDonald's UK removed the red from the Happy Meal box for the first time, leaving a blank box for kids to draw how they feel.
Why it spread
Taking away the brand's biggest asset makes the message about feelings impossible to miss. Source
The pop-up or experience
5 examples
Venue: a [SHOP / BAR / ROOM / VEHICLE] for [1–5 DAYS] Rule: the one unusual thing about it Photo spot: one shot everyone takes Invite: creators and press on day one
Budget: Small to mid.
The Counter
McDonald's took over a Shoreditch butcher's shop to show exactly what goes into its beef patties and introduce the people in its supply chain.
Why it spread
A real butcher's counter answers the "what's really in it" question better than any claim in an ad. Source
The pickle nail bar
KFC France turned its pickle into a nail art collection with a pop-up beauty bar in Marseille and a pickle-heavy menu.
Why it spread
A beauty pop-up from a chicken chain is unexpected enough to share. Source
McSki
The world's only ski-thru McDonald's, at the Lindvallen resort in Sälen, Sweden.
Why it spread
A familiar brand in an unexpected setting keeps getting rediscovered and shared. Source
The Golden Flake Tavern
Greggs opened its first-ever pub, a limited-time concept inside Fenwick Newcastle.
Why it spread
A bakery chain opening a pub is surprising enough to make the news. Source
The Greggs champagne bar
Greggs opened its first champagne bar with cocktails inspired by its bakes.
Why it spread
Posh versions of a humble brand are a joke everyone gets. Source
Make the product do the marketing
3 examples
Feature: something useful or shareable inside [PRODUCT / PACK / APP] Moment: when people use it most Share: built in, one tap Measure: uses and shares
Budget: Small to mid.
The Nasi Lemak Burger
McDonald's Singapore launched a burger based on nasi lemak in the run-up to National Day.
Result Sold out.
Why it spread
A local national dish in fast-food form was something everyone had an opinion on. Source
Flaming Grill Radio
Burger King turned radio static into a reminder of the sound of its flame grill.
Why it spread
Using the medium's own noise makes the ad clever and cheap. Source
Free taco bags for resellers
Taco Bell gave its paper bags to resellers as free packaging, joining the circular fashion trend.
Why it spread
Helping a community that already loves the brand spreads the logo for free. Source
The funny ad
3 examples
Truth: one thing everyone recognises about [TOPIC] Joke: exaggerate it until it's absurd Product: the punchline or the fix Length: under 60 seconds
Budget: Small to mid.
Bucket For One
A single-serve bucket of chicken, launched with a campaign celebrating the urge to never share.
Why it spread
It says out loud what customers already feel about sharing fried chicken. Source
Shot on a photocopier
McDonald's France shot its Office Delivery campaign by placing products directly on an office photocopier.
Why it spread
A low-tech, office-y look matches the message: delivery to your desk. Source
Colonel vs AI
KFC Canada had AI generate a fried chicken recipe from top-rated recipes online, to prove no algorithm could out-fry the Colonel.
Why it spread
Pitting the product against AI taps a live debate. Source
Ride the meme
2 examples
Trend: [SOUND / FORMAT / MEME] people are posting this week Twist: how your product fits Speed: live within days Rule: join the joke, don't sell over it
Budget: Mostly small.
Tanmaxxing
Burger King jumped on the TikTok "tanmaxxing" trend with "Leave the flame grilling to us", turning sunburn into ads.
Why it spread
Riding a trend people already know gives the joke instant context. Source
The Wealdstone Raider returns
itsu revived the Wealdstone Raider meme in its latest ad, after an earlier Ronnie Pickering parody.
Why it spread
A meme a whole country remembers does the setup for you. Source
More ideas
4 examples
Idea: [WHAT YOU'LL DO] Why it fits: [LINK TO YOUR PRODUCT] Where: [CHANNEL / PLACE] When: [DATE / MOMENT]
Budget: Varies.
Kwentong Jollibee
A series of short love-story films released for Valentine's Day in the Philippines.
Result The videos went viral in the Philippines.
Why it spread
Relatable local love stories made people tag the person they were thinking of. Source
Roasting on Twitter
From early 2017, Wendy's Twitter account replied to users and rival brands with sharp, sassy roasts, and it joins National Roast Day each February with a round of roasts.
Result 3.8 million Twitter followers by 2021, ahead of McDonald's 3.7 million, per Mashed.
Why it spread
A consistent, cheeky voice makes people tag the brand just to see what it says back. Source
No logo needed
McDonald's NZ ran outdoor ads with little more than menu item names, trusting people to know the brand.
Why it spread
Only a famous brand can do it, so the ad itself shows how famous it is. Source
The pulled AI Christmas ad
McDonald's Netherlands released an AI-generated Christmas ad about festive chaos, then made it private three days later after backlash.
Why it spread
Audiences disliked both the heavy AI look and the cynical take on Christmas. Source
How to use these ideas
- Start with your menu: what could be named, limited or remixed?
- Watch local news and rivals for moments to reply to.
- Give people a reason to post: a strange item, a sign, a secret menu.
- Keep a limited run so people come now.
- Track orders from each idea with a code or item name.
Want creators ordering and posting?odim.co runs creator seeding for food and restaurant brands.
Talk to odimRestaurant Marketing Ideas: FAQ
What are some creative restaurant marketing ideas?
Put a fan's or celebrity's real order on the menu, reply fast to moments on social, run a limited odd menu item, or offer something free when a rival lets customers down.
How can a small restaurant go viral?
Most ideas here scale down: a named menu item, a cheeky sign, a local pun or a quick reply to local news costs little. Filter by Small budget.
What works best for fast food marketing?
Limited menu items, rivalry and speed. The brands here win by reacting quickly and giving fans something to try.
More viral marketing examples
By industry and season
Spot a mistake or know a campaign we should add? Email team@odim.co.