Press releases are one of the most effective ways to spread the news about your restaurant. However, most restaurant owners don’t have press release writing skills. Today, we’re going to change that.
No matter if you’re a business owner or a PR pro who wants to work in the restaurant industry, you need to know what a restaurant press release is and how to write one.
You’ll learn all this and get your hands on tips and templates that will help you get started immediately.
- What is a restaurant press release?
- How to write a restaurant press release
- Key things to include in a restaurant press release
- What to include in a restaurant opening press release
- Restaurant press release example
- Restaurant press release template
- How to get published in the media
PS. You can create press releases in minutes with Prowly’s Press Release Creator! You can try it out today – entirely free.
What is a restaurant press release?
A restaurant press release is a document that is sent out to media professionals, detailing something that happened around your restaurant.
Perhaps you opened up a new restaurant, a new branch of a restaurant, or you have an important event coming up – these are just some reasons to create and send out a restaurant press release.
Why write a restaurant press release?
To share important news about your restaurant in front of a larger audience of media professionals. Simply send out a press release to inform journalists about an important change that happened with your restaurant.
This will increase your reputation in the eyes of the public as credible sources will cover a story that revolves around you. Most likely, you’ll benefit from new restaurant guests – and build a good reputation with time.
How to write a restaurant press release step-by-step
A press release is an official statement from the company. There is no ideal restaurant press release format, but the length should be in the range of a hundred words.
👉🏼 Here is how to write one, step by step.
#1 Start with a catchy headline
To encourage journalists to open what you’re writing, you’ll need an effective press release headline. Think of something original and unique, but at the same time, truthful. For example:
- New fine dining restaurant in Phoenix – deluxe Asian restaurant opens on November 1
- The best lobster in town – now at a new address
- Harry’s Crepes branches out and opens a new location in Scottsdale
- Award-winning chef John Doe heads the new Michelin-star restaurant downtown
Pro tip: Try googling the names of great restaurants nearby to get inspiration on the wording and format you can use.
#2 A compelling lead sentence
The lead sentence tells the journalist everything they need to know in just a few short words. Most importantly, you need to cover the “five Ws”:
- Who – is opening a restaurant or a branch or promoting a product?
- What – is being opened, promoted, or sold?
- When – is the event happening?
- Where – is the event taking place?
- Why and/or how – is the event going to happen?
In other words, cover all the most important details in a single sentence. For example:
“A new Wendy’s opens up November 1st in Scottsdale as a part of the company’s expansion plans.”
This way, you’ll grab their attention from the first line and get them to continue reading.
Pro tip: When covering these details, keep the main focus on the thing you’re trying to promote.
#3 A dateline
A dateline is a crucial part of every press release. These are a few words that tell the reader when and where the story was written. For your restaurant business, it may look like this:
“Scottsdale, Arizona, September 28: New Wendy’s opens up…”
#4 Adding relevant quotes from owners/chefs
In this part of the press release, you might want to add some quotes. With Prowly, you can do that with a single click in the Press Release Creator.
You’ll want to include quotes from the owner, manager, chef, someone from your staff, relevant food critics, and in general, anyone whose opinion counts in terms of restaurants.
#5 Adding visuals and assets
If you look at any sample press release, you’ll notice they are rich in media. To get your restaurant opening announcement (or some other event) more notice, include some images.
We suggest adding images of your venue, menu, bar list, and similar items. Besides this, you can think about adding a visual hook. Ask yourself these questions:
- Is your restaurant located in an interesting building?
- Does the interior stand out?
It can even be just an eye-catching detail that’s worth featuring in your press release. Studies show that visual communication enhances memory retention, so by adding a specific visual connected to your spot, you help the readers associate it with the restaurant and remember it.
In Prowly you can add visuals and embed posts from social media with just a few clicks, using the right block.
#6 Boilerplate and logo
A boilerplate contains the most basic contact information for your restaurant. Name, location, contact details, and logo. You can add some elements such as your slogan or a quote, but ideally, keep this section short and to the point.
The main reason is this: journalists will use this section to get in touch with you. Here’s a great example of how to go beyond the simple “About” section:
Working hours and reservation contact are two elements worth adding to the boilerplate of your press release (especially if you’re writing about a grand opening).
For more information on boilerplates (and writing press releases in general), check out this article.
Key things to include in a restaurant press release
When thinking about how to write a press release for a restaurant, one of your first concerns should be what to include – and what to leave out. If you’ve included all of the items listed above, your new restaurant press release is already off to a great start.
Here are some additional items you can include:
- details about your chef 👩🍳 – who they are and what makes them stand out
- details about your menu, including prices 💸
- what a promotion will cover, including the party, the food, the guests, and more
- what the working hours and capacity of the restaurant are
- special promotions, if you have any
These are some excellent starting points!
Already know what to write? You can start crafting your press release right away, or keep reading for more inspiration and examples.
What to include in a restaurant opening press release?
For you, opening a restaurant is a huge deal, but for anyone who can provide media coverage, it’s just a piece of news. You want to include the key reasons why someone should care about a new restaurant opening up. These can include:
- a renowned chef heading the restaurant
- your restaurant is the first of its kind in a city or an area
- it’s a new branch of a famous restaurant with amazing reviews from food critics
- a great list of guests will be attending the opening ceremony
In short, cover the reasons why someone should not miss this event in your restaurant grand opening press release.
Questions to consider in a restaurant opening press release
Wondering what to cover in your press release? Here are some questions that will help you shape the content.
- What makes the restaurant stand out against the others in the city or area?
- Is the opening related to a special event?
- Is the restaurant following the latest and greatest trends in the industry?
Think about what would make a journalist stop and read your press release carefully. For example, if you’re writing a restaurant anniversary press release, include information about important guests you’re inviting.
Tips for the restaurant opening press releases
1️⃣ First off, pay attention to your title and the lead sentence.
Do not forget the name of the restaurant, when you’re opening, the type of restaurant, and other crucial details.
2️⃣ Second, always add a quote.
This can be anything from who is leading the location, to what the theme is or what makes your chef notable. You can also cover the details of the event – who is going to do what at the venue.
Knowing all this, you can start crafting your press release using Prowly’s new “Draft with AI” feature. Just enter basic details (e.g., based on the tips in this article), answer a few in-depth questions, and you’ll receive a comprehensive draft for your press release.
We prepared two guides to walk you through using the AI Press Release Generator for the best results, as well as for writing and pitching press releases with AI.
Restaurant press release example that grabs attention
Here is an amazing sample restaurant press release that you can learn from.
What we love about this press release
Aleksandra Kubicka, Prowly’s PR Evangelist, explains what’s so amazing about this press release for a new restaurant opening:
- the style: the language is descriptive and it engages all senses; the authors choose their words carefully and describe the dishes in great detail, depicting the atmosphere perfectly
- the story: besides the restaurant, the press release talks about the chef and where he came from – his achievements and vision for the future
- the inclusion of the local community: the press release mentions how the restaurant contributes to the local scene
Restaurant press release template
The best and fastest way to write a restaurant press release is to use a template. And luckily, we have one you can grab and use immediately.
Simply sign up for Prowly, head to our Press Release Creator and find our restaurant opening press release example and template. Click on it, fill out the blanks with your information and within minutes, you’re good to go!
Sign up for Prowly for free today and browse our templates!
How to get published in the media
Now that your press release is done, you’re probably wondering how to best promote it. Well, no worries, as we have your back. Simply head to Prowly, and choose journalists that cover the food industry, as well as news and media outlets likely to be interested in this type of content.
Just use the readily available filters to find the most relevant person to pitch.
Use a good quality media database
Finding the right journalists is not a matter of pure luck. Pick a media database with a rich contact list, so you have all your bases covered.
With Prowly, you can choose from over one million contacts, including 19,000 journalists and 11,500 media outlets. That’s a lot to filter through, so simply look for journalists that have covered similar topics before.
Plus – from now on, you also get smart AI suggestions based on your press release analysis. Prowly’s AI identifies the ideal media contacts for your topic, providing you with tailored recommendations for pitching your story.
Ready to give it a go? Sign up for Prowly for free today!
How to get covered in the local press
For a new restaurant, getting featured in local media is crucial. Once you’ve created your new restaurant opening press release, simply head to Prowly and our Media Database.
Once there, filter contacts based on their country and location. Then, look for journalists who cover specific states and cities.
PS. Learn how to pitch journalists through email in this article.
Conclusions
Public relations for restaurants is not that complex and with the right tool, you can create a restaurant press release quickly and easily.
If you’re not sure how to get started – try Prowly. With our new AI features, your press releases will be done in minutes, rather than hours.
