Summer in San Antonio is a double-edged sword for restaurants. On one hand, people want to eat out…nobody wants to cook in 100-degree heat. On the other hand, vacations thin out the regular crowd, and competition is fierce.
Email marketing is how you stay in front of the people who’ve already eaten with you and loved it. It’s cheap, it’s direct, and it works.
The Summer Email Calendar
Don’t wing it. Plan four emails per month throughout summer:
Week 1: What’s New New menu item? Seasonal cocktail? Different happy hour? Lead with the news. A photo of a refreshing margarita or a cold watermelon salad does the selling for you.
Week 2: A Story Tell people something about your restaurant they don’t know. How your abuela’s recipe ended up on the menu. Why you chose your location on McCullough. What your team does on their day off. Stories create connection.
Week 3: A Deal “Show this email for a free appetizer with any entree purchase.” Keep it simple, make it exclusive to email subscribers, and put an expiration date on it.
Week 4: Community Share what’s happening around you. A neighborhood event. A charity you’re supporting. A shoutout to the regulars. This email isn’t about selling…it’s about belonging.
Timing Matters
When should you hit send?
For restaurants, the sweet spot is Tuesday or Wednesday between 10 AM and noon. People are starting to think about dinner plans for the week. An email with a gorgeous photo of your chile relleno lands at exactly the right moment.
Avoid Monday mornings (inbox overload) and Friday afternoons (people already have weekend plans).
Build Your List at the Table
If you don’t have a substantial email list yet, summer is the time to build one. Every customer interaction is a chance to collect an email:
- Table tent with a QR code: “Join our list for exclusive deals and first dibs on specials”
- Receipt ask: “Love your meal? Leave your email for a surprise next time you visit”
- WiFi gate: Require an email to connect to your guest WiFi (if you offer it)
Even adding 5-10 emails per day adds up to hundreds by the end of summer.
Track What Works
Most email platforms show you open rates and click rates. Pay attention:
- Which subject lines got opened?
- Which emails drove the most clicks to your reservation page?
- Did the story emails or the deal emails perform better?
Let the data guide your next month’s emails. Over time, you’ll dial in exactly what your audience responds to. For a deeper dive into seasonal content strategy, our guide to content marketing for restaurants during spring shows how to build momentum ahead of your biggest seasons. And don’t forget that your Google Business Profile needs the same seasonal attention to attract tourists searching for places to eat.
Your regulars want to hear from you. Your email list is full of people who already like your food. Talk to them this summer. Need an email strategy that runs itself? Explore our marketing products.