5 Ways SMS Beats Email for Restaurant Engagement

In the fast-paced world of restaurant management, reaching your customers quickly and effectively is crucial. When it comes to engagement, SMS marketing is emerging as the clear winner over traditional email. Here are five compelling reasons why SMS outshines email when it comes to engaging customers:

1. Lightning-Fast Open Rates

Did you know that SMS boasts an impressive 98% open rate? Most text messages are read within just three minutes of being received! In contrast, email campaigns typically see open rates of only 20-30%, with many messages buried in cluttered promo tabs. If you're promoting today's lunch special or a flash deal, speed is everything, and SMS delivers.

2. Unmatched Deliverability

When you send an SMS, it lands directly in your guest’s primary inbox: their text messages. Unlike emails, which can be filtered out or sent to spam, text messages avoid clutter and ensure your message is seen. When you want to be sure your promotion gets through, SMS is the way to go.

3. Higher Engagement & Click-Through Rates

Statistics reveal SMS messages have click-through rates hovering around 19%, significantly higher than email’s average of 2%. Fewer distractions in a text inbox mean that your links actually get clicked, which is perfect for driving traffic to online ordering or reservations. 

4. Personal & Conversational

Texting feels personal—it’s like having a conversation with friends rather than interacting with a brand. SMS allows you to segment and personalize messages easily (e.g., “Hey Jake, your favorite pizza’s back!”) and even hold one-on-one conversations, building trust and loyalty with your customers.

5. Better Timing = Better Results

Timing is everything in marketing, and SMS thrives in real-time. For instance, send a lunch promo at 11:15 AM, and guests may be placing orders by 11:30. Emails, with their inherent delays, are often seen too late to spur immediate action.

Conclusion

With its standout open rates, superior deliverability, higher engagement metrics, personal touch, and fabulous timing capabilities, SMS marketing is revolutionizing the way restaurants connect with their customers. If you're not utilizing SMS as part of your marketing strategy, now is the time to consider its benefits for enhancing your restaurant's engagement and growth. Ready to get started with SMS marketing? Let’s discuss how it can work for your restaurant! Schedule a demo to learn more.