A restaurant should post the week's special and menu changes, small true stories from the kitchen, open tables and event nights, hours and practical details, and questions regulars can answer. Specific beats pretty: a dish, a day and a price fill more tables than a polished food photo.
Almost every restaurant owner knows the Instagram post matters and still lets it slide, because it's Friday and the kitchen comes first. This page is 19 post ideas in five groups, each with the one-line note an owner would type between services and the post that came back. Every example below was written by posthell from the one-line note above it, then checked against that note. The restaurant is Little Fennel Kitchen, the made-up 48-seat neighborhood place in Richmond, Virginia that we use on our page about social media for restaurants: pasta made every morning, dinner Tuesday to Saturday, Sunday brunch, bookings online and the bar kept for walk-ins.
What should a restaurant post on social media?#
A restaurant should post the special and menu changes, stories from the kitchen, open tables and events, hours and practical details, and questions for regulars.
| Idea group | What it does | Best network |
|---|---|---|
| The menu: specials, new dishes, sell-outs | Gives people a reason to come this week | Instagram, Facebook |
| Kitchen stories | Explains the food and the prices without a sales pitch | Instagram Reels, TikTok |
| Open tables and event nights | Fills seats that would otherwise sit empty | Facebook, Instagram |
| Hours and practical details | Stops the walk to a dark door | |
| Regulars | Gets comments and shows real people run the place | Instagram, Facebook |
One test covers every idea below: could this post have come from any restaurant in the country? If yes, don't post it. "The short rib we braise for six hours is back on Thursday" is a reason to show up. "Come try our specials" is noise. Writing the notes for this page made the same point: the notes with a day, a count or a price in them came back as posts someone could act on.
What should a restaurant post about the menu?#
Post the weekly special with its day and price, each new dish and its source, a new dessert, and the dish that sold out.
1. The weekly special, with the day and the count#
Twenty portions tells people to book, not wander in at 9. The day and the price do the rest.
Photo: one plate at the pass under the heat lamp, shot straight down.
The note: "short rib special back thursday. braised 6 hours, $29, we only get 20 portions"
The post posthell wrote:
Short rib is back on Thursday. Braised six hours, $29. We cut it at 20 portions, and that's it.
Reservations at the link if you want to lock one in.
Best on: Instagram, Facebook.
2. A new dish and where it comes from#
A new dish is news once. Where the main ingredient comes from is what makes the post worth reading.
Photo: the ravioli on the board before cooking, or the squash at the farm stand.
The note: "pumpkin ravioli goes on the menu this friday. squash comes from the farm stand two streets over"
The post posthell wrote:
Pumpkin ravioli is on the menu this week. The squash comes from the farm stand two streets over, and the pasta gets made here every morning like everything else.
Reservations open if you want a table. Bar's always walk-in.
Best on: Instagram, Facebook.
3. The new dessert#
Dessert is decided at the table, so getting it into people's heads before they arrive works. Name it the way it reads on the menu, with the price.
Photo: one slice on a plain plate, the crème fraîche on the side.
The note: "new dessert: brown butter tart with creme fraiche, $11"
The post posthell wrote:
New on the dessert menu: brown butter tart with crème fraîche. $11.
We're open Tuesday through Saturday if you want to come end the meal with it.
Best on: Instagram.
4. The dish that sold out#
"Sold out by 8:15" tells people the dish is worth coming early for, and "making double" gives them a second chance the next night.
Photo: the empty tray, or the dish crossed off the board.
The note: "ravioli sold out by 8:15 friday. making double for saturday"
The post posthell wrote:
Ravioli sold out by 8:15 Friday night. Making double for Saturday, so come earlier if you want some.
Best on: Instagram, Facebook.
What kitchen stories work for a restaurant?#
Show the prep nobody sees, where an ingredient comes from, and the person who has cooked one station for years.
These posts explain your prices without arguing for them, and they give people a reason to follow between specials.
5. The prep nobody sees#
Six kilos of dough rolled by hand explains a $19 to $26 pasta better than any menu description.
Photo: a ten-second clip of the dough going through the roller.
The note: "pasta dough every morning at 10. on a friday that's 6kg, rolled by hand"
The post posthell wrote:
Friday mornings start with 6kg of pasta dough, rolled by hand. That's what a full night takes. Dinner starts at 5 if you want a table, or the bar stays open for walk-ins.
Best on: Instagram Reels, TikTok.
6. Where an ingredient comes from#
Naming the farm, or at least the county, gives a dish a story and gives regulars something to repeat to their friends.
Photo: the egg flats on the bench after the Tuesday delivery.
The note: "eggs for the pasta come from a farm in goochland county, delivered every tuesday"
The post posthell wrote:
The eggs for our pasta come from a farm in Goochland County, delivered every Tuesday morning. That's what goes into the dough before we open. Reservations at the link, or just take a seat at the bar.
Best on: Instagram, Facebook.
7. The person on the grill#
People come back for people. Nine years on the grill is a better reason to order the steak than any adjective. Get a yes before you post anyone, every time.
Photo: Dee at the grill mid-service, taken with her OK.
The note: "dee has run the grill 9 years. she's the reason the steak comes out right. she ok'd the photo"
The post posthell wrote:
Dee has run our grill for nine years. That's why the steak comes out right.
Dinner starts at 5 on Tuesday if you want to come in.
Best on: Instagram, Facebook.
How do you fill tables with a post?#
Post the specific open tables, the event night, and every set menu with its date, courses and price, early enough for people to book.
"We have availability" fills nothing. "4 tables left Saturday" does. One habit helps with all of these: write the date into your note ("wed nov 25"), never "tomorrow", because you might type the note on Monday and schedule the post for Thursday.
8. An event night#
No cover and a table near the band are the two facts that get someone to book. Post it early in the week and again on the day.
Photo: the trio setting up in the corner, or a shot from the last time they played.
The note: "jazz trio friday 7 to 10, no cover. book if you want a table near them"
The post posthell wrote:
Jazz trio in the dining room this Friday, 7 to 10. No cover charge.
Book ahead if you want a table close to them. Bar seats are first come.
Best on: Facebook, Instagram.
9. The tables still open#
Four open tables on a Saturday is worth a post on Thursday. Pointing walk-ins to the bar catches the people who never book.
Photo: the dining room set before service, candles not yet lit.
The note: "4 tables left saturday from 8:30. bar is walk-ins all night"
The post posthell wrote:
4 tables left for Saturday if you want to book ahead. Bar's open for walk-ins all night.
Reservations at the link, or call us. Tuesday through Saturday starting at 5.
Best on: Instagram, Facebook.
10. A holiday set menu#
A set menu sells on the date, the courses and the price. Being closed on the day itself belongs in the same post, so nobody shows up on Thursday.
Photo: one of the courses, plated.
The note: "we're closed on thanksgiving day. the night before, wed nov 25, we do a 3 course set menu, $55, booking only"
The post posthell wrote:
Closed Thanksgiving day, but the night before we're doing a three-course set menu. $55, reservations only. Book through the link in bio.
Best on: Facebook, Instagram.
11. New Year's Eve bookings#
Two seatings and a price is all most people need to decide. Post it the week before bookings open, then again the day they do.
Photo: the dining room at night with the candles lit.
The note: "new year's eve: two seatings, 6pm and 9pm. 5 courses, $85. bookings open monday"
The post posthell wrote:
New Year's Eve at Little Fennel: two seatings, 6pm and 9pm. Five courses, $85 a person. Bookings open Monday. If you want a table, don't sit on it.
Best on: Facebook, Instagram.
How do you post hours and the practical details?#
Post closures a week ahead, the weekly brunch on repeat, the patio while it lasts, the kids menu, and gift cards before the holidays.
These are the dull posts, and they save the most frustration. One honest gap: posthell doesn't post to Google Business Profile, so when your hours change, change them there by hand too, since that's where people look when they search your name. What to post on Google Business Profile covers that page, and how to get more Google reviews covers the reviews that sit under it.
12. A closure, posted early#
A dark dining room on a Tuesday loses you the regulars who didn't know. Post it a week ahead, then once more the day before.
Photo: the empty room with the chairs up.
The note: "closed tuesday and wednesday next week for a staff break. back thursday at 5"
The post posthell wrote:
Giving the team a proper break next week, so we'll be closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Back Thursday at 5. Reservations are open if you want to lock in a spot.
Best on: Facebook, Instagram.
13. The brunch reminder#
Sunday brunch is the post to set to repeat weekly. Lead with the one dish people come back for.
Photo: the pancakes from above, with the ricotta showing.
The note: "sunday brunch is 10 to 2, walk-ins only. ricotta pancakes are back this sunday"
The post posthell wrote:
ricotta pancakes are back. brunch is 10 to 2, walk-ins only. Little Fennel Kitchen, Richmond.
Best on: Instagram, Facebook.
14. The patio, while it lasts#
In the fall people assume the patio has closed. Heaters on and six tables is the information they're missing.
Photo: the patio at dusk with the heaters glowing.
The note: "patio stays open till it gets too cold. heaters are on, 6 tables, first come"
The post posthell wrote:
The patio's still open. Heaters are running. Six tables, first come. Little Fennel Kitchen, Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm.
Best on: Instagram, Facebook.
15. The kids menu#
Parents check before they book. Half portions and a plain $8 pasta answers the question in one line.
Photo: a half portion next to a full one.
The note: "kids menu: half portions of any pasta, butter and parmesan pasta $8"
The post posthell wrote:
the kids menu is half portions of any pasta on the menu, or butter and parmesan for $8. same house-made pasta, smaller plate. reservations at the link, bar is open for walk-ins.
Best on: Facebook.
16. Gift cards#
Gift cards sell in December to people who already like you. "They don't expire" is the line people care about, so put it in the note.
Photo: a gift card on the host stand.
The note: "gift cards at the host stand, any amount, they don't expire"
The post posthell wrote:
Gift cards are at the host stand. Any amount, no expiration date.
Best on: Facebook, Instagram.
What gets regulars talking about a restaurant?#
Share a busy night in numbers, let regulars choose a dish that comes back, and mark milestones by telling where you started.
17. The busy night, in numbers#
140 covers in a 48-seat room is a fact regulars enjoy, and it tells newcomers to book ahead.
Photo: the full room from the pass, faces not identifiable.
The note: "friday 8pm, every seat full, 140 covers by close"
The post posthell wrote:
140 covers Friday night in a 48-seat room.
Pasta made here that morning held up through all of it. Reservations are online. Bar seats are walk-in.
Best on: Instagram, Facebook.
18. Let them pick a dish#
A choice between two dishes they know gets comments from regulars and tells you what to cook. Only ask if you'll make the winner.
Photo: both pastas side by side on the pass.
The note: "one pasta is coming back for the winter menu: cacio e pepe or beef ragu? you pick in the comments"
The post posthell wrote:
We're bringing back one pasta for the winter menu and letting the comments decide.
Cacio e pepe or beef ragu? Drop your vote.
Best on: Instagram, Facebook.
19. A milestone, told small#
Twelve tables and the owner on the line is a better anniversary post than a list of achievements.
Photo: a photo from the first month next to one from this week.
The note: "we turned 5 this week. the first month it was 12 tables and me on the line. thank you"
The post posthell wrote:
Five years ago it was 12 tables and me on the line.
Now it's 48 seats, fresh pasta every morning, a room that stays full.
Thank you for being in it. Dinner Tuesday through Saturday starting at 5, brunch Sunday from 10.
Best on: Facebook, Instagram.
What does one note look like on three networks?#
One note becomes three posts: an Instagram caption with five hashtags, a one-line Facebook post, and a TikTok caption that leads with the dish.
The note was the short rib special from idea 1: "short rib special back thursday. braised 6 hours, $29, we only get 20 portions"
Instagram#
Short rib is back Thursday. Braised six hours, 20 portions at $29, and that's the whole run.
Reservations open now, tap the link in bio before they go. 🍷
#RichmondVA #RichmondEats #LittleFennelKitchen #SeasonalDining #PastaNight
Facebook#
Short rib Thursday. 20 portions, $29. That's it. Grab yours before they're gone.
TikTok#
Short rib special Thursday, 20 portions only 🍖 Braised six hours, $29. Book the link in bio before it sells out. #RichmondVA #RichmondRestaurant #FoodTikTok #DinnerSpecial #LittleFennelKitchen
Instagram got the full detail and five tags, Facebook got the shortest version for regulars scrolling past, and TikTok put the dish and "20 portions" up front for the clip of the braise. Two small things to check before approving. Both Instagram and TikTok point to a link in bio, so keep that only if your bio links to your booking page. And the TikTok line "Book the link in bio" reads oddly; "Book through the link in bio" is the fix. That's what the approval step is for.
What should a restaurant post in a slow week?#
In a slow week, post the ordinary life of the kitchen: staff meal, new knives, the walk-in on delivery day, your first dish.
Six notes for a week with no special to announce:
- "staff meal tonight was the leftover ragu on toast"
- "new knives came in. the old set lasted 6 years"
- "folding napkins for friday, takes 40 minutes"
- "the walk-in at 9am on a delivery day"
- "first dish on our first menu was the cacio e pepe"
- "rainy tuesday, room at the bar, soup is on"
More ideas for quiet weeks are in what to post when nothing is happening.
What is a simple four-week plan for a restaurant?#
Three posts a week covers it: the menu on Tuesday, a kitchen story or open tables on Thursday, and something for regulars on the weekend.
| Week | Tuesday | Thursday | Weekend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #1 The weekly special | #5 The prep nobody sees | #13 The brunch reminder |
| 2 | #2 A new dish and where it comes from | #9 The tables still open | #18 Let them pick a dish |
| 3 | #6 Where an ingredient comes from | #8 An event night | #4 The dish that sold out |
| 4 | #3 The new dessert | #7 The person on the grill | #17 The busy night, in numbers |
When a holiday is coming, swap in #10 or #11 a couple of weeks ahead, and post the sell-out (#4) the night it happens.
Which dates matter for a restaurant?#
The dates that fill a dining room are the ones people book: Thanksgiving week, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day brunch.
| Month | Date | What to post |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | Thanksgiving, Thursday Nov 26. Small Business Saturday, Nov 28 | Set menu or closure (#10), gift cards (#16) |
| December 2026 | Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Dec 24 and 25. New Year's Eve, Dec 31 | Holiday hours, New Year's Eve bookings (#11) |
| January 2027 | New Year's Day, Jan 1 | Hours, the winter menu |
| February 2027 | Mardi Gras, Tuesday Feb 9. Valentine's Day, Sunday Feb 14 | Valentine's bookings, opened two or three weeks ahead |
| March 2027 | St. Patrick's Day, Wednesday Mar 17. Easter Sunday, Mar 28 | Easter brunch bookings |
| May 2027 | Mother's Day, Sunday May 9. Memorial Day, Monday May 31 | Mother's Day brunch, patio opening |
| June 2027 | Father's Day, Sunday June 20 | Brunch, the summer menu |
| July 2027 | Independence Day, Sunday July 4 | Holiday hours |
| September 2027 | Labor Day, Monday Sept 6 | Hours, the fall menu |
| October 2027 | Halloween, Sunday Oct 31 | Anything you cook for it, the patio's last weeks |
Your own seasons matter as much: the first squash from the farm stand, the week the tomato salad goes, your city's restaurant week if it has one.
How many hashtags should a restaurant use?#
Five at most, since Instagram caps posts and Reels at five hashtags: one for the dish, one for your city, and your restaurant's name.
Instagram announced the five-hashtag limit in December 2025, as Social Media Today reported. The formula: what you serve, where you are, one branded tag. For Little Fennel that's #pasta or #shortrib, then #richmondva or #rvafood, then #littlefennelkitchen. posthell's Instagram captions stay inside five, and it suggests tags per network. To check a caption you wrote yourself, use the free hashtag counter. Facebook posts don't need hashtags at all, and if you want a quick Facebook draft without signing up, the Facebook post generator is free.
What rules apply when a restaurant posts?#
Two rules come up most: food creators you host for a free meal should disclose it, and "gluten-free" should mean what FDA says it means.
If you invite a local food creator in and the meal is on the house, that's a perk they should disclose when they post. The FTC's guide for influencers says that a brand giving you free or discounted products or other perks is a relationship to disclose (FTC: Disclosures 101 for social media influencers), so ask them to label it and never ask for a positive review in return. On menus and posts, FDA recommends that restaurants making a "gluten-free" claim stay consistent with its definition, which keeps gluten below 20 parts per million (FDA's questions and answers on the gluten-free rule). A pasta kitchen with flour in the air should describe what it actually does. This isn't legal advice; check with your local health department or a lawyer for anything specific.
Where should a restaurant start?#
Start with this week's special: one line with the dish, the day and the price, typed before service, and the post out before the weekend.
That's what posthell does for a restaurant: you type the note between services, it writes the Instagram, Facebook and TikTok versions, and nothing goes out until you approve it. For the full picture and a worked example, see posthell for restaurants. If you also run a bakery counter or a coffee bar, the bakery post ideas cover the morning side.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a restaurant post on social media?
Three posts a week is plenty if they are real: a special, a story from the kitchen and something for regulars. Add a quick post when something changes, like a sell-out, open tables or holiday hours. Three genuine posts a week beat daily filler that stops after a month.
Which social media platform matters most for a restaurant?
Google Business Profile comes first, because it shows your hours, photos and reviews when someone searches your name or a dish nearby. After that, Instagram for the food and Facebook for events and the neighborhood. TikTok is worth it only if you enjoy filming.
What should a restaurant post on Instagram?
The special with its day and price, new dishes and where the ingredients come from, short clips of prep, and the people who cook. Keep each caption to one dish or one piece of news, and put the photo from the pass first.
Should a restaurant post its prices on social media?
Yes, for specials, set menus and anything new. A price answers the first question people have and makes the post easier to act on. Leave the full menu with every price on your website and your Google Business Profile.
Is there a social media scheduler for restaurants?
Yes. posthell writes restaurant posts from a one-line note, tailors them for Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, and schedules them, and nothing publishes until you approve it. It starts from $12 a month, with a 7-day free trial on the monthly plans.
Contents
- What should a restaurant post on social media?
- What should a restaurant post about the menu?
- 1. The weekly special, with the day and the count
- 2. A new dish and where it comes from
- 3. The new dessert
- 4. The dish that sold out
- What kitchen stories work for a restaurant?
- 5. The prep nobody sees
- 6. Where an ingredient comes from
- 7. The person on the grill
- How do you fill tables with a post?
- 8. An event night
- 9. The tables still open
- 10. A holiday set menu
- 11. New Year's Eve bookings
- How do you post hours and the practical details?
- 12. A closure, posted early
- 13. The brunch reminder
- 14. The patio, while it lasts
- 15. The kids menu
- 16. Gift cards
- What gets regulars talking about a restaurant?
- 17. The busy night, in numbers
- 18. Let them pick a dish
- 19. A milestone, told small
- What does one note look like on three networks?
- TikTok
- What should a restaurant post in a slow week?
- What is a simple four-week plan for a restaurant?
- Which dates matter for a restaurant?
- How many hashtags should a restaurant use?
- What rules apply when a restaurant posts?
- Where should a restaurant start?
