Insights F&B
Restaurant marketing in Saudi Arabia: what actually fills tables
Saudi Arabia is one of the most exciting food markets in the world right now — and one of the most crowded. New concepts open in Riyadh every week, and diners have more choice than ever. Great food is the entry ticket. Marketing decides who gets the table.
This is what we see working across the restaurants, cafés and bakeries we manage.
The customer journey moved to the phone
A typical evening decision in Riyadh looks like this: a Snapchat story or TikTok video creates the craving, Google Maps confirms the location and rating, and a booking app or delivery app closes it.
Delivery alone has grown fast. Orders through delivery apps rose from 228 million in 2023 to 408 million in 2025, and Riyadh accounts for around 44% of them (Argaam, January 2026). If your brand is not strong on the phone, it is invisible for a large part of the market.
1. Make the food the hero — in vertical video
The content that sells food is simple: close-ups, steam, sound, hands, the first bite. Shoot vertical first, keep it under 20 seconds and show the dish in the first second.
- One signature dish per video, not the whole menu.
- Real people from your team, not only polished product shots.
- Arabic captions in a natural Saudi tone.
2. Treat Snapchat and TikTok as your main stage
Snapchat reaches around 73% of the population in Saudi Arabia (DataReportal). For F&B, Snapchat ads, location filters and creator visits are among the most effective ways to drive footfall. TikTok is where trends and new openings spread.
3. Win the map
When someone searches “breakfast near me” or “best Lebanese restaurant in Riyadh”, Google Maps decides who appears. Keep your Google Business Profile complete: accurate hours, real photos, menu, booking link and fast replies to reviews.
4. Turn reviews into a system
Reviews are the new word of mouth. Ask at the right moment (when the bill arrives, by QR code or WhatsApp), reply to every review in the same language, and fix what the negative ones point to.
5. Plan around the Saudi calendar
Ramadan, Eid, Founding Day, National Day and Riyadh Season each need their own menu, content and offer — prepared weeks in advance. Our Ramadan checklist is a good place to start.
6. Measure tables, not likes
Track what pays the rent:
- Bookings and walk-ins per campaign.
- Calls and direction requests from Google Maps.
- Delivery orders and average basket.
- Repeat visits from your loyalty list or WhatsApp.
Followers are nice. Full tables on a Tuesday night are the goal.
Want a second opinion on your restaurant’s marketing? We are happy to take a look.
