Advertising on Restaurant Menus

[Cheesecake Factory Menu Advertising]

Of all of the restaurant chains in the world, no other chain comes close to matching the average unit volume of Cheesecake Factory. Across 135 locations they average $10.9m each. It was certainly a surprise then to see them selling ad space in their menus for other retailers. While running F&B marketing for a luxury hotel we even bought ad space to promote the new $20m spa. Boy was it expensive. Recently, I also saw a small oyster bar in my hometown had sold not just space in their menu, but even their table tops – virtually everything was for sale. My opinion on menu ads is mixed and depends heavily on the concept in question. For the right concept though, this can be a great way to forge new relationships in the community while also getting all of your menu production costs covered. Some actually turn a small profit they invest back into marketing. For more see: Menu Advertising: Selling Out or Selling Smart

Restaurant Consultant