Restaurant email templates
Every template here is written to be sent, not to be admired: a complete email you can copy, the timing that decides whether it works, and the offer that brings people through the door. Start with the one that matches your next two weeks — a birthday month, a new regular, or a new menu.
Choose by what you're trying to do
Birthday
5–7 days before the birthday
For guests who already know you. Free dessert, a drink, double points.
3 templates →
Welcome
5 min after signup, then day 3–5
For turning a signup into a second visit. A drink on the first visit — not a discount.
3 templates →
New menu
3–5 days before, then launch day
For clearing a slow week. A pairing, or a tasting price for two weeks.
3 templates →
How to use a template
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First
Copy it as it is
The first time you send one, change nothing. You are testing the template, not your copywriting.
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Second
Change the placeholders
[Restaurant Name],[First Name],[link],[date]— and only those. -
Third
Send to a real segment
Fifty people who came in last month will tell you more than five thousand who signed up two years ago.
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Fourth
Look at two numbers only
Open rate, and how many bookings came from it. Ignore clicks, likes and forwards.
Want one written for your situation?
The free email generator fills in the placeholders and hands you a complete email you can copy and send — no account, no trial. Or read the eight platforms compared on where your guest list comes from.
Questions we actually get
Are these templates free to use?
Yes. Copy them, change the placeholders, and send them. No account needed.
How often should a restaurant send email?
Most single-location restaurants do best on one to two emails a month, plus automated birthday and win-back messages. More than that and regulars start marking you as spam, which is the one thing you cannot undo.
What should go in a restaurant newsletter?
Three things: something happening now, something worth planning a visit for, and one thing they should try. A newsletter that is only a menu link is not a newsletter.
How do I pick a subject line?
Pick from the subject lines on each template page, then write the body to match it. If the subject says "a slice on us" and the body opens with "Dear valued customer", the email was written by two different people and it will read that way.
Can I use these for a café or a bar?
Yes. The only thing that changes is the language — a bakery swaps the dessert for a pastry box, a bar swaps the reservation link for a table on a Friday night.
What if my list is small — 300 people?
Then you are in the best position most restaurants ever get. Send to the whole list, ask them what to send next, and read every reply. At this size, replies are a better signal than any dashboard.
Written by the emailforrestaurants.com team. Every price on the comparison page was read from the vendor's own site and re-checked on the first of each month.