SMS is one of the fastest ways to reach your customers—but also one of the easiest to mess up.
You know your customers are glued to their phones. Texting feels instant and effective—until your messages start getting ignored or flagged as spam. And while your text marketing efforts fade, your competitors are making real connections—fast.
A few common errors can easily derail your efforts, alienate loyal diners, and hurt your restaurant’s reputation. It’s worth noting 80% of users read their texts within just five minutes following receipt. With so little time to spare, optimizing your SMS strategy is crucial.
Let’s dive into the key mistakes restaurants make with SMS marketing—and how you can avoid them to keep your messages impactful and profitable in 2025.
The Importance of Avoiding SMS Marketing Mistakes
It’s easy to assume your SMS strategy is working. After all, you’re sending out promos and some of your customers do show up. But if you look closer, it’s surprisingly easy to get wrong. A message sent too soon, too often, or contains irrelevant information can quietly chip away at customer trust—and most of these slip-ups fly under the radar until your customers start unsubscribing or negative reviews start trickling in.
Don’t worry! The good news is these mistakes are entirely avoidable—once you know what to look out for.
9 Common SMS Marketing Mistakes Restaurants Should Avoid in 2025
1. Sending Messages at the Wrong Time
A great offer sent at the wrong hour often goes unseen. Picture this: you’ve crafted an amazing dinner deal, but it goes out after 9pm—and it doesn’t land. Your message gets ignored and you may have annoyed your customers by popping up when they’re not in the right headspace.
What To Do:
Schedule your SMS messages when people are most likely to decide. Timing is everything is SMS marketing. Here’s a little cheat sheet:
| Your Goal | Best Send Window | Why It Works | Example Use Case |
| General best time | 11AM – 4PM | Catches customers before lunch and dinner decisions are made | Promote lunch specials or early dinner reservations |
| Maximize engagement | 9AM – 6PM | Daytime messages are more likely to be seen; post-dinner texts increase click-through rates | Send menus, polls, or feedback requests |
| Drive conversions | 10AM – 4PM | Customers often decide where to eat after browsing the night before | Send a morning promo for lunch or a limited-time dinner deal |
| Boost revenue per send | 11AM-4PM & after dinner | Hungry customers are more likely to act around mealtimes | Launch a lunchtime BOGO offer or a post-dinner loyalty deal |
2. Weak First Impressions
SMS messages often get cut off on lock screens. If you fail to spark interest fast, you miss the chance to engage. Customers might scroll past or delete your message, especially if the opening line doesn’t hook them.
What To Do:
Lead with the key offer. Instead of starting off with “Dear customer,…”, make your hook instant and irresistible with “Free dessert today!” or “RM15 off your next visit!”
3. Not Introducing Your Brand
You’ve laid out a great deal, but forgot to introduce your restaurant. Customers might not recognize who’s sending the message, which can lead them to dismiss it as spam or leave them confused. If your brand isn’t immediately clear, they may lose interest before even considering the offer.
What To Do:
A quick brand reminder builds trust and ensures customers know exactly who’s reaching out. Your restaurant’s name should be front and center, right at the start.
4. Excessive use of SMS
Flooding your customers’ inboxes with too many messages may not have the effect you’re hoping for. Too many messages may overwhelm your customers and increase the chances of them unsubscribing. Excessive messaging can also lead your brand to be flagged as spam—and that’s the fastest way to lose trust and engagement.
What To Do:
Nobody likes spam, so keep your communication relevant and spaced out to avoid oversaturation. Strategize well and aim to send 2-4 messages per month and make each one impactful. Consistency is key, but so is not overloading them. You don’t want your customers to tune out, do you?
5. Using Unexplained Foreign Terms
Gnocchi alla Sorrentina? Samgyeopsal? Sounds fancy, don’t they? But are your customers following? Using foreign dish names without explanation can confuse customers, especially if they’re unfamiliar with the cuisine.
What To Do:
Provide a quick and simple translation (or list out the ingredients) alongside the foreign term to make it more accessible. Instead of just “Samgyeopsal”, try: “Dig into our juicy Samgyeopsal (pork belly) — limited servings tonight!” This keeps the message inviting and will surely entice your customers to try something new, whilst ensuring it’s understood by everyone.
6. Overloading Your Message
Packing too much into a single message can quickly push you beyond SMS limits. Avoid long texts, excessive symbols, or special characters like emojis and accents. When your blasts exceed the character count, it gets split into multiple parts, making it harder to follow. Important details might also get cut off entirely, leaving customers potentially feeling confused.
What To Do:
Keep your messages under 160 characters to ensure it stays within standard SMS limits. Cut out any unnecessary fluff and avoid using special characters when possible. Clarity and focus on the essentials should be your main priority to maintain readability and impact.
7. Sending Irrelevant Promos
Don’t make the mistake of sending “Ladies Night” offers to male customers or promoting meat dishes to your vegan regulars. It comes across as lazy and out of touch. Your customers want to feel that you’ve understood their needs or preferences.
What To Do:
Take the time to segment your customers based on key data points—how often they visit, if they participate in your loyalty program, or what menu items they enjoy. Tailoring your content accordingly encourages engagement and drives fast results.
Pro tip: Consider opting for a loyalty program to ease this process for your restaurant.
8. Including Banned Content
Certain elements in your SMS (links or phone numbers) are prohibited under Malaysia’s SMS regulations. Messages containing these banned elements can be blocked by carriers or even flagged as spam. This prevents your blasts from reaching your customers altogether.
What To Do:
Avoid including clickable links or phone numbers in your SMS marketing. Create a call-to-action (CTA) that’s simple and in compliance. Most restaurants send out blasts like, “Show this SMS at our nearest branch to claim your offer.” This keeps your message actionable and fully compliant with regulations.
9. No Call-to-Action (CTA)
You’ve shared an exciting deal, but forgot to inform your customers what to do next. Unclear instructions can cause your messages to fall flat. They may be read—but it won’t convert. You want your customers to take action, like making reservations or joining your loyalty program. For instance, “Click here to book your table now,” or “Show this text when you dine in with us and get 20% off your meal,” can be the difference between a read and a result.
What To Do:
End every message with one clear and actionable CTA. Keep it simple and focused to guide your customers easily toward taking immediate action
Why SMS Marketing Matters for Your Restaurant
- Enhance Engagement
SMS promotions boast a response rate of 45% as opposed to email promotions’ average of 6%. This means more eyes on your messages—and more feet through your door.
- Budget-Friendly
Compared to traditional ads, SMS marketing offers exceptional value for money.
It’s a more efficient way to target the right audience without worrying about the hefty costs of traditional advertising.
- Building Customer Loyalty
SMS marketing nurtures customer loyalty by building trust and boosting repeat visits. Customers who participate in loyalty programs tend to engage more with your restaurant, improving overall retention. In fact, many restaurants have already seen success by tying their SMS marketing with loyalty programs—offering early access, rewards, or even exclusive deals through a simple text. Explore real-life success stories that show just how impactful a well-crafted SMS strategy can be in turning one-time diners into loyal regulars.
Conclusion
Make the most of your SMS marketing and avoid common pitfalls that could potentially hinder your restaurant’s success. Remember, SMS marketing is a powerful tool, but only when used strategically. There’s still time to improve your restaurant’s success. You’ll be able to increase engagement, reduce customer frustration, and ultimately strengthen your restaurant’s reputation and sales in no time!
Great SMS marketing isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing it right. If you’re ready to take the next step and learn more about SMS marketing, reach out to SimpleLoyalty today!
