Quick answer: Most established restaurants spend around 3% to 6% of revenue on marketing, and new or fast-growing ones often spend more. In practice, a UK independent paying an agency can expect anything from a few hundred pounds a month for a single channel to several thousand for a full service, plus ad spend paid to Google or Meta and VAT on the agency fee. Our own plans run from £599 a month + VAT for one restaurant to from £4,999 a month + VAT for groups.
Last updated: November 2026. All Restaurant Genie prices shown are per month, plus VAT, unless stated.
How much restaurants usually spend
The figure you'll see quoted most is 3% to 6% of revenue for an established restaurant with steady trade. Fishbowl, Paytronix and Sauce all give that range. Wolt suggests going higher at certain stages: 5% to 10% in a growth phase or competitive area, 6% to 10% in the first six months after opening, and up to 15% for an aggressive push or a rebrand.
Treat the percentage as a starting point rather than a rule. It should cover everything: agency or freelancer fees, ad spend, photography and video, and the tools you pay for, such as an email platform.
A worked example
Take a restaurant turning £20,000 a week. That's £1,040,000 a year. At 3%, the marketing budget is £31,200 a year, or £2,600 a month. At 6%, it's £62,400 a year, or £5,200 a month. That monthly figure has to pay for the agency, the ad spend and any content, not just one of them.
A smaller venue turning £8,000 a week (£416,000 a year) would have £1,040 to £2,080 a month at the same percentages. That's enough for one or two channels done properly, not everything at once.
What you're actually paying for
A marketing bill is usually made up of five parts. When you compare quotes, check which of these each one includes.
- The management fee. What the agency or freelancer charges to plan, run and report on the work. This is the number most quotes lead with.
- Ad spend. The money that goes to Google, Meta or TikTok for the ads themselves. Ideally it's charged to your own card in your own ad account, so you can see every penny.
- Content. Photo and video shoots, editing and short-form video. Some plans include it, many charge it separately.
- Tools and platforms. Email platforms, booking systems, review tools and website hosting. These are usually billed to you directly.
- One-off projects. A new website, branding, or a pre-launch campaign for an opening. These are quoted separately from monthly work.
How agencies charge
There are three common models, and each changes what you really pay.
- A fixed monthly fee. You know the cost each month and can budget around it. Check how much ad spend the fee covers before it goes up.
- A percentage of ad spend. The agency earns more when you spend more, which isn't always in your interest. Ask what the percentage is and whether there's a minimum fee on top.
- Per project. Common for websites, shoots and launches. Make sure the scope is agreed in writing before work starts.
Ask every agency the same questions: is there a setup fee, what's the minimum term and notice period, who owns the ad accounts, website and customer data, and is the price shown with or without VAT?
Costs people forget
- VAT. Most agencies show prices plus VAT, so a £1,000 fee is £1,200 on the invoice. If your restaurant is VAT-registered you can usually reclaim it, but check with your accountant.
- Ad spend on top of the fee. A £600 management fee with £600 of ad spend is a £1,200 monthly cost before VAT.
- Setup fees. Building ad accounts, tracking and landing pages takes time, and many agencies charge for it once at the start.
- Content. Ads and social posts run on photos and video. If your plan doesn't include a shoot, budget for one.
- Your own time. Approving posts, answering review alerts and briefing the team on offers all take time, even when an agency does the work.
Where to spend first
The right order depends on your restaurant, not on a package. A few rules of thumb from running restaurant marketing since 2014:
- Fix what people see first. If your Google Business Profile is thin or your reviews put people off, more advertising just sends people to a weak first impression. See our Google Business Profile checklist.
- Capture the demand that already exists. People searching "restaurant near me" or "birthday meal" are ready to book. Google Ads and local SEO reach them at that moment.
- Then build repeat business. A customer list and a regular email bring people back on quieter nights for far less than finding new customers each time.
- Don't advertise a website that won't convert. If booking on a phone is awkward, fix the site before paying for clicks.
What we charge
Our prices are published, so you can compare before you call. All are per month, plus VAT, with ad spend paid directly to Google and Meta. We never take a percentage of it, and our fee covers managing up to £10,000 a month in ad spend.
- Found, £599: Google Search Ads with every call, booking and direction tracked, landing pages and a monthly performance review.
- Found Plus, £1,499: everything in Found plus local SEO and AI search, Google Business Profile optimisation and conversion work on your website.
- Full Service, £2,999: everything in Found Plus plus Meta lead ads, a weekly email, a review strategy, social posting and a content shoot every two months.
- Group, from £4,999: for two or more sites, with city-wide SEO, email automations and fortnightly strategy sessions.
Single services are available too, such as local SEO on its own at £900 a month and Email Campaigns at £300 a month. Websites start from £1,500 as a one-off project. You can see everything on our pricing page, or model the return on ad spend with our ROI calculator.
FAQs
Is restaurant marketing worth it for a small independent?
It's worth it when it's aimed at something specific, such as filling midweek tables or getting found by people searching nearby, and when results are tracked in bookings and calls rather than likes. Start with one channel, measure it for three months and build from there.
Do I need to spend on ads?
Not always. A strong Google Business Profile, steady reviews and a regular email to your customer list cost very little in ad spend. Ads speed things up, especially in competitive areas, but they work best on top of those basics.
Why do agency prices vary so much?
Quotes cover different things. One might include ad spend, content and reporting; another might be management only. Line quotes up against the five cost parts above before comparing the totals.
Sources: Fishbowl, Restaurant marketing budget (June 2024); Paytronix, 5 principles for an effective restaurant marketing budget; Sauce, What's the right marketing budget for your restaurant?; Wolt, How to set a restaurant marketing budget in 2026. Restaurant Genie prices from our pricing page, November 2026.
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