Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Why not create a strategic partnership with the hotel and offer discounts for those who stay?

If I've never eaten there, I go based on two things, 1) word of mouth, 2) looks! Food must look appealing.

Where are you located? In the US, many people use a site called city search,www.citysearch.com, to read reviews, find restraunts, etc. You should see if there is anything like this where you live. Get some friends or clients to post some reviews and find out about advertising. Sites like these are especially helpful for travellers who do not know about an area.

The previous post about partnering with the hotel is a great idea. It might not hurt to get the word out to the local taxi drivers as well. Many times people ask them about places to eat.

Does the local newspaper have a food section? Do they do reviews? You should contact the newspaper and see what it would take to have a food critic visit and review the restraunt (make sure everything is running smoothly before you do this).

Hope this helps,
Mike

Airport area, attached to a hotel... it certainly sounds like you need to reach business travelers.

主要的航空公司在你附近的机场是谁?Perhaps you need to advertise in their in-flight magazines. Or if the airport has poster advertising space, get someone to design something slick featuring your teppanyaki experience. I'd say that will have more appeal (food plus entertainment) than pictures of sushi.

I wouldn't bother handing out flyers and coupons ten miles away unless you're the only Japanese restaurant in town. Most people eat close to their neighborhood. Perhaps you can print some menus with coupons and pay someone to hang them on doors... test the idea in a nearby subdivision and see what happens!

Check out similar postings on the forum, here:
Promotion/event ideas for restaurant
Marketing ideas for Asian/fusian restaurant
Marketing to gain a lunch crowd

There's a lot more advice if you simply use theSearch Questionslink on the right side of this page.

There are two restaurants I visit a few times a year that fit your profile of half tourists half locals. We fit into the local category. We keep going back because the food is always good and the service is always good. We started going because they are in excellent waterfront locations with a lot of foot traffic. One has beautiful displays of their specials; they also give out free samples of clam chowder outside, which doesn't hurt luring people in. The other restaurant has a beautiful glass case fresh fish display. So you have a sense in advance of the quality.