Email Marketing Guide for Restaurants, Cafes, and Pubs in the UK

Email marketing is about building meaningful relationships with your guests. Whether you’re running a cosy pub, a bustling café, or a multi-site restaurant group, email marketing can help you boost loyalty, drive repeat business, and promote your best offers. You don't need a massive marketing budget or a team of experts. You just need to start conversations with the people who already love what you do.

Why Email Marketing Still Works

Despite the rise of social media, email remains one of the most effective and budget-friendly tools for connecting with customers. 

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, 55% of UK diners prefer to receive updates and promotions via email over other forms of communication. The same survey also revealed that email is the second most effective marketing channel for UK establishments (behind social media).

Unlike social media, your email list is yours to own. You’re not at the mercy of ever-changing algorithms, and you can directly reach guests with tailored, timely messages that keep them coming back.

Building a Strong Email List

Start with the basics: Collect email addresses when guests book a table, order online, join your loyalty programme, or access free Wi-Fi. Be transparent about how you’ll use their data and offer something in return—like a welcome drink or a discount on their next visit.

Top tip: Make it easy for staff to promote email sign-ups at the till or during service. The more seamless it is, the more sign-ups you’ll get.

Crafting Emails That Get Opened (and Read)

Your guests get dozens of emails every day. So how do you stand out? Subject lines should be short, specific, and benefit-led. For example, instead of "This Week’s Specials," use "2-for-1 Burgers This Thursday Only." 

Your tone should reflect your venue’s personality, whether that's cheeky, refined, or ultra-friendly. Avoid long blocks of text by using clear headings, short paragraphs, and one strong call to action.

What to Send (And How Often)

A well-timed email can turn a slow week into a full house. Some ideas include:

• Weekly or monthly newsletters

• Exclusive offers or discounts

• New menu announcements

• Holiday or event promotions

• Personalised birthday rewards

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, 47% of UK diners are more likely to return to a restaurant that sends personalised offers or loyalty rewards. 

Segmenting Your Audience

Don’t send the same email to everyone. Tailor your messaging to different customer groups, such as first-time visitors versus regulars, guests who haven’t visited in a while, VIPs and loyalty members, and online orderers versus dine-in customers. 

Smart segmentation means better engagement, fewer unsubscribes, and higher ROI.

Staying Compliant with UK Regulations

UK businesses must comply with GDPR and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). These laws are designed to protect consumer privacy and set clear rules for how personal data can be used for marketing purposes. Under GDPR, personal data includes any information that can identify a person, such as names, email addresses, and even IP addresses.

Before sending marketing emails, you must obtain freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous consent from recipients. Pre-ticked boxes or inactivity cannot be considered valid consent. Make sure your sign-up forms clearly explain what kind of content subscribers can expect and how often you'll contact them.

You must also:

• Provide a simple and visible way for users to unsubscribe from future emails.

• Maintain clear records of when and how consent was given (including time stamps and opt-in method).

• Offer access to your privacy policy, which should explain how customer data is stored and used.

Failure to comply can result in significant fines and reputational damage. 

Email and Beyond: Making Tech Work for You

Email marketing works best when it’s connected to your POS, CRM, and online ordering tools. That way, you can track guest behaviour, automate follow-ups, and learn what drives repeat visits.

Urban Leisure Group, who run ten eclectic venues across London, made the switch to Toast to simplify their operations and strengthen guest engagement. 

Get Started Today

You don’t need to have it all figured out on day one. Just start somewhere, keep it simple, be genuine, and focus on what your customers actually care about.

Every email you send is a chance to connect with someone who’s already chosen your restaurant over plenty of others. That’s something special. Think of email marketing as a way to keep that connection going, even when they’re not sitting at your table.