PPC for Restaurants That Turn Browsers Into Bookings
Pearl Lemon doesn’t run PPC like some digital intern guessing keywords on a Monday morning. We run it like restaurant owners run kitchens — with tight timing, solid numbers, and no tolerance for waste.
If your current PPC campaigns feel like tossing your budget into a bonfire, we’ll show you what it means to manage ad spend like a business, not a gamble. Because good pay-per-click doesn’t just “bring traffic,” it fills your dining room. And if it doesn’t do that, why pay for it?
Our Services: PPC for Restaurants That Works on Your Schedule, Not a Spreadsheet
We don’t run generic ad campaigns. We build full-funnel paid search programs structured for restaurant margins, hours, and customer behavior.
If you’ve worked with another agency before, odds are they ignored what matters. Most do. Here’s what effective PPC looks like when it’s done properly:
Menu-Level Keyword Mapping
We don’t just bid on “restaurants near me.” That’s lazy.
We create high-intent, service-specific keyword lists based on what you sell — “wood-fired pizza delivery in [area],” “bottomless brunch London Saturday,” “late night sushi takeaway near me.” That’s how we target active demand, not random traffic.
Why it works:
High commercial intent = higher Quality Score = lower CPC. We’ve reduced average CPC from £3.87 to £1.41 just by aligning copy with search intent.
Ad Group Segmentation by Meal Period & Service Type
Dinner searches behave differently from lunch traffic. Catering clicks cost more than dine-in. We separate campaigns by intent, time of day, and user behavior.
What it solves:
No more burning budget on people who aren’t ready to order. No more showing “order now” ads at 9 am or promoting catering to solo diners.
Hyper-Local Geo Targeting with Radius + ZIP Split Tests
Running ads within a 5-mile radius? That’s basic. We test by ZIP code based on delivery times, traffic patterns, and neighborhood behavior, then raise bids where conversion data supports it.
Why this matters:
We’ve seen 27% higher CTR and 18% lower CPA just by reducing geographic inefficiencies.
Call Tracking and Conversion Attribution
“Clicks” don’t pay rent. Reservations and phone orders do.
We integrate tracked call extensions, Google Tag Manager events, and booking systems into one clear analytics view — so you know exactly which keyword paid for the steak.
What it solves:
No more guessing which campaign brings actual customers. You’ll know in pounds and pence.
Campaign-Specific Landing Pages
We don’t send paid traffic to your homepage. We build landing pages focused on what the searcher typed — brunch reservations, vegan menus, corporate catering.
Why it works:
Bounce rates dropped by 32%, and form submissions doubled just by matching the content to the query.
Smart Bidding Based on Time of Day
Your ads shouldn’t operate like a light switch. We apply ad scheduling and performance-based bid adjustments so you don’t pay full price during slow hours.
Result:
No wasted time at midnight. No missed peaks at 5 pm. Just a tight PPC rhythm that matches your kitchen’s pace.
Retargeting Campaigns Based on On-Site Behavior
We track what users view: menus, reservation forms, group booking info, and follow up with focused retargeting ads based on those actions.
What it solves:
Lost leads that wouldn’t have come back. We’ve recovered as much as 39% of dropped traffic using focused remarketing.
Analytics That Make Sense for Restaurant Owners
We don’t send spreadsheets filled with vanity metrics. We show you:
- Reservations from paid ads
- Revenue per campaign
- Cost per booking or phone call
- Return on spend based on your POS data.
Why it works:
You don’t make decisions on CTR. You make decisions based on filled tables. We deliver numbers that match that reality.
Why Choose Us for PPC for Restaurants?
Most agencies offering PPC have never run a campaign where margins matter. They’ll gladly spend £1,000 to get you clicks without thinking about the results. They’ll show you “impressions,” a smile, and call it success.
We’re different. We’ve worked with solo locations, national franchises, and busy takeaway brands. We’ve managed PPC through the quiet of January and the frenzy of Valentine’s Day.
Here’s why restaurant owners stick with us — and why you probably will too:
We Know How Tight Restaurant Margins Are
We’ve built PPC campaigns that succeed with as little as £500 monthly ad spend — and we track every pound like it’s our own. No wasted views. No irrelevant traffic. Every click is tied to ROI.
We Break Down Targeting
Lunch diners behave differently from corporate catering leads or Friday night date couples. We don’t lump them into one campaign. We split them out, write custom copies for each, and bid carefully.
Clear Funnel Tracking
You’ll see exactly which keyword led to which booking or online order. We use real-time reporting, call data, POS matching, and landing page tracking to connect traffic to revenue, not just clicks.
Transparent Communication
Clear weekly updates. Straightforward answers. Honest feedback. If something isn’t working, we’ll tell you. If something is, we’ll scale it. No dashboard digging required.
Continuous Testing and Scaling
Every ad is tested. Every bid is reviewed. Every campaign has a kill switch. We don’t “set and forget.” We improve, measure, and adjust until results speak for themselves.
Real Restaurant PPC Experience
Not interns. Not account managers balancing dozens of clients. You get people who’ve handled PPC for food businesses and understand how every shift counts.
Fast Execution
Need a promo campaign live in 48 hours? Done. Need to shut down a keyword overnight? No problem. We move like your line cooks during dinner rush.
We Focus on What Matters
Seats filled. Orders placed. Bookings are growing. Everything we build is meant to bring paying customers through your door.
FAQs (Technical, Straightforward, Useful)
Google Ads (Search, Display, YouTube), Facebook/Instagram, Yelp Ads (US), and Waze for local reach. We choose based on return metrics and your funnel stage.
Yes. We install tracking (via GTM or API) on reservation clicks, ordering buttons, phone calls, and third-party systems like OpenTable, Deliveroo, or Resy.
We handle full builds. Campaigns include SKAGs, time-based bidding, device-level modifiers, and geo-layers.
Booked tables, call volume, order revenue, and cost per conversion. Clicks only matter if they lead to paying customers.
Absolutely. Brand-specific images often outperform stock by up to 44% in CTR and work better in retargeting.
Most restaurants need £500–£750/month to start, with £1,000+ ideal for competitive areas like central London or NYC.
Yes. We build campaigns for holidays and special events, modifying bids and copy as needed.
Want Results You Can Measure?
If you’re ready for your ads to work as hard as your team, we’ll create the structure, write the copy, and bring in paying customers. No vague PowerPoints. Just results.
