Long before Facebook advertising and using local SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) to boost how your restaurant or cafe ranks in Google, there were leaflets; and some would say that leaflet printing is still one of the most effective marketing tools out there for small local cafes and restaurants in terms of ROI (return on investment) and raising brand awareness.
We Brits are far too polite not to take leaflets if someone is handing them out on the street, and even a cursory glance before your potential customer stuffs it in their handbag could be enough to plant the seed of an idea in their head.
What to include on your design for your printed leaflet to have the highest impact:
Make sure the design of your leaflets is cool and eye-catching but also reflects the look of the place you’re trying to promote. Remember you’re trying to create a symmetry between all marketing mediums in order to uniform your branding and improve it’s effectiveness and awareness among potential and current customers. For example,there’s no point in using bright primary colours and out-there typefaces to promote a vintage tearoom!
Checkout one of our previous blog pieces to help you design your printed leaflet or flyer: 5 Ways to Crete Leaflets and Flyers with Impact

Likewise, ensure that you’ve put everything a consumer might want to know on the leaflet. That means an address, a map if there’s space, indicative prices, special offers and opening times, as well as any unique selling points that your restaurant has. If you have a great fixed-price menu, promote it; if your cafe offers boardgames and a book club, make sure that is incorporated into the leaflet design and mention all of them.Restaurant leaflets
Where to hand out your printed leaflets
Leafleting / Flyering in the street is a fantastic way to draw in customers who are looking for somewhere to eat right there and then, so pick and choose your times – lunchtime is good, also just beforehand as it plants a seed in the potential customers head so when they are deciding where to eat, your central london restaurant or cafe will be at the forefront of their mind. But in terms of time effectiveness, if people want to eat out at dinner time, the chances are they already have somewhere in mind.
You can also distribute leaflets through doors in the local area of your eatery, encouraging people to visit at a later date. Direct mail is still the most cost effective marketing technique used by restaurants and cafes. If you put a unique offer or money-off voucher on these printed flyers, you can track how effective they’ve been by checking up on how many vouchers or offers are redeemed.
Take a look at our high quality leaflet printing options and easy to use industry related print design templates to find the perfect leaflet to promote your restaurant, cafe or bar – with over 1,000 leaflet designs to edit online, you’re sure to find something that’s a perfect fit.