Restaurant PR used to be simple: get a critic through the door and land a glossy magazine feature. But the media landscape has shifted and with it, the role of the modern restaurant PR agency.
Today, PR is as much about who’s posting as who’s publishing. Journalists are now creators. Reviews land in broadsheets and on TikTok. Influencers sit alongside editors at press previews. What used to be two parallel worlds, press and social, now overlap in ways that blur the lines.
At MeMo, we think of restaurant PR in two core parts: press and influencer. Both matter. Both work differently.
Traditional coverage still drives credibility. We still believe in the power of a feature in a national paper or a sharp review from a trusted critic. But just as important is how that content is now designed to travel. Many publications are producing social-first formats, like Reels or TikTok’s, that often outperform their print reach. A single piece of coverage can now live multiple lives, amplified through the publication’s own social channels, reaching new and highly engaged audiences beyond the page.
Influencer strategy, meanwhile, has become far more considered. It’s no longer about headcount or quick mentions. The best partnerships feel native to the creator’s feed and speak directly to your target diner. That could mean a reel that drives Sunday bookings or a low-key story that triggers word of mouth.
A good restaurant PR agency knows how to work both ends of the spectrum, navigating heritage media and next-gen platforms with the same fluency.
The tools have changed but the goal is the same: get people through the door.
If you’re building something and want to get it seen, say hello: hello@wearememo.com
