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Updated:
8 mins read
Updated:
8 mins read
As the restaurant industry becomes increasingly digital, email marketing has emerged as a powerful tool for building customer relationships, driving reservations, and promoting offers.
From sending personalized promotions to automating reservation follow-ups, the right email marketing software can transform how restaurants engage with guests.
In this guide, we explore the 10 best email marketing platforms for restaurants, based on usability, features, affordability, and customer support.
Here’s a quick look at the top tools we reviewed:
| Software | Rating | Reason for selection |
|---|---|---|
| Mailmodo | 4.6/5 | AI features ideal for delivering faster and engaging campaigns. |
| Brevo (Sendinblue) | 4.5/5 | Affordable, all-in-one platform with SMS and CRM integration. |
| ActiveCampaign | 4.4/5 | Advanced automation and CRM, perfect for loyalty and retention strategies. |
| Mailchimp | 4.3/5 | Versatile and beginner-friendly with templates tailored for promotions. |
| Omnisend | 4.2/5 | Multichannel marketing ideal for restaurants with eCommerce presence. |
| AWeber | 4.1/5 | Classic email builder with ready-to-use templates for restaurants. |
| Moosend | 4.0/5 | Affordable option with automation workflows and analytics. |
| EngageBay | 3.9/5 | Budget-friendly CRM + email suite for local eateries. |
| MailerLite | 3.8/5 | Clean interface, great for smaller restaurants or cafes. |
| GetResponse | 3.7/5 | Comprehensive platform with webinar and landing page options. |
Email marketing software for restaurants helps food businesses manage customer communication via email. These tools often come with features like drag-and-drop builders, automation (e.g., birthday offers, reservation follow-ups), list segmentation, analytics, and integrations with POS systems or CRMs.
They are essential for:
Here’s a breakdown of each platform, what it does best and why it might be the right fit for your restaurant or food-service brand.
Mailmodo is an AI email marketing platform that helps restaurants run data driven email campaigns to increase reservations . Its AI campaign planner provides actionable recommendations for timing, content, and audience targeting, helping restauran optimize each email without spending hours on manual setup.
Its AI template generator makes creating visually appealing, high-converting emails fast and easy. Simply describe what you want, like “Weekend brunch special” or “Holiday menu launch,” and the AI builds a complete email template with layouts, visuals, and content ideas tailored for restaurants.
Your AI Assistant for Everything Email Marketing
Pricing:
Ease of use: Clean interface, intuitive campaign builder, helpful templates tailored for engagement.
Features:
Why it’s suitable for startups: Great for brands looking to boost engagement without building landing pages.
Customer feedback and support: Users appreciate the strong customer support and focus on innovation.
Startup ranking: 4.6/5 – Unique value for engagement-focused campaigns.
Brevo is a complete communication suite offering email, SMS, automation, and CRM features. It’s great for restaurants that want centralized control over customer messaging.
Pricing:
Ease of use: Beginner-friendly, with drag-and-drop design and pre-built workflows.
Features:
Why it’s suitable for startups: All-in-one approach with flexible pricing makes it startup-friendly.
Customer feedback and support: Known for responsive support and reliable delivery.
Startup ranking: 4.5/5 – Best value all-rounder.
ActiveCampaign offers advanced automation and CRM, allowing restaurants to create targeted loyalty campaigns and track customer engagement. It’s especially useful for scaling multi-location strategies.
Pricing: Starts at $9/month; Plus and Professional plans for more features.
Ease of use: Slight learning curve, but powerful once familiar.
Features:
Why it’s suitable for startups: Ideal for scaling campaigns and managing customer journeys.
Customer feedback and support: Strong reviews for functionality; support praised but some onboarding complexity.
Startup ranking: 4.4/5 – Best for data-driven growth.
Mailchimp is one of the most widely used platforms due to its intuitive design and excellent set of tools for beginners. It’s ideal for restaurants starting email campaigns for promotions and bookings.
Pricing:
Ease of use: One of the easiest platforms to learn.
Features:
Why it’s suitable for startups: Low-cost entry with powerful tools for growth.
Customer feedback and support: Great for beginners; support scales with plan level.
Startup ranking: 4.3/5 – Ideal for small to medium-sized eateries.
Omnisend supports email, SMS, and push notifications, making it perfect for restaurants that want multichannel outreach. It's especially helpful for online ordering or delivery-driven businesses.
Pricing:
Ease of use: Clear UI, with customizable automation templates.
Features:
Why it’s suitable for startups: Especially beneficial for hybrid restaurants with online ordering.
Customer feedback and support: Strong support and onboarding experience.
Startup ranking: 4.2/5 – Best for multichannel outreach.
AWeber is a long-trusted email platform known for simplicity and reliable delivery. It’s great for restaurants that want straightforward campaigns and branded newsletters.
Pricing:
Ease of use: Great for non-tech-savvy users.
Features:
Why it’s suitable for startups: Simplicity and support stand out for lean teams.
Customer feedback and support: Renowned for excellent customer service.
Startup ranking: 4.1/5 – Reliable and straightforward.
Moosend is a cost-effective solution with robust automation and personalization features. It’s ideal for restaurants that want smart, automated campaigns on a budget.
Pricing: Starts at $9/month after free trial.
Ease of use: Clean interface with no-frills design.
Features:
Why it’s suitable for startups: Affordable pricing with essential tools for conversion.
Customer feedback and support: Consistently praised for value and simplicity.
Startup ranking: 4.0/5 – Affordable with high potential.
EngageBay combines CRM, sales, and marketing tools into one platform. It's particularly good for local restaurants that also need basic CRM and customer tracking.
Pricing:
Ease of use: Unified dashboard with helpful onboarding.
Features:
Why it’s suitable for startups: One of the best budget options for full-stack marketing.
Customer feedback and support: Great value; strong reviews for support.
Startup ranking: 3.9/5 – Good for multi-use platforms.
MailerLite is a clean, user-friendly platform offering just the right amount of tools for cafés and solo restaurateurs. It’s especially great for campaigns like newsletters and daily specials.
Pricing:
Ease of use: Streamlined interface, ideal for solo entrepreneurs.
Features:
Why it’s suitable for startups: Great for solo or first-time marketers.
Customer feedback and support: Strong ratings for usability and affordability.
Startup ranking: 3.8/5 – Minimalist and beginner-friendly.
GetResponse is a flexible marketing platform that combines email, webinars, and landing pages. It's great for event-driven campaigns like cooking classes, menu launches, or local promotions.
Pricing:
Ease of use: Slightly more advanced; better for marketers with experience.
Features:
Why it’s suitable for startups: Best suited for growth-driven campaigns or multiple locations.
Customer feedback and support: Reliable, with a comprehensive support library.
Startup ranking: 3.7/5 – Full-featured suite for high-intent strategies.
Choosing the right email marketing software for your restaurant can feel overwhelming, but the good news is most of these platforms offer free trials or entry-level plans. Whether you're running a cozy café or managing multiple locations, there's a solution that fits your goals, team size, and budget.
Our advice? Test. Sign up for free trials, explore their templates, send a few campaigns, and see what feels intuitive for your workflow. Every restaurant is different, and the best platform for you is the one that aligns with how you connect with your guests.
Try a few, compare the results, and choose the one that helps you drive reservations, promote specials, and build loyal customers—on your terms.
Weekly or bi-weekly is common. It depends on your offer frequency, events, and customer expectations.
No. Most platforms provide drag-and-drop builders with restaurant-themed templates.
Brevo, Omnisend, and ActiveCampaign offer built-in SMS capabilities for promotions or confirmations.
You made it till the end! Here's what you can do next to grow your business:
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