In 2025, social media is one of the most important avenues for restaurants to boost awareness, build community, and drive foot traffic.
76% of adults think social media is a great place to learn about restaurants in their area. Gen Z is especially social media savvy, with 84% of Gen Zers “trying social media food trends” and 70% turning to TikTok for restaurant recommendations.
So, how can you take advantage of this restaurant social media craze?
You can check out this year’s best restaurant social media campaigns, learn what they did and why it worked, and apply the same principles to your own social media campaigns.
Let’s get started!
The 5 best restaurant social media campaigns of 2025
1 — McDonald’s: McDonaldland Campaign
What it is
In August 2025, McDonald’s announced they’d be bringing back the “world of McDonaldland” for the first time in over two decades. Customers could get to know characters like Birdie, Hamburglar, and the Fry Friends by trying the brand-new McDonaldland Meal, collecting exclusive souvenirs, or snagging branded merch from collaborations with Pacsun and Away.
McDonald’s has hosted several social media campaigns to celebrate the (re)launch of McDonaldland, including:
- A weekly show on YouTube called “Lost in McDonaldland”
- Collaborative Instagram posts featuring their merch partners
- TikToks personifying the McDonaldland characters as real people
Pro tip → For help writing Instagram captions as engaging as McD’s are, check out our Ultimate Guide to Writing IG Captions!
Why it works
✓ It speaks to everyone while building community — It brings back memories for those who knew the original McDonaldland, introduces the younger generation to something new to them, and bridges the gap between both communities through a new, shared experience
✓ It creates endless opportunities for content — Bringing back a “world” like McDonaldland means limitless content possibilities. Introduce the characters and lore, create skits and follow trends, share user-generated content (UGC)… the campaigns basically create themselves!
The best restaurant social media campaign for:
Creating a sense of nostalgia, community-building, and generating out-of-the-box content ideas.
2 — Chipotle: “Ingredient Quest” Roblox Campaign
What it is
Chipotle launched a Roblox gaming experience called “Ingredient Quest” back in April 2025. Available exclusively through Chipotle’s Burrito Builder Roblox feature, “Ingredient Quest” teaches players about Chipotle’s real ingredients through ingredient-themed collectible cards. The more cards players collect, the closer they are to getting free Chipotle in real life.
Chipotle launched multiple social media campaigns promoting the release of “Ingredient Quest,” including:
- Step-by-step TikToks explaining “how to unlock free Chipotle”
- Promotional Instagram posts encouraging people to play the game
- Posts on X teasing limited-time, in-game upgrades the day before they happen
Why it works
✓ It combines two already-strong fanbases — Tons of people love Chipotle, but tons tons of people love Roblox, too. Marrying the two (very large) audiences all but guaranteed the success of the restaurant’s social media campaigns on every platform they used.
✓ It bridges online and real-world experiences — These social media campaigns bridged the digital and physical engagement gap. Users engaged online, responding to posts or playing Roblox, and in “real life,” redeeming the free Chipotle they earned in the game.
The best restaurant social media campaign for:
Gamifying social media, reaching younger audiences, and encouraging engagement across platforms.
3 — Popeyes: Hot Ones Campaign
What it is
In September 2025, Popeyes announced a “first-of-its-kind menu collaboration” with the YouTube channel Hot Ones. The Popeyes x Hot Ones menu has three new items in mild, medium, and hot spice levels. They also released Hot Ones’ most iconic sauce, called The Last Dab, in single-serve sachets.
This collab was featured in multiple different social media campaigns across Popeyes and Hot Ones’ channels, including:
- TikToks that follow popular trends to promote the menu launch
- A YouTube video highlighting each of the brand-new menu items
- Instagram Reels made in partnership with Hot Ones’ host, Sean Evans
Pro tip → Learn how you can leverage influencer partnerships (like Hot Ones) with our blog, Restaurant Influencers Explained.
Why it works
✓ It connects diners with a normally unreachable experience — The Popeyes x Hot Ones campaigns peel back the curtain for lovers of the show, inviting diners to join in on a unique experience that’s typically reserved for celebrities and pop culture icons.
✓ It builds camaraderie in the comments — The Hot Ones social media posts have done a great job at encouraging engagement in the comments, with users bonding over how much they loved each item, what spice level they got to, and whether they survived The Last Dab.
The best restaurant social media campaign for:
Promoting a one-of-a-kind experience and building hype around a brand-new collab.
4 — Wendy’s: Wednesday Addams Campaign
What it is
In July 2025, Wendy’s shared they’d be collaborating with Netflix’s Wednesday on a new meal. The Wednesday-themed “Meal of Misfortune” included “Rest in 10-Piece” nuggets, “Cursed & Crispy” fries, a “Raven’s Blood” frosty, and different “Dips of Dread” in mystery packaging.
The Wendy’s x Wednesday collab was featured in several social media campaigns over the summer, including:
- A YouTube video teasing the collab with Wednesday actor Jenna Ortega
- A series of TikToks where they offered “Meal of Misfortune” samples from a hearse
- Instagram posts drawing parallels between the Wendy’s logo and Wednesday Addams
Why it works
✓ It leveraged a new-to-Wendy’s aesthetic — Wendy’s is known for its bright, red-and-blue branding. So, when their social media campaigns suddenly turned dark and gloomy, people were forced to watch the videos and scroll through the posts to figure out why things changed.
✓ It leaned into the latest pop culture trend — With Wednesday’s incredible success on Netflix, this collab’s social media campaigns kept Wendy’s relevant and alive during the online hype for the upcoming season (when the risk of getting drowned out is very real).
The best restaurant social media campaign for:
Staying pop culturally relevant and getting creative with a new, eye-catching aesthetic.
5 — Subway: Fresh Fit Menu Campaign
What it is
In September 2025, Subway reintroduced their Fresh Fit menu, a new and improved version of the original concept from the early 2000s. The new Fresh Fit menu features four sandwiches, each designed to be low-calorie, with at least 20g of protein in every new menu option.
To promote the relaunch of the Fresh Fit menu, Subway has launched social media campaigns across multiple platforms, including:
- A theme song/music video called “Fresh Beats”
- Partnerships with influencers to feature the new sandwiches
- “Fresh Takes” videos, sharing hot takes about ingredients and menu items’
Why it works
✓ It prioritizes bite-sized content — Every campaign in support of Fresh Fit is short, sweet, and super engaging. This makes it easy to cross-post content and find equal success across any platform that uses short-form video, whether that’s Instagram, TikTok, or X.
✓ It keeps things light and fun — The Fresh Fit social media campaigns are all simple and fun, resulting in content that’s easy to digest and share. Things can get heavy on social media, so campaigns like these help keep your customers’ feeds enjoyable and memorable.
The best restaurant social media campaign for:
Satisfying video-forward algorithms, standing out with unique POVs, and leveraging influencer marketing.
Your ultimate guide to restaurant social media campaigns
Ready to launch your own suite of “best ever” social media campaigns?
Our Restaurant Social Media Guide was designed for restaurant owners, operators, and managers who want to ramp up social media marketing but need more support getting things off the ground.
Here’s what you’ll find in our Social Media Guide:
✔ The basics of social media marketing for restaurants
✔ High-level strategies to guide your social media marketing
✔ Best practices to follow with your restaurant’s social media marketing
✔ How to engage your audience and build community through social media marketing
It’s time to start making the most of your restaurant’s social media!
