I've managed social for dozens of restaurants and the same mistakes keep showing up. Here's what's actually costing you customers:

1. Posting food photos with no context

A pretty plate means nothing without a story. Caption it with who made it, why it's on the menu, or what a regular said about it. Context converts.

2. Ignoring Reels entirely

Static posts get 3-5% of your followers. Reels get pushed to people who've never heard of you. A 15-second clip of a dish being plated will outperform your best photo post every time.

3. Not responding to comments within 2 hours

Instagram's algorithm rewards conversations. Every unanswered comment is a signal to push your content down. Set up notifications and reply fast.

4. Posting at random times

Your audience eats at predictable times. Post lunch content at 10:30am, dinner content at 4pm. You want to be in their feed right before they're deciding where to eat.

5. No call to action

"Link in bio" isn't a strategy. Tell them exactly what to do: "DM us TACO for 10% off your first order" or "Tag someone who needs this in their life."

Fix these five things and watch what happens to your reach over the next 30 days.