Ran ad campaigns for local restaurants for years, and the same mistake shows up over and over: owners throw money at boosted Instagram posts and wonder why tables are still empty.

Here's the thing — boosting a post is not a campaign. A campaign has three parts, and if you're missing one, you're leaking money:

1. An offer, not just a vibe. "Check out our new menu" doesn't convert. "Free appetizer with any entrée, this week only" does. People need a reason to come in now, not eventually.

2. Local targeting, not broad reach. Your ad radius should be tight — 3-5 miles. You're not trying to impress people across the country, you're trying to fill seats tonight.

3. A retention loop. The real money is in repeat visits. Every campaign should be capturing emails/phone numbers (via a simple offer) so you can bring people back without paying for another ad.

Most independent spots are only doing #1, badly, and skipping #2 and #3 entirely. Fix the funnel before you increase the budget.

Started Plate & Promote to run this exact playbook for independent restaurants who don't have time to manage it themselves. Happy to answer questions on campaign structure either way.