#RestaurantWeek: Over 1,000 venues set to participate in Twitter event
Among those that are keen to engage with diners via social media are Michelin-starred chefs Richard Corrigan (@CorrigansFood) and Tom Sellers (@TomsStory), as well as Rick Stein's The Seafood Restaurant (@TheSeafood), where head chef Jack Stein (@JackStein) will be live-tweeting throughout the week.
Famous restaurant groups have also decided to join the event, with Gordon Ramsay’s York & Albany (@YorkAndAlbany), Maze Grill (@MazeGrill) and Bread Street Kitchen (@breadstkitchen), the Jamie Oliver Group (@JamieOliverCom) and Pizza Express (@PizzaExpress), all registered.
Independent venues and popular start-ups including Pizza Pilgrims (@PizzaPilgrims), Poncho 8 (@Ponchono8) and Luke’s Dining Room (@LukesDiningRoom) are also part of the group.
Poncho 8 tweeted BigHospitality about the benefits of such an event for its business:
@BigHospitality Hi! Ty for reaching out. We c #RestaurantWeek as a grt opportunity 2 get involved w/ the restaurant community and learn....
— Poncho No 8 (@Ponchono8) May 30, 2014
@BigHospitality some new tricks. It also raises awareness for our delicious burritos, which is always an added plus. ;-) At the very...
— Poncho No 8 (@Ponchono8) May 30, 2014
@BigHospitality least, we are expecting to get a new perspective that will, hopefully, further enhance our business. :-)
— Poncho No 8 (@Ponchono8) May 30, 2014
Twitter facts
#RestaurantWeek comes as new Twitter research shows that 52 per cent of UK Twitter followers turn to Twitter for information and inspiration about food and restaurants.
Furthermore, 55 per cent of UK users log on to Twitter while in a restaurant, and more than half have tried a new restaurant based on a recommendation they have seen on Twitter. Research also revealed that 57 per cent share information on Twitter and comment about food and restaurants they have experienced; 39 per cent have tweeted photos of meals they’ve cooked themselves; and 45 per cent have tried to cook a new recipe based on something they’ve seen on Twitter.
Interestingly, when UK users do tweet about restaurant, it’s usually to say something good to say: 72 per cent of those who have tweeted a restaurant directly say their comments were mainly positive.
Daily hashtags
Seven hashtags will be rolled out over the week, encouraging diners and restaurateurs to submit questions and pictures on different themes. Twitter has released a list of tips to make the most of each hashtag:
Monday 2 June: #AskTheChef
Chefs are advised to start tweeting this hashtag early in the day to prompt questions and take some time to answer throughout the day or at a dedicated time announced in the morning.
Tuesday 3 June: #DayInTheLife
Words, pictures and Vine videos are encouraged to help restaurants share their everyday activities with diners.
Wednesday 4 June: #RestaurantSelfies
Posting team selfies and encouraging customers to post their own pictures is advised.
Thursday 5 June: #KitchenSkills
Share various tips and skills with your followers, and ask them about what they would like to know to make this an interactive experience.
Friday 6 June: #MyFavouriteRestaurant
Tag fellow restaurateurs and favourite dining venues to acknowledge your peers.
Saturday 7 June: #FoodiePhotos
Tweet pictures of your favourite dishes from your menu and encourage diners to do the same.
Sunday 8 June: #OurStory
Tell the story of your restaurant with words, pictures and videos.
Over 150 restaurants and chains attended Twitter’s restaurant webinars ahead of the event. “We had great feedback that they found it really useful and informative which is exciting to hear,” a Twitter spokesperson told BigHospitality.
