Public relations is essential for all companies, whether a large corporation, a church, a nonprofit organization, a small business or a restaurant. Social media can be used as a marketing technique and can be a helpful tool for any company to connect with their audience and build an online community.
Within the context of fast food restaurant chains, social media can be a useful implementation not only for marketing their products but also to create an emotional connection with their customers in a more light-hearted way. Online engagement plays a major role in helping fast food restaurants maintain a positive reputation among customers.
After investigating how chains like Culvers, Chipotle, Panera and Taco Bell, use Instagram, it became clear that they are trying to relate to their customers.
Culvers in particular uses Instagram as a way to connect with their audience in a way where they feel like they are part of the restaurant family. Posts, like the one above, showcase and celebrate stories that both the restaurant and people have been through. These posts trigger an emotional response of nostalgia and a feeling of being seen, which causes their audience to associate the Culver’s brand with positive feelings.
In a similar way, Chipotle uses Instagram to relate with their audience. They feed into a typical customer’s everyday emotions and even use humor to help capture the attention of the viewer. They use lighthearted, creative content to discreetly encourage the customer to choose them as a dinner option, without straight up telling them to.
Panera uses Instagram in a more casual way. They use simple pictures and intriguing captions that are meant to make the viewer feel good about themselves. Their content isn’t based around what the restaurant has to offer, but rather about relaxation and self- care. This builds their image as one that is reliable and a place that can cause productivity.
Lastly, Taco Bell uses Instagram in an unserious way as well. They post pictures that subtly play into one’s cravings by playing off of shared experiences. They are hinting that their restaurant cares more about the encounter at the restaurant rather than the actual food. They try to romanticize a customer’s visit through their Instagram posts.
None of these restaurant chain’s posts are promoting a particular product or service, but instead they are harping on the emotions of their customers, hoping to boost engagement in that way.
