The Night I Fell Out of Love with My Own Marketing Plan
It happened on a Tuesday.
Not a big launch day, not a record-breaking weekend — just a random Tuesday where I sat in my office, surrounded by dashboards, analytics reports, and a half-empty cold brew that tasted like existential dread.
I was reviewing our “cutting-edge” digital campaign — automated emails, QR-based loyalty app, geofencing, push notifications, all the modern bells and whistles. And then I realized…
I didn’t want to eat at our restaurant anymore.
It was perfect on paper.
But completely soulless in practice.
That’s when it hit me:
We weren’t marketing to humans anymore — we were marketing to data points.
When Did Hospitality Turn into a Math Problem?
Once upon a time, restaurant marketing meant shaking hands, tasting soup, and handing out free desserts to new regulars.
Then came the digital gold rush — CRMs, automated campaigns, chatbots that say “Hi friend!” like they mean it, and enough QR codes to wallpaper a Cheesecake Factory.
Don’t get me wrong — I love data. I love tech. But somewhere along the way, we replaced empathy with “engagement metrics.”
Hospitality used to mean making someone feel seen.
Now it means making someone click twice before exiting your pop-up.
Your Guests Don’t Want a Campaign — They Want Connection
Let’s be honest: nobody wakes up in the morning thinking,
“Wow, I really hope my local taco joint sends me a 10% off code today!”
People don’t crave discounts.
They crave belonging.
They want to feel like their favorite restaurant knows them — not just their order history.
The restaurants that win long-term are the ones that tell real stories, celebrate their people, and sound like… well, humans.
If your marketing feels like a spreadsheet, your guests will treat you like one.
Confession: I Once Built a Loyalty Program That No One Was Loyal To
Yep, I’ll own it.
Back in the early 2010s, I helped design a loyalty program that looked great on a PowerPoint slide — custom app, gamified points, punchy slogans like “Eat. Earn. Repeat.”
We launched.
We celebrated.
And then… crickets.
Turns out, the people who downloaded the app weren’t our actual regulars. They were coupon hunters who never tipped, never smiled, and never came back after the promo ended.
Our loyalty program attracted everyone but the loyal ones.
That’s when I learned something vital:
Technology can’t replace trust.
It can only amplify it — or reveal its absence.
The Secret Sauce: Make It Personal (and Imperfect)
You want your restaurant to stand out? Start talking like you actually talk.
Here’s my go-to playbook for keeping marketing human:
1. Ditch corporate tone.
If your copy sounds like a legal disclaimer, it’s dead on arrival. Talk like a friend, not a brand manager. “We miss you” beats “We’d like to remind you of your unused reward points.” Every time.
2. Show your people.
The line cook flipping burgers. The bartender who remembers everyone’s drink. The owner mopping the floor at 11 PM. That’s your content gold.
3. Celebrate the messy moments.
A behind-the-scenes photo of a sauce spill or a late-night prep shift says more about authenticity than any glossy marketing shoot.
4. Use humor.
Restaurants are chaotic, hilarious, and human. Don’t pretend otherwise. Guests relate to honesty — not perfection.
5. Listen more than you post.
Ask questions. Respond to reviews. Use social media to connect, not just to broadcast.
Why “Human Marketing” Converts Better
Here’s what’s wild: when you strip away the buzzwords, this approach actually performs better.
Real photos outperform stock imagery by up to 4x on engagement.
Personalized stories drive 2x higher retention than transactional messaging.
And humor? It’s the secret weapon no spreadsheet can quantify.
Why? Because laughter and empathy are the oldest loyalty programs in existence.
QR Codes Aren’t Evil (They’re Just Boring Without Personality)
Listen, I’m not here to ban QR codes. They’re fine. They serve a purpose. But they can’t be the experience.
A QR code should support human connection — not replace it.
Think of it as the appetizer, not the entrée.
If your QR menu is just a PDF of your printed one, congratulations — you’ve invented digital paper.
Use it creatively: tell a story behind the dish, feature your chef’s playlist, drop a funny meme on page two. Make it human.
What Guests Actually Remember
After decades in this business, I can tell you — guests rarely remember your perfectly optimized campaign.
They remember:
- The host who found them a table when the wait was “impossible.”
- The server who brought their kid an extra scoop of ice cream.
- The owner who stopped by just to say thanks.
Those moments are your brand strategy.
Everything else is decoration.
How Kuypers Creative Brings Back the Human Touch
At Kuypers Creative, we help restaurant brands rediscover their humanity — through storytelling, authentic design, and marketing that actually makes people feel something.
We bridge the gap between data and heart.
Between tech and touch.
Between your spreadsheet and your soul.
Because here’s the truth:
People don’t fall in love with restaurants.
They fall in love with the people who run them.
Final Thought: You Can’t Automate Heart
We’ve automated so much in hospitality — reservations, payments, feedback loops. But the one thing we can’t automate is emotion.
You can’t program a smile.
You can’t upload passion.
And you definitely can’t AI your way into someone’s memory.
So next time you’re building a campaign, ask yourself:
Does this sound like a person — or a promo?
Because in an industry built on connection, your greatest marketing tool isn’t your POS, your platform, or your QR code.
It’s your humanity.
About Kuypers Creative
At Kuypers Creative, we blend humor, strategy, and authenticity to help restaurants grow without losing their soul. From storytelling to brand refreshes, we turn your messy, beautiful operation into something guests remember — and love.
👉 Visit KuypersCreative.com or connect with Robert Kuypers on LinkedIn for more stories, tips, and (mildly sarcastic) hospitality wisdom.
