Boosted Posts vs. Facebook Ads for Restaurants: Which One Works Best?

When it comes to marketing your restaurant on Facebook, paid promotions can be a game-changer. But should you boost posts or run Facebook ads? Understanding the difference can help you make the most of your advertising budget and drive real results.

Let’s break it down.

Boosted Posts: Quick Visibility, Limited Control

A boosted post is a simple way to expand the reach of an existing post on your restaurant’s Facebook page. Think of it as paying to give one of your posts—like a Thursday night dinner special—a broader audience.

You can choose to show your boosted post to:
✅ Your current followers
✅ Their friends
✅ People in a specific location and age range

Boosting posts is primarily about increasing brand awareness and engagement. It’s a great way to get more eyes on your content, but it comes with limitations.

The Downside of Boosted Posts

While boosting helps with visibility, it lacks flexibility and precision. You can’t make ongoing changes to your ad creative, nor can you target highly specific customer groups. This is where Facebook ads come in.

Facebook Ads: Powerful, Targeted, and Conversion-Driven

If you’re serious about using Facebook to grow your restaurant business, running Facebook ads is the way to go. Here’s why:

🔹 More Control Over Ad Content – Unlike boosted posts, Facebook ads aren’t tied to an existing post. This means you can test different creatives (text, images, and videos) and tweak them as your campaign runs.

🔹 Advanced Targeting – Facebook ads allow you to target specific audiences beyond just your followers. You can create highly customized audiences from:

• Your email list (like newsletter subscribers)

• Website visitors

• People who have engaged with your restaurant’s page

• Lookalike audiences who share similarities with your best customers

🔹 Stronger Return on Investment – Facebook ads are built for action. Whether your goal is to drive reservations, collect leads, or boost online orders, ads give you the tools to create campaigns that generate measurable results.

Which One Should You Choose?

If your goal is brand awareness and engagement, a boosted post might do the trick. But if you want to drive sales, attract new customers, and grow your business, Facebook ads are the smarter investment.

Want to set up high-converting Facebook ads for your restaurant? Start by defining your goal, targeting the right audience, and testing different creatives to see what resonates best.

Need help crafting the perfect ad strategy? Let’s talk! Get an expert marketer to help you. Book a free discovery call with us today!

If you missed it, here's PART 1: How Facebook Ads Can Help Your Restaurant Attract More Customers Daily

If you missed it, here's Part 2: The Benefits of Facebook Ads for Restaurants: Why You Need Them in 2025