10 Ways Restaurant Stickers Can (and Should) Be Used

Stickers have certainly had a resurgence over the past few years and if we’ve learned anything, it’s that they aren’t just for kids. Stickers are being used by businesses for brand awareness, product promotion, and even as content marketing tools. It turns out they are a great advertising play — especially for restaurants. 

When you consider all of the eatery accouterments restaurants already customize – napkins, coasters, cups, etc – it makes sense. The restaurant sticker is one of the simplest, most versatile, and cost-effective products around. And while stickers drive brand awareness to your eatery, they have another more significant benefit. They can take the place of a wide range of customizable products. 

For example, placing a branded sticker on a check presenter is far more cost-efficient than buying personalized check presenters with pricey, elaborate carvings or other embellishments. 

That’s just the tip of the sticker iceberg. 

Restaurant Stickers Sharpen Your Competitive Edge.

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a range of operational challenges for restaurants. It also drove increased demand for takeout services. What does this have to do with stickers you might be wondering? Even though stickers are a tiny product, they do a lot of heavy lifting.  They can help restaurants overcome some of these operational and branding challenges and help promote the business.

Without further adieu, let’s dive into the 10 ways restaurants can and should be using stickers.

#1. Brand Your Takeout

For most restaurants, takeout containers are the standard black, brown, or white box. They are simple, cost-effective, and require minimal effort to order and assemble. 

But what do they do for your restaurant? Not a whole lot. 

A label with your brand colors and logo will brighten up an otherwise plain takeout box and it’s a great advertising tool. 

We all know how important word of mouth is and if people are consistently seeing takeout boxes from your restaurant, they might be more inclined to come in for a visit. Get the people talking!

Even though we are focused on stickers, we’d be remiss to not discuss branded takeout boxes. They might cost a little more but offer another opportunity to promote your business. We even have a post to help you design a takeout container that stands out!

#2. Label Takeout Orders For Better Organization 

Have you ever had a busy night where takeout orders just kept coming and coming? It’s good for business but without an organized system, it can be disastrous to staff and customers.  

This is where labels can help. Labeling your to-go orders with a convenient (and branded) sticker does three major things at once:

• Keeps orders organized
• Highlights the contents inside
• Makes it easier to identify takeout orders 

Labels can be used to attach the receipt to the bag or you can take it a step further and design a more detailed label. 

Our food labels, while a bit different than our stickers, can be used to show the food hasn’t been tampered with, seal bags, and can even be designed to be written on. For example, create a label that includes space to write the item inside, the date and time of the order, customer name and address, etc. 

Your workers and customers will appreciate the convenience of labeling your grab-n-go orders and your operations will run much more smoothly.

#3. Communicate Restaurant Policies 

It can be less expensive to communicate your restaurant's safety and general policies with stickers than with branded signage. Not only that, but they are also space-savers compared to sandwich boards or banners. 

Here are a few examples of how you can use stickers to communicate policies in your restaurant to customers and employees:

• Direct patrons to the appropriate entrances and exits 
• Remind visitors of your mask policy
• Place stickers on bathroom mirrors to remind workers about proper handwashing techniques
• Use stickers on soap and/or hand sanitizer containers to delineate products
• Place stickers on food containers to note expiration and use-by dates 
• Add stickers to the door to communicate hours 

We all want a clean and safe restaurant and stickers can help. 

#4. Keep Customers Distanced & Organized

Lines are pretty much par for the course for any successful restaurant. While social distancing has gone a bit to the wayside as the pandemic has subsided, organization hasn’t. Floor decals can direct people where to go and stand. Additionally, if you are still implementing social distancing measures in your restaurant, stickers are a huge help. 

When designing floor decals, remember to keep your brand in mind. Think about the colors, the shapes, and the message you want to convey. 

#5. Display QR Codes

Our recent article in Running Restaurants looked at where QR codes in restaurants are going post-pandemic. The consensus? They are likely here to stay. 

Touchless ordering ensures patrons can order without having to wait for their server while QR code menus save time for your staff and hungry customers by allowing them to see the menu as soon as they sit down.

Enter custom restaurant stickers. 

Custom stickers are perfect for displaying QR codes right at the table. They can be customized to fit certain shapes, they are durable, and they are easy to remove or replace. Add your QR code stickers to tables, business cards, takeout materials, flyers, signs, posters, and more.  

Whatever your stance on QR codes is, technology is evolving and you don’t want to miss out on an easy win.

#6. Seal Your Packaging

We briefly mentioned this earlier but labels are ideal for sealing packaging such as takeout bags and boxes. 

In today’s world, restaurants need to go the extra mile to build trust with their customers. Instead of sealing up orders with drab tape, a custom label gives you additional marketing and branding opportunities and lets the customer know their food is safe. This is especially important if you are using delivery services such as Door Dash or Uber Eats.

Along with custom stickers, we also offer tamper-evident food labels. They are available in several shapes and make it extremely clear to the customer that their food has not been opened.

#7. Communicate Deals or Markdowns

If you offer any pre-made meals or to-go items at your restaurant, labels are the perfect way to showcase prices or indicate deals and markdowns. “Special” or “Featured” labels can help move inventory you want to promote, items that aren’t doing so well, or perhaps encourage customers to purchase something about to expire. 

Be sure to include the date the item was made and the best used by date.

And remember, it’s all about presentation and branding so make sure your label communicates your brand, what the contents contain, and gets them excited to bring your food home.

#8. Customize Your Coasters 

At Stomp, we are big fans of coasters. No, really. Not only are they a top seller but we have several pieces of content dedicated to topics like “The History of Coasters” and “Why They are the Best Profit Booster”. 

That being said, we know restaurants end up with tons of promotional coasters. Unfortunately, these promotional coasters often come from beer distribution companies so they don’t contain any custom branding. This is where stickers come in. 

Stickers allow you to add your logo to the back of the coaster or even place funny, branded sayings on your coasters. You can also add stickers to your coasters for more practical things, like touchless menus or communicating deals. 

#9. Decorate Your Windows or Display Cases

Ok, we know that static clings aren’t technically stickers but they do stick. They are also great branding tools and can help create the vibe you are looking for. 

Add your logo, display your hours, or include a fun saying. Window decals will give customers a sense of what you are about and hopefully encourage them to stop in. 

#10. Create a Memorable Goodbye 

Closing out is the last opportunity for you to make a good impression on your customers but let’s be real, no one wants to have to pay their tab. 

There are a few opportunities to once again showcase your brand and create a memorable customer experience:

• A sleek, customized check presenter is a nice way to present the check but depending on your budget, this might not be feasible. Instead, personalize an otherwise plain check presenter with a branded sticker. 

• Place a QR code on a sticker for easy scanning and paying. Customers will appreciate the convenience and multiple ways to pay. 

• Show your customers you appreciate them with stickers that say thank you or can’t wait to see you again! 

• Ask for reviews. Include a QR code on your sticker that will take customers directly to a reviews page, where they can leave their feedback. 

• Leave a custom logo sticker in every check presenter. We know they are excellent branding tools and the customer will feel like they got something for free. 

You want customers to leave having a positive experience and the easier you can make things for them and the more they feel appreciated, the better.

Get Started With A Branded, Custom Restaurant Sticker From Stomp

The restaurant industry is highly competitive and for restaurant owners and marketers, finding creative ways to brand and delight customers is a must. Stickers are an excellent content marketing tool that is also cost-effective and versatile. 

And bonus — it’s also incredibly easy to get started with Stomp! 

We've got you covered whether you need QR code stickers, social distancing markers, a touchless menu, or something else entirely.

Get started now with a restaurant sticker you’ll love to design and place around your restaurant!

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