1. Find the right people

Start small. Look for local foodies, micro-influencers (1k–30k followers) and creators who post about restaurants nearby. Check Instagram, TikTok and local Facebook groups. Pay attention to engagement, not just follower count — comments and saves are gold.

2. Make a proper approach

• Follow them, like a few recent posts and leave a thoughtful comment first — don’t cold-pitch blind.
• Send a short, friendly DM or email. Be human: say why you like their content and what you’re offering.

Example DM: “Hi {Name}, love your food posts — that {local dish} reel was mint. Fancy popping into BurgerHaus for a tasting this week? We’ll sort a free feed and a few house drinks. No pressure, honest thoughts welcome.”

3. Offer clear, fair value

Free meal + drinks is fine for many micro-influencers. For bigger creators offer payment, a clear brief and content expectations. Be explicit about what you’d like — one Reel, three Stories, or UGC shots you can reuse.

4. Create easy, creative briefs

• Keep it simple: theme, deliverables, deadlines, and any hashtags or handles.
• Encourage authentic content — forced scripts come off naff.
• Invite them to try signature items and a behind-the-scenes pizza/wing flip or kitchen chat for better footage.

5. Events, collabs and ongoing relationships

Host soft-launch nights, influencer tastings, or collab burgers with a creator’s name on the menu. Follow up, stay friendly, and offer repeat invites — long-term relationships beat one-off posts.

6. Track and tweak

Use simple tracking: ask for swipe-up links, unique discount codes, or a booking note (“Booked via @influencer”). Measure bookings and content performance, then adjust who you work with.

Final tip

Be local, honest and a bit playful. Offer experiences worth filming — great food, a warm team, a laughable moment — and creators will do the rest. Getting the crayons out creatively for a unique tasting night often brings the best content. Sorted.