New Menu Email for Restaurants
A new menu is the easiest thing you will ever email about, and the easiest to get wrong. The menu itself does not sell anything. One dish, one reason to order it tonight, and one link to the table is what sells. Here are three templates that do that.
When to send it
| Timing | Best for | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 days before launch | The tease. Regulars book the date before they see the food | Do not list the full menu yet — one or two dishes only |
| Launch day | The announcement. This is the one people actually want | If you sent the tease, do not repeat the whole thing |
| 7–10 days after launch | The last call. A seasonal dish with a real end date deserves a countdown | This is the email most restaurants skip, and the one that clears a slow week |
Template 1 — The reveal
The new menu is here, [First Name]
Hi [First Name],
We’ve changed the menu. Most of it stayed, but we’ve added a few things we wanted to cook this season.
The one to try first: [dish name] — [one line on why: what it is, what it’s like, what it goes with].
See the menu and book: [link]
— [Restaurant Name]
Template 2 — The limited run
[Dish name] is here until [date]
Hi [First Name],
[Dish name] runs on the menu from [start date] to [end date], and after that it’s gone for the season.
[One line: what makes it worth ordering now rather than next month.]
Order it before it’s off: [link]
— [Restaurant Name]
Template 3 — The one dish worth ordering
Order this one, [First Name]
Hi [First Name],
If you’re ordering one thing this week, make it [dish name].
[Two sentences: what it is, and the order you’d put it in.]
It pairs well with [one drink or side]. That’s the whole suggestion — we won’t overcomplicate it.
Reserve a table: [link]
— [Restaurant Name]
Five subject lines
The new menu is here, [First Name]— plain, specific, and the recipient’s name makes it feel like a note rather than a blast[Dish name] is here until [date]— the date is the hook; seasonal dishes create urgency without a discountOrder this one, [First Name]— a single recommendation, not a menu. Higher click-through than a listOne new dish we think you'll like— works when the new dish genuinely fits a known preferenceWe changed the menu — here's what to order— honest, and it works for guests who liked the old menu
The offer that works
Don’t discount a new dish — it hasn’t earned a price yet. Offer the pairing instead: a free sauce, a glass of the wine it goes with, or the dish at a tasting price for the first two weeks. That protects the margin on the dish and gives the guest a reason to try something they wouldn’t have ordered.
Questions we actually get
How often should a restaurant email about a new menu?
Three times is enough: a tease, the launch, and a last call. After that, the menu is just the menu — email the dish, not the document.
Should I attach the menu as a PDF?
No. Put one or two dishes in the email body, link to the menu on the site, and link to the reservation. A PDF attachment is a bounce risk and a reason to delete the email unread.
Is a new menu a good reason to email people who never open our emails?
It is one of the few. A new menu is a genuine reason to check in, so it is worth one send — but do not use it to justify sending to a list that has been dead for a year.
Written by the emailforrestaurants.com team. Every price on the comparison page was read from the vendor's own site and re-checked on the first of each month.