A restaurant press release is an official statement sent to journalists, food editors, and local media to generate coverage of a newsworthy event, most commonly a grand opening, chef appointment, or menu relaunch. It follows standard press release structure and is distributed to local outlets or via a wire service. Press coverage builds trust that paid promotion cannot replicate.
Key Highlights:
Restaurant press releases are most effective for grand openings, rebrands, new chef hires, and menu launches.
A strong opening press release must include the five Ws in the first paragraph.
Local food editors, lifestyle publications, and city guides are your highest-value targets.
Send your press release 2 to 3 weeks in advance of the opening date to give editors lead time.
EasyPRwire distributes restaurant press releases to 400+ outlets including regional food media.
When Does a Restaurant Need a Press Release?
A restaurant needs a press release any time there is a newsworthy development that local media, food critics, or food bloggers would consider worth covering. Press releases inform media about important restaurant news and help increase a restaurant's visibility and reputation beyond what social media alone can achieve. The announcement must have genuine news value to earn editorial attention and promote the restaurant to potential customers outside your existing audience.
Common use cases that warrant a new restaurant press release:
Grand opening: Announces the concept, location, chef, and opening date; the most common trigger for restaurant public relations outreach
Rebrand or renovation: When a restaurant business changes its name, concept, or undergoes a significant redesign.
New menu launch: Particularly a seasonal menu, tasting menu, farm to table concept, or major cuisine shift involving new menu items.
Chef appointment: Hiring a head chef with notable credentials is legitimately newsworthy, especially in competitive markets.
Award or recognition: Michelin mentions, local best-of awards, or James Beard nominations all justify a short announcement.
Special events or expansion: Private dining events, a pop-up series, or opening a second location in a new city.
According to the National Restaurant Association, the US restaurant industry serves over 1 billion meals per week, making local food media highly competitive. A well-timed press release gives your opening a genuine edge and helps increase your restaurant's visibility with potential customers who read local press.
Restaurant Opening Press Release Template
This fill-in-the-bracket template is formatted for immediate use. Copy it, complete each bracket, and it is ready to distribute. Always attach 3 to 5 high-resolution images of your food and interior. Visuals in press releases enhance media engagement and pick-up rates significantly, press releases with images generate 3x more engagement than text-only releases (PR Newswire Visibility Study, 2023).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: [Your Name] | [Your Title] [Phone Number] | [Email Address] | [Restaurant Website URL]
[RESTAURANT NAME] Opens in [NEIGHBORHOOD/CITY] on [OPENING DATE]
[CITY, STATE], [Date]: [Restaurant Name], a new [cuisine type] restaurant from [Owner/Chef Name], will open its doors at [Full Address] on [Opening Date]. Located in [Neighborhood], the restaurant brings [1-sentence description of the concept and what makes it distinct to the local dining scene].
Under Executive Chef [Chef's Name], the menu centers on [highlight 1 to 2 signature dishes or menu items], with a focus on [sourcing philosophy, e.g., farm to table, locally sourced, seasonal]. Guests can expect [brief description of the dining experience] alongside [bar list or beverage program detail].
"[Quote from owner or chef, 1 to 2 sentences about what inspired the restaurant and what it means for the local community]," said [Name, Title].
The [number]-seat dining room features [1 to 2 design details, e.g., an open kitchen, a rooftop terrace, custom local artwork]. The space is suited for [occasions, e.g., weeknight dinners, special events, private gatherings].
[Restaurant Name] is located at [Address] and will be open [Days] from [Opening Time] to [Closing Time]. Reservations open on [Date] at [Reservation Link or Website URL].
For more information, visit [Website URL] or follow [@SocialHandle] on Instagram.
About [Restaurant Name]: [2 to 3 sentences on founding story, culinary mission, and what it adds to the community.]
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For more press release samples for every industry, visit our full samples hub.
Restaurant Press Release Example: Grand Opening
Below is a complete example. This is the style and format food editors and local city guides expect to receive.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Maria Chen, Owner | (512) 555-0142 | maria@oleaaustin.com | www.oleaaustin.com
Olea Kitchen Opens in East Austin on July 12, 2026
AUSTIN, TX, June 18, 2026: Olea Kitchen, a Mediterranean small-plates restaurant from chef and owner Maria Chen, will open at 1804 East 6th Street, Austin, TX on Saturday, July 12, 2026. Drawing from the coastal flavors of southern Spain, Greece, and Lebanon, Olea brings ingredient-driven sharing plates to one of Austin's most food-forward neighborhoods.
Executive Chef Dario Ruiz leads a menu anchored by wood-fired whole fish, housemade labneh with za'atar, and seasonal mezze sourced from Central Texas farms. Guests can expect a relaxed format built around shareable dishes and a natural wine list curated by sommelier Elena Voss.
"We wanted to create the kind of restaurant where people linger over good food and honest wine. East Austin has been waiting for this style of hospitality and we are genuinely excited to be part of its dining scene," said Maria Chen, Owner.
The 68-seat interior features terracotta tile, a live-edge cedar bar, and a covered patio. The space is available for special events and private dining of up to 40 guests.
Olea Kitchen will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 5:00 PM to 10:30 PM. Reservations open July 1 at www.oleaaustin.com/reservations.
About Olea Kitchen: Olea Kitchen is an independently owned Mediterranean small-plates restaurant in East Austin, Texas, founded in 2026 by chef Maria Chen. The company is committed to seasonal sourcing, minimal-waste cooking, and hospitality centered on genuine warmth.
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Why this example works: The first paragraph answers who, what, where, and when in two sentences. The quote sounds like a real person, not a press release. Food editors can walk through this announcement in under 90 seconds and write a story from it without a follow-up call.
What to Include in a Restaurant Press Release?
Every element below serves a specific purpose for the journalist reading it. Missing even one can result in a follow-up message they are unlikely to send.
Hook headline: Name the restaurant, city, and opening date; short words work better than long ones; avoid generic style phrases like "exciting new dining destination".
Dateline: City, state, and release date; this important detail indicates when and where the press release was written.
Five Ws in paragraph one: Who (restaurant/chef), what (cuisine/concept), where (address), when (opening date), why (what makes it worth covering).
Chef or owner quote: One direct quote that sounds human; food critics and editors use this to create the story angle.
Cuisine type and signature dish: Mention specific menu items, not just a cuisine category; this gives editors the hook they need to frame a story.
High-resolution images: Add 3 to 5 photos of the food and interior; including high-resolution images to enhance visual appeal is one of the most effective tips for improving pick-up rates; do not forget to attach them before sending.
Opening hours and days: Print these clearly; readers and editors will use them directly.
Reservation or booking link: Essential for potential customers who act on coverage.
Named media contact with phone number: "info@" emails rarely attract a response.
Boilerplate: 2 to 3 sentences only on the company; this is not a second chance to promote the restaurant.
An effective press release is one a journalist can act on without asking follow-up questions. Target length is 350 to 500 words for the release itself.
Ready to get your restaurant in front of local food editors?
Where to Distribute a Restaurant Press Release?
A restaurant press release should be distributed to local food editors, city lifestyle publications, food bloggers, and neighborhood newsletters first, with wire services added for regional or multi-location openings. Advance planning is what separates restaurants that get written about from those that do not. Third-party validation from press coverage builds credibility and buzz that paid promotion cannot create on its own.
For independent and single-location restaurants:
Local food editors at your city's main newspaper or alternative weekly; one story in a respected local outlet does more to attract customers than 50 social media posts.
City lifestyle publications such as Eater city editions, local city guides, and regional magazine food sections; these outlets cover new openings consistently and welcome well-formatted announcements.
Food bloggers and local influencers with genuinely engaged followings; pitch them directly and highlight what makes your story stand out to their target audience.
Neighborhood newsletters: underused and highly effective; readers are local, and local is your target audience.
For regional chains and multi-location openings:
Wire services like EasyPRwire distribute to 400+ regional and national outlets simultaneously; the right tool when your story has reach beyond a single city.
Trade publications such as Nation's Restaurant News or QSR Magazine cover expansion news for the broader restaurant industry.
Timing: Send 2 to 3 weeks before the opening date. Monthly print publications need 6 to 8 weeks of advance notice. A press release sent the day before opening cannot be acted on by any publication with an editorial calendar.
Also useful: see our product launch press release guide if you are launching a new menu item alongside your opening. For the full distribution strategy, read how to distribute your restaurant press release.
Put This Into Practice
Your opening happens once. Make sure local media knows about it.
Key Takeaways
A restaurant press release is most powerful for grand openings, chef appointments, special events, and menu relaunches; these are the announcements local food editors and food critics are actively looking for.
The template in this guide covers every required element; copy it, fill in the brackets, and it is ready to send.
Send 2 to 3 weeks before opening and target local food editors, city guides, and lifestyle publications first.
Include the five Ws, a real human quote, opening hours, high-resolution images, and a direct reservation link.
Distribute your restaurant press release with EasyPRwire
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you write a press release for a new restaurant?
Start with a headline that includes the restaurant name, city, and opening date. Open the first paragraph with who, what, where, when, and what makes the concept worth covering. Add a chef or owner quote, include hours, address, and booking link, then close with a short boilerplate. Keep total length between 350 and 500 words.
What should a restaurant opening press release include?
A restaurant opening press release must include a hook headline with the opening date, a dateline, the address, cuisine type and a signature dish mention, an owner or chef quote, opening hours, a reservation link, high-resolution images, and a named media contact. Missing the quote or booking link are the two most common omissions that reduce pick-up rates.
When should I send a restaurant opening press release?
Send it 2 to 3 weeks before your opening date for daily and weekly publications. Monthly magazines and print city guides typically need 6 to 8 weeks of advance notice. Sending less than 1 week out means most publications cannot act on it in time. EasyPRwire's team can advise on the optimal send window for your target outlets.
Do restaurants need to pay for press release distribution?
You can pitch individual journalists for free by building your own media list. Paid wire distribution, like EasyPRwire's plans, is worth the investment when you need simultaneous delivery to multiple regional outlets or reach beyond a single city. For a local opening, combining direct outreach with wire distribution consistently delivers the strongest coverage results.
