Understanding the Differences: Restaurant SMS vs Email Marketing

When it comes to connecting with customers, SMS and email each bring unique strengths to your restaurant’s marketing toolkit.

But which one should you choose—and when?

This guide will help you understand the differences between SMS and email marketing channels, when to choose one over the other, and why using both is ultimately the best choice for your restaurant.

Let’s dive in.

SMS vs Email Marketing: Main Differences

SMS and email both deliver messages to your customers, but they work differently.

And that difference can mean everything when you’re trying to fill tables or boost takeout orders.

Here’s a breakdown of what sets these two apart.

Regulations and Compliance

Both SMS and email marketing must comply with strict data privacy laws that protect customers’ rights and personal information.

In the U.S., Canada, Europe, and other regions, laws like the CAN-SPAM Act, CASL, GDPR, and CCPA apply to both channels and set standards for consent, content, and data handling.

For SMS, however, the rules can be even tighter.

In the U.S., for example, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) mandates that customers must provide explicit consent before receiving messages, and each text must include a way to opt out.

If you don’t get proper consent, you can face fines, as listed below:

Source: DNC

Since texts are seen as more personal and immediate, this act also forbids businesses from sending them outside business hours to respect customer privacy.

Email marketing follows similar guidelines.

Although it may seem more flexible, it also requires explicit opt-in and a visible unsubscribe option, like in the example below.

Source: Patina

Compliance laws dictate what content is allowed (avoiding deceptive subjects, for example) and require that customer data is handled responsibly to protect their privacy.

So, no matter which channel you prefer, you must comply with laws and regulations in both cases.

That’s simply non-negotiable if you want to avoid fines and reputational damage.

Message Length and Content

Another key difference between SMS and email is their length and the content that fits into it.

SMS is quick, direct, and limited to about 160 characters.

This makes it ideal for short, actionable updates, like promoting a happy hour or letting customers know about a same-day special.

Source: Tatango

Email, on the other hand, is your space to get creative.

Without character limits, you have room to craft newsletters, share recipes, or introduce a new seasonal menu in detail.

You can include photos, links, and longer narratives, which is not possible through SMS.

That is—if you want to stay within the 160-character limit.

Two-Way Communication

One area where SMS takes a clear advantage over email is in real-time, two-way communication.

If a customer has a question about tonight’s special or a reservation, they can reply to your text, and you can respond instantly.

They can even message you back to ask about allergens or dietary details in real time.

Ultimately, this back-and-forth can deepen customer relationships and create a personal touch that email lacks.

In fact, a survey by SimpleTexting found that 60% of consumers appreciate having the option to text businesses back, highlighting the value of SMS for instant, interactive customer service.

Illustration: Tablein / Data: SimpleTexting

While email can be interactive, it’s not exactly a two-way channel.

Customers don’t expect instant replies via email, so for quick and direct conversations, SMS is the clear winner.

Engagement and Open Rates

When it comes to getting eyes on your messages, SMS takes the crown again.

With open rates as high as 98%, SMS messages are almost guaranteed to be seen.

Why?

Because, unlike email, SMS cuts through the noise by landing directly in a customer’s text inbox, where it’s hard to ignore.

Most people check their phones frequently and respond to text notifications almost immediately, with 80% of consumers reading texts within five minutes and 29% doing so within just 60 seconds.

Illustration: Tablein / Data: SimpleTexting

In comparison, research from GetResponse shows that only about 20% of people open an email within the first hour of receiving it, while 28% wait up to 26 hours to read it.

Illustration: Tablein / Data: GetResponse

But even though emails may linger in inboxes longer, they can still capture a significant audience over time.

In fact, email open rates in the restaurant industry average around 40%.

This is higher than the general average of 35%, according to data from Mailchimp.

Illustration: Tablein / Data: Mailchimp

So, although email open rates may be lower than SMS, its lasting presence in the inbox can help maintain customer engagement over the long term.

Return on Investment (ROI)

On average, email marketing delivers an ROI of about $36 for every $1 spent, making it one of the most cost-effective marketing channels.

Illustration: Tablein / Data: Litmus

That is why, for many restaurants, email remains a go-to choice for driving consistent returns on a tight budget.

While SMS ROI data is somewhat limited, real-world success stories show the channel’s potential.

For instance, Bubbakoo’s Burritos ran an SMS campaign that achieved a 16.7% click-through rate and generated $5.32 in revenue per message.

Illustration: Tablein / Data: FOX 40

SMS campaigns may be smaller in scope than email campaigns, but their high engagement rates can drive meaningful revenue—especially for quick, high-impact promotions.

When Is SMS Marketing Better for Restaurants?

When it comes to marketing, SMS often wins out in situations that demand instant attention.

With high open rates and most people reading texts within three minutes, SMS is practically unmatched for time-sensitive communication.

Let’s say your restaurant has a “Happy Hour Special” with half-off appetizers from 4 to 6 PM.

A text alert like in the image below just before peak time can be the nudge customers need to stop by.

Source: Tablein

SMS also shines when it comes to real-time updates, like delivery or order notifications.

If a customer is waiting on their order or wants an update for curbside pickup, a quick SMS gives them instant clarity, avoiding the delay that sometimes comes with email.

Reservation confirmations are another great example.

Emails can easily get lost in a busy inbox, but a quick text is far more likely to catch your customer’s eye immediately.

You can even use SMS to send table booking reminders, cutting down on no-shows in the process.

In fact, people love such reminders, as evidenced by research.

Illustration: Tablein / Data: Business Wire

The bottom line is, email just can’t match this level of immediacy.

Our reservation system, Tablein, for example, comes with a plethora of valuable SMS features.

When guests make a table booking online, they can receive a reservation confirmation SMS within minutes of the reservation being made, along with a standard reservation confirmation email.

Source: Tablein

With Tablein, you can also send a reminder SMS a day before their reservation to prevent last-minute cancellations and no-shows.

It can look something like this:

Source: Tablein

Other types of SMS you can send through Tablein are “no-show” alerts, feedback requests, and “table’s ready” notifications.

Automating these SMS options can really work wonders for your table-booking process!

In summary, SMS is the right tool when you need fast, real-time responses—ideal for reservation confirmations, urgent promotions, or quick status updates.

When Is Email Marketing Better for Restaurants?

On the other hand, email marketing is ideal when you want to share more detailed content with your guests.

If your restaurant sends out a monthly newsletter or wants to introduce a new seasonal menu, email allows you to tell a story, add photos, and include the kind of details that are impossible to fit in a short text.

Just take a look at the email below from Gusto, a chain of Italian restaurants with 14 locations across the UK, promoting their new menu.

Source: Gusto

Instead of just texting their customers that the new menu is in place, they built up the excitement with narration and poetic use of language.

A person reading it can imagine the atmosphere and how good it would be to sit down in that restaurant, cozy up, and enjoy a delicious meal.

You just can’t achieve the same with SMS’s limited length.

Email also works well for promoting special events, like a wine-tasting night or a cooking class.

With email, you can share all the details in one place, while also using eye-catching visuals that build excitement.

Personalization is another major strength of email marketing, especially for restaurants with loyalty programs.

Take Chipotle’s “Doppelgänger Campaign” for example.

Chipotle used customer data from their rewards program to match customers with a “Doppelgänger”—someone who ordered the exact same thing on the same day.

These customers received a fun, personalized email celebrating the coincidence, which drove engagement rates well above average and generated millions in revenue.

Source: Contagious

The playfulness of this campaign wouldn’t translate as easily through SMS, but email’s flexible format made it possible for Chipotle to surprise and delight its customers with a unique, data-driven experience.

In fact, the campaign was so engaging that many people shared it on social media, expanding its reach even further.

So, to recap, use email for detailed content, such as monthly newsletters or special events.

And don’t miss out on the opportunity for a little bit of creativity and personalization.

Email is the perfect medium for that.

Should You Choose One or Both?

Ultimately, there’s no need to choose one channel over the other.

Using SMS and email together often leads to the best results.

The key is to know your campaign’s goal, understand your audience, and choose the right tool for each message.

If the goal is to drive urgency, like a last-minute flash sale or reservation reminder, SMS is the obvious choice.

But if you want to share rich details, like menu updates or upcoming events, email offers the space and flexibility to make your message stand out.

Understanding your target audience is also essential.

Some generations are more receptive to SMS than others.

For example, 85% of Gen Z consumers are currently opted into receiving texts from businesses.

Illustration: Tablein / Data: SimpleTexting

In comparison, 78% of millennials and 81% of Gen Xers also opt into SMS.

What does this mean for you?

Well, it means you should consider leveraging SMS marketing to engage with a significant portion of your customer base.

In the end, the point is to use each channel for what it does best.

Together, SMS and email create an all-encompassing marketing strategy that’s both timely and engaging, allowing you to connect with customers in real time and build lasting relationships.

And with the right reservation system that offers both SMS and email features, you can easily reach customers on the channel that suits them best.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you now understand that the right marketing approach isn’t about choosing between SMS or email.

Rather, it’s about finding a balance that brings out the best in both.

SMS offers immediacy, while email adds depth, so together they create a powerful combination for keeping customers engaged.

Give both channels a chance to build real-time engagement and foster customer loyalty.

Your diners—and your revenue—will soon thank you!