By Matt Plapp
Every restaurant wants more customers. But in today’s digital-first world, the biggest challenge isn’t selling food, it’s getting attention. Think about it: if you had everyone’s attention every single day, you wouldn’t have sales problems. But in 2025, grabbing attention is harder than ever, thanks to the tidal wave of content and competition.
Consumers are bombarded with messages every hour of the day. So the question is: How are you supposed to stand out? The answer lies in the ABR Commandments: Attract, Build, Retain. This week, we will cover Commandment #1: Attract.
The Attraction Formula
At America’s Best Restaurants, our marketing playbook starts with one powerful principle: attract attention. Here’s the full formula:
- ATTRACT potential customers near your restaurant.
- BUILD a database from that attention.
- RETAIN those customers by continually engaging them.
Simple, right? Yet most restaurants get it backward. They post bland content, push discount coupons and wonder why the needle doesn’t move.
I’m a massive proponent of building a database. But before you can build or retain, you must first interrupt the scroll. You have to make people stop and say, “Whoa, what’s that?” And, no, endless Facebook posts about how great your sausage pizza is won’t cut it anymore.
Let’s break down two real-world examples, each with a completely different approach, that prove attention is everything.
Example 1: The Offer They Can’t Refuse
Gentili’s Pizza, Philadelphia, PA
When Gentili’s, a pizza and cheesesteak shop in Philly, started working with us, we introduced a proven strategy: a customer acquisition campaign. The formula included:
- A scroll-stopping image
- A dead-simple call to action
- And, most importantly, an offer people feel stupid saying no to
Gentili’s crushed it. This Facebook ad offered:
- Free slice of pizza
- Free fries
- Free breadsticks
- $2 off Mom’s Hoagie
No gimmicks. No fine print. Just a deal that got people talking and clicking.
Now, maybe you’re thinking: “Matt, I can’t give away food for free!” As I’ve said before, yes, you can. And you should. Here’s why: The cost of a free slice of pizza is nothing compared to the lifetime value of a new customer.
Even better? You’re not just giving away food—you’re collecting contact info. Every redemption builds your customer database. And that data is worth 100 times more than the food.
Let’s not forget the social proof. When your post blows up with hundreds of comments, like “Best pizza in town!” or “I’m grabbing this deal tonight!” you’ve created viral word-of-mouth right on your post. This isn’t just a Facebook promo. It’s a five-star review in real time, on steroids.
Example 2: The Community Connection
Lost Pizza Co., Ocean Springs, MS
Attention doesn’t always come from giveaways. Sometimes, the most powerful marketing you can do is to give a damn.
Just ask Eric Braden, general manager at Lost Pizza Co. in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He hosted a Yearbook Signing Party for local students, especially those who weren’t in the “in crowd.”
Here’s how it started, according to Braden: “A mom posted that her son Wes was upset no one would sign his yearbook. I messaged her and told her to bring Wes to Lost Pizza, [and] our staff and guests would sign it. That turned into a community event that’s now in its third year.”
That first year, the story exploded on social media and local news. Now it’s an annual tradition, covered in recent years by PMQ Pizza. Wes Besancon is a senior this year and plans to pass the torch to a freshman to keep the event going. Here’s the email Braden sent out to his mailing list for the 2025 event:
Not only has the annual event changed Wes’s life, the impact for Lost Pizza’s Ocean Springs store has been phenomenal, including:
- Local buzz and media coverage
- Families discovering the restaurant
- A deep emotional connection that builds loyalty for life
This is marketing that doesn’t look like marketing. It’s heartfelt. Human. Real. And yes, it falls under Commandment #1: Attract.
The Common Thread: It All Starts With Attention
If you don’t start with attention, nothing else matters: No one opts in to your database; no one becomes loyal; no one shows up.
Whether it’s a high-value offer or a heartfelt community event, you need something so good, so unexpected, so undeniable, that people stop in their tracks.
Here’s your action item for this week: Create an offer so good, people feel stupid saying no. Make it easy. Make it emotional. Make it attention-worthy.
And once you’ve attracted them, stick around, because next time, we’ll tackle Commandment #2: Build. This is where I’ll show you how to turn attention into a powerful database you actually own. See you then!
My name is Matt Plapp. I’m the CEO (chief energy officer) of America’s Best Restaurants. I’ve worked with thousands of restaurants since 2008 when I started this company, and over the next 12 months, we will help 2,500-plus restaurants with their marketing. This is the latest article in a new weekly column for PMQ to help restaurant owners understand the gold mine we have to market in 2025—and beyond.
