We've audited 80+ restaurant ad accounts handed off from generic agencies. The pattern is identical: traffic-optimized campaigns running 24/7, broad audiences, creative that looks great in a portfolio but converts at 0.4%.
§The three layers of F&B paid
Layer 1 — Aggregator-internal sponsored placements. Highest intent, highest ROAS, lowest scale. Always max this first. Layer 2 — Geofenced Meta + TikTok within 5km of each branch, scheduled to lunch and dinner windows. Layer 3 — Brand-level video for top-of-funnel, runs only when you have launch news or seasonal hooks.
§Creative that converts
Hungry-eye creative wins: tight close-ups of food in motion, ASMR sound design, no fancy edits. The hook is the food, not the brand. Save brand storytelling for layer 3.
§Attribution that actually maps
Ignore platform-reported ROAS. Build a unified dashboard combining Meta + TikTok spend with aggregator order data on a 7-day window. Most clients discover their TikTok spend is 2-3× more efficient than Meta — but only if you measure correctly.
