How to Market a Takeaway With No Budget: 3 Free Strategies That Work

Running a takeaway is a labour of love. You pour your heart into crafting delicious food, managing orders, and ensuring every customer leaves happy. But when you’re operating on tight margins, finding the money for a big marketing campaign can feel impossible. The good news? You don't need it.

Some of the most powerful marketing strategies cost nothing but your time and a bit of creativity. Here are three free, powerhouse tactics that any takeaway—from a pizza place to a kebab shop—can use to attract more customers.

1. Become a Local Legend Online

Your customers live in the neighbourhoods around you, and they’re talking to each other online every single day. You need to be part of that conversation.

Find local Facebook groups, neighbourhood forums, and community WhatsApp groups. Don’t just jump in and spam them with your menu. Instead, become a valuable member of the community. Share photos of your food that look irresistible—a glistening kebab, a perfectly cheesy pizza pull, or a box of crispy fried chicken. Post about your daily specials. Ask questions like, "What's your favourite pizza topping? We're thinking of adding a new one!"

The key is to be human and engaging. When people see you as the friendly local takeaway that’s part of their community, they’ll be far more likely to order from you next time they're hungry.

2. Master Your Google Business Profile

What’s the first thing you do when you want to find a takeaway near you? You search on Google. Your Google Business Profile is your digital front door, and it is completely free to set up and optimise.

Make sure your profile is 100% complete: accurate opening hours, your phone number, your address, and your menu. Most importantly, upload high-quality photos of your food and your shop.

Then, focus on reviews. Actively encourage your happy customers to leave a review on Google. Put a small sign by your till or add a note to your takeaway bags. When you get a review, always respond to it—whether it’s good or bad. Thanking someone for a positive review shows you appreciate their business. Responding politely to a negative one shows you care about customer service. A well-managed profile with lots of positive reviews is the single most effective way to show up at the top of local search results.

3. Unleash the Power of Word-of-Mouth

Your best marketers are your existing customers. A recommendation from a friend is more powerful than any advert, so give them a reason to talk about you.

Create a simple "refer-a-friend" scheme. When a regular customer places an order, give them a couple of special cards or a unique code. They can give this to a friend who has never ordered from you before. When the friend places their first order and uses the card/code, they get a small freebie (like a free side of chips or a can of drink), and on their next order, the original customer gets the same.

This costs you very little but turns your loyal customers into an active sales force, bringing new people directly to your door.

Bonus Strategy: The Digital Stamp Card That Costs You Nothing

Everyone understands the "buy nine, get the tenth free" concept of a stamp card. It’s a classic loyalty tool for a reason. But printed cards get lost, forgotten, or thrown away, and printing them costs money.

This is where you can be clever. With meed, you can set up a digital stamp card for your takeaway using our "always free" tier. It takes less than two minutes to create your programme and get a unique QR code. Customers scan the code with their phone to join—no app download is needed.

Every time they order, you can add a digital stamp via the meed App. They can see their stamps build up in their phone's digital wallet, meaning they never lose their card again. It’s a modern, professional loyalty solution that builds repeat business at no cost to you.

Marketing your Takeaway

Effective marketing for your takeaway isn’t about having the largest budget. It’s about being smart, engaging with your community, and giving your customers a reason to come back. Try these strategies, and watch your takeaway thrive.