Local Marketing for Your Curry House (or Pizza Place, or Chippy...)

Phil Ingram
Nov 4
4 min read

You make the best curry on the high street. Your pizzas are legendary. Your fish and chips are the stuff of local dreams. But in a world of huge chains, online delivery giants, and a dozen competitors, how do you make sure everyone knows it?

You can't out-spend the big guys. But you can outsmart, out hustle, and outlocal them. Your greatest strength isn't a massive marketing budget; it's the fact that you are right here, in the heart of the community.

It's time to stop paying for expensive flyers that go straight in the bin. Here are the "guerrilla" marketing tactics to win your neighbourhood and turn your takeaway into a local legend.

1. The "Office Drop" Ambush

The Tactic: Don't wait for the lunchtime order; create it. Find the biggest local office park, co-working space, or business centre within a 1-mile radius.

The Execution: Walk in at 11:45 AM on a Thursday. Bring a branded bag filled with free, hot samples—think a tray of onion bhajis, mini-samosas, or a couple of pizzas cut into small slices. Find the reception or the main kitchen area and leave them with a stack of menus. On that menu, have a clear, simple offer: "10% OFF YOUR FIRST TEAM LUNCH ORDER" with a special code.

Why It Works: You've just become the hero of the 11:45 AM "what's for lunch?" meeting. You've bypassed the gatekeepers and let your food do the talking. One successful team order can turn an entire office of 50 people into your new set of regulars.

2. Become the Community Champion

The Tactic: Make your brand visible in the places your community genuinely cares about.

The Execution: Go to the local kids' football or sports club. Offer to sponsor them. You don't need to pay for the whole stadium; for a small cost, you can get "Mario's Pizza" or "King's Curry" on their training jackets. Better yet, sponsor a "Player of the Match" award for every team. The prize? A voucher for a free pizza or a "Kids Eat Free" curry.

Why It Works: Every parent on that sideline now sees you as a pillar of the community, not just a takeaway. When it comes to Friday night dinner, you're the one they'll choose to support. You've built immense goodwill and positive brand association.

3. The "Pint &... " Partnership

The Tactic: Your customers are already in the pub next door. Go and get them.

The Execution: Walk into your local, non-competing pub or bar. Talk to the manager. Create a simple, powerful cross-promotion. "The perfect pint deserves the perfect curry." The pub can give out your vouchers (e.g., "10% off your order tonight"), and you can staple a "Free Pint" voucher from their pub to your takeaway bags on a Friday night.

Why It Works: It's a zero-cost referral from a trusted source. You're catching customers at the exact moment they're thinking about food and a drink.

4. The "We Miss You" Lapsed Customer Campaign

The Tactic: This one requires a customer list (we'll get to that), but it's pure gold. Find customers who used to order regularly but haven't in the past 3 months.

The Execution: Send them a simple, personal message (email or SMS): "Hey [Name], it's been a while! We've missed you. Here's a free garlic bread on us for your next order. Hope to see you soon!"

Why It Works: It’s personal, it shows you noticed they were gone, and the low-cost offer is often all it takes to break their new habit (of ordering from your competitor) and remind them why they loved you in the first place.

5. The "Bad Weather" Bonus

The Tactic: Turn a miserable, slow Tuesday night into an opportunity.

The Execution: It's 5 PM. It's pouring with rain, and it's cold. No one wants to cook. Put a post on your local Facebook group or Instagram story: "MISERABLE NIGHT? Let us do the cooking. The first 20 people to phone in and quote 'RAINYDAY' get free delivery and a portion of poppadoms/dough balls."

Why It Works: You're tapping into a real-time, shared experience. It’s impulsive, it’s urgent, and it positions you as the perfect solution to their immediate problem.

The Final Step: Turning New Faces into Loyal Fans

All these guerrilla tactics are brilliant at doing one thing: getting someone to order from you once.

The "Office Drop" got you a new team order. The "Pint & Curry" deal got you a new customer from the pub. But how do you stop them from being one-hit wonders? How do you make sure you can talk to them again?

This is where a simple digital loyalty tool like meed becomes the crucial final piece of the puzzle.

As these new customers are paying, or even when you drop off the free samples at the office, you give them a simple call to action:

"We have a loyalty club. Scan this QR code to join for free, and you'll get a free side of onion bhajis with your first paid order."

With a quick, app-free scan, you've done it. You've turned that "guerrilla" acquisition into a permanent, trackable regular.

They are now in your "club." You can send them your "Bad Weather Bonus" offer directly.
You can run your "We Miss You" campaign because meed shows you who hasn't been in.
They start earning stamps, giving them a powerful reason to choose you again next Friday night.