Social media shouldn’t be used for marketing. It should be used for being social.

Imagine you go to a dinner party. One Guest spends the whole night talking about themselves — their product, their promotion, their deal of the week. How long do you stay in that conversation? How quickly do you find a reason to be somewhere else?

Operators who push daily specials, price points, and promotional offers on social media are doing the digital version of that. They’ve been invited into someone’s feed — into the conversation that Guest is having with their world — and they’re using that access to sell. Nobody asked. Nobody wants it.

Social media isn’t a transaction channel. It’s a relationship channel. And relationships are built on giving, not asking.

The question isn’t “what do I want to tell my Guests?” It’s “what’s going on in their lives right now? What would make their day better?” That’s the conversation worth having.

Social media is an extension of hospitality. It’s the way you stay in the relationship when you can’t be at the table with them. During service, you can’t have real conversations — you’re running a restaurant. Social media gives you that window. Use it to be present, not to pitch.