We are living in interesting times where everything is rapidly changing around us whether it’s AI-powered kiosks at fast food restaurants to more consolidated restaurant concepts like food halls that were essentially born during or just after the pandemic and are truly taking off now. And while it was fun back in the day, the mall food courts from our childhood are being reimagined.

Based in Los Angeles and headquartered in Calabasas now, we first saw the food hall trend pop up when Topanga Social was coming to fruition at the Westfield Topanga mall then we started to see food halls take off across the country (Charlotte, Miami, Nashville, etc.) which is a clear sign of what’s to come. Though where did this concept start and what’s the potential?

Without digging too much into the weeds and looking at recent times only, there’s a reason why Eataly really changed the game 5+ years ago and is continuing to ride that wave – essentially having a magical destination where everything you can possibly dream of is right in front of you. Like Willy Wonka vibes for those that prefer cheese/prosciutto over chocolate.

At the same time, food halls follow that same concept of bringing people and food together though historically have challenges not only from a marketing perspective but also execution overall – relying on central kitchens to replicate special dishes iconic brands are known for is difficult to say the least. Subsequently, many times the reviews on Yelp, Instagram feedback and other data unfortunately validate that.

Going back to the core of this post and how owners/operators of food halls or restaurants themselves should market on social media, via ads, SEO, etc. it’s all about understanding the target audience and effectively tapping into them while also putting out the best food possible.

Need help developing a new marketing strategy for an existing food hall or new project on the horizon? Our team is here to help.