Illustration by Sonny Ross

Written by Jesse Short

food is the most often photographed and posted subject. It’s no surprise that bars, restaurants, and other types of food establishments flock to Instagram in search of new consumers. 

In addition to gorgeous photographs and relevant hashtags, proper timing is a critical component of a successful Instagram strategy. We studied over 6,600 posts produced by various clubs, pubs, and restaurants throughout 2015 to determine the optimum posting times. The results are undeniable, but most people do not follow them, as the research reveals. 

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Posts published at: receive the most engagement. 

• Breakfast-9:00 a.m. 

• Lunch-12:00 to 13:00 p.m. 

• Dinner is served at 20:00. 

However, most of the posts were published between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. (a.m.). Dinnertime is also severely underutilized by gastro social media managers. As a result, there is still potential for improvement. One explanation for this could be that most persons who maintain these types of accounts are likely to be those who work directly at those locations. They prioritize bringing you your latte with soy milk during busy hours above uploading another coffee art photo on Instagram. If that’s the case, you’re excused! 

Keep in mind that these generalizations might not always apply to all establishments. Some restaurants, for example, have found success by promoting one-day-only bargains or specials in the morning of their slowest day. Followers seeking deals will know when to return to your Instagram feed if you publish consistently. 

To discover the optimum time to post on Instagram for your business, track the outcomes of each post to see which messages work best on certain days and hours. 

Is there a best time for Instagram posting? 

Every restaurant may have a somewhat different sweet spot for posting on Instagram — because each restaurant caters to a unique audience with unique social media behavior patterns. However, several best practices you may follow tend to produce excellent results. 

Because the Instagram algorithm promotes recency, it is critical to post while your followers are online. Assuming everything else is equal, a recent post will appear higher in the newsfeed than an older one. 

Recency is one of the simplest and quickest gains to make when optimizing a post for success. 

But, beyond that, it’s critical to understand your specific goals for your Instagram marketing plan.  

Do you have any particular purposes, such as raising awareness, increasing participation, or driving traffic?  

What does success mean to you, and when have your prior postings been successful?  

Your previous successes are an essential indicator for when you should post in general. 

Overall, the most fantastic time to post on Instagram is now. 

According to our research and testing, the universal best time to post on Instagram is 11 a.m. on Wednesdays. 

We noticed that Instagram users interact with content most frequently during the day and on weekdays. That makes sense – it’s a great time to take a break from work or school and scroll.  

Suppose you’re new to Instagram and don’t have prior you don’t have any data or audience insights to work with. Try releasing around this period and see how things go. As your account balance grows, you may want to change your posting schedule to better fit your target audience’s Instagram activity habits. 

How to Determine the Best Time for a Restaurant to Post on Instagram: 

Examine your best-performing content: 

First, identify the type of performance you want to achieve: brand recognition or engagement. Your approach to timing your Instagram posts may differ depending on which of these is most important to you. 

Which of your previous blogs drew the most attention?  

When did you make this information public?  

And what distinguishes these posts from those that earn likes? 

Your Instagram analytics is your most acceptable source of truth in this situation. Of course, not all analytics solutions are created equal, and some social media management tools might assist you in avoiding heavy data collection. 

when your target audience is most active online: 

The next step in determining the optimal time to post is to examine your analytics to see when your followers are scrolling through their feed. 

Marketers must understand their target audiences. Suppose you’re targeting Gen Z sports enthusiasts on Instagram. In that case, their social media consumption habits may differ significantly from those of tech executives who get up at 4 a.m. to meditate in their infrared saunas. 

Think about when your competitors are posting: 

Depending on your sector, your competitors may be performing similar calculations and tests to you. 

Social listening (or even a comprehensive social, competitive analysis) can help you track what is working for audiences in your business. 

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Post in your intended audience’s time zone: 

If you have a global audience or live in a time zone, that is not “normal.” 

Your best posting time may turn out to be 3 a.m. 

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