The restaurant business is notoriously difficult. With razor-thin margins, it is hard for even some of the best restaurants to succeed. But the winter season is especially difficult, as many restaurants struggle to make ends meet. Resy data shows the five slowest days of 2024 (excluding holidays) were Mondays and Tuesdays in January and February¹. Quite simply: the winter makes a tough business even tougher.
At the heart of the "Right This Way" campaign was a simple yet urgent goal: to drive diners back into restaurants during the hospitality industry’s slowest season and remind partners of Resy’s ongoing commitment to supporting the restaurant community. The campaign aimed to energize consumer behavior by reminding diners that behind every reservation is a team of individuals – from prep cooks to servers – working to create meaningful dining experiences. It reinforced that every action, whether dining in or buying merch, makes the difference as to whether or not a restaurant thrives or closes. Beyond filling seats, Resy felt inspired to spotlight the daily dedication of restaurant staff, foster stronger diner-restaurant relationships, and strengthen local food ecosystems through storytelling and strategic support.
When devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles days before the campaign launch, the objective evolved to uplift the hospitality community’s relief efforts and drive traffic and support to affected restaurants. Resy saw the need to integrate real-time relief efforts into the campaign narrative coupled with messages of resilience and action.
¹Based on Resy total bookings in 2024 (excluding holidays).
The “Right This Way” campaign came to life through a three-pronged approach: emotional storytelling, community engagement, and direct support for restaurants. Resy collaborated with creative agency Biite to develop a musical ad spot that highlighted the behind-the-scenes rhythm of restaurant work – from morning prep to late-night clean-up – emphasizing the invisible labor that makes every dining experience possible. The ad ran across digital, social, and out-of-home platforms in New York City, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago, Miami and Atlanta.
The campaign was originally slated to launch just as the fires began to spread. In the face of this unfolding crisis, Resy recognized its responsibility to do more. What began as a seasonal campaign became an urgent call to action – transforming the ad spot into a place for solidarity and recovery. Shot on location in LA with real Resy restaurant partners, the campaign was quickly re-edited to directly acknowledge the impact of the fires, spotlight the resilience of the local dining community, and drive viewers to a landing page with tangible ways to offer support.
Restaurant-goers nationwide participated in Resy’s pledge initiative, “Reservations for Recovery,” through which Resy donated $0.50 per reservation booked and completed, and within a week, hit its donation goal of $125,000 to The National Restaurant Association’s Educational Fund, benefitting restaurants impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires.
To continue rallying local support to restaurants, Resy launched the Resy Regulars event series in key cities, offering exclusive experiences to loyal diners. This not only drove foot traffic during a traditionally slow period but also built stronger diner-restaurant relationships. Editorial content and curated dining guides further empowered diners to take meaningful actions, reinforcing the campaign’s message that showing up for restaurants matters.
While the campaign itself shifted, its ultimate goal remained unchanged: to support restaurants and fill partners’ dining rooms. The wildfires posed an unexpected and delicate challenge, including only a few days to update campaign materials, realign creative and philanthropic messaging, and ensure cohesive rollout across channels. Coordination between creative teams, internal stakeholders, and nonprofit partners was essential to execute a timely, sensitive pivot without diluting the campaign’s core message.
“Right This Way” transformed a typical seasonal marketing effort into a model for purpose-driven brand storytelling, integrating community impact and striking emotional resonance.
During the campaign, Resy garnered meaningful engagement with a nearly 10% YoY lift in reservation "Notifies," 30% in site traffic, and 25% in native app usage. Resy increased +8 in Brand Awareness and +4 in Consideration and Favorability, with >70% rise in favorability in those exposed to the spot¹.
Over 600 diners attended Resy Regular events across major cities, providing vital traffic during a period when restaurants often operate at a loss. Resy spotlighted 200 restaurants across 12 original editorial stories, offering a platform to drive visibility and bookings.
The musical ad generated over 1.5MM impressions on connected TV (CTV) and 50K organic impressions. The inclusion of wildfire relief messaging increased engagement and social sharing, with diners expressing solidarity and appreciation for restaurants featured, resulting in YoY increase in brand media impressions of 6x and a 56% YoY increase in organic social engagement¹.
Resy and sister company Tock committed $200,000 to World Central Kitchen, which provides meals to communities impacted by natural disasters and humanitarian crises. Resy also provided additional support to the Southern Smoke Foundation, which helps hospitality workers through emergency relief funding and access to mental health care – addressing both immediate and long-term needs. Operationally, Resy waived platform fees for nearly 400 LA-based Resy partners from January through April 2025 to alleviate financial pressure.
1Based on pre- and post-test Morning Consult consumer surveys conducted December 27, 2024 to March 26, 2025.
2Based on Resy marketing channels comparing March 1-31, 2024 to March 1-31, 2025 time periods.
