The mistake happens three months before opening night. Maybe six months. It’s when the restaurateur, knee-deep in permits, sourcing, and construction delays, decides to handle their own marketing. After all, how hard can it be to post on Instagram?
Pretty hard, according to Lori Harito, who’s spent the last eight years watching Toronto restaurants succeed and fail based on decisions made long before their first customer walks through the door. As founder of Boulevard of Dreams PR, she’s worked with everyone from the BISHA Hotel to TIFF to neighbourhood spots that most people have never heard of but somehow always have a wait list.
“Toronto is incredibly experience-focused right now,” Harito says during our conversation at her downtown office. “We see what looks great on Instagram, people flock to it, then move on to the next thing. That’s a real struggle for hospitality.”
It’s a cycle she’s witnessed repeatedly since launching her boutique firm in 2017, after a decade-long media career that included stints at Global News, Shaw Media, and TVOntario, followed by agency roles and in-house at Indigo. With experience covering everything from breaking news to major events like the Academy Awards, plus a journalism background from Ryerson University, she’s developed strong opinions about what separates the survivors from the casualties in what might be Canada’s most competitive restaurant market.
The biggest mistake? Waiting too long to get professional help. “Professional help must come in at least three months before your opening, but honestly? Four to six months is ideal,” says Harito, whose firm operates on flexible partnership models rather than the rigid retainers that scare off smaller operators. “That gives us time to truly understand your needs, pivot our strategy alongside yours, and build sustained attention.”
She pulls up examples with ease—campaigns that worked versus ones that didn’t. The pattern is always the same: restaurants that plan early build momentum, while those that scramble at the last minute create perfect storms of missed opportunities.
“I’ve seen grand openings executed flawlessly with media and influencers in attendance, only to discover there’s no menu online and no way to actually book a table when doors open to the public,” she says, shaking her head. “You’ve just missed the entire momentum we spent months building.”
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Working with major brands like Campari and Mandy’s Salads alongside Toronto restaurateurs has given Harito a front-row seat to the city’s unique challenges. The permit process alone can derail the best-laid plans.
“With restaurants in Toronto, it is so hard to nail down a date, which is why you have all these fluctuating invites,” she explains. “There are so many permits our restaurants need to get before they can finally open.” Liquor licenses, health department sign-offs, fire department approvals—the bureaucratic maze that makes Toronto particularly challenging compared to other markets.
Her hard-learned recommendation? Don’t bring media and influencers through before you’re at least 80 to 90 percent complete. “It is not a great experience to have people come through a restaurant before they have a liquor license, before they have everything.”
The sweet spot she’s discovered through trial and error: opening to the public just two days after your grand opening event. “You will see that uptick in coverage, whether social coverage or media coverage. It gets people’s attention. They’re clicking through. They want to make a reservation. And if you’re not open yet, you’ve already missed that client.”
After handling years of restaurant launches, Harito has seen the same mistakes repeatedly. The three most common mistakes at grand openings? Insufficient food and beverage, people not understanding why they’re there, and overcrowding that creates a miserable experience for everyone.
Weather’s another curveball, especially for patios and rooftop spaces. “Always have Plan B and Plan C ready. Have an awning on standby and a clear strategy to move people inside if you’re hosting outdoors.”
But here’s what really gets under her skin: cutting costs in ways that show. “You will see this in not being able to offer Uber codes to attendees, really hacking an event. You can do it on a shoestring budget, but then certain things will fall to the wayside.”
There’s something unique about Toronto diners that Harito calls the “Toronto Paradox”—they’re simultaneously fickle and fiercely loyal, which sounds contradictory until you really think about it. “Just because they love you for one month doesn’t guarantee loyalty—there’s always someone new opening. But Torontonians are fiercely loyal to beloved neighborhood staples that make them feel comfortable. That’s the balance you need to strike.”
The solution? Look at what’s actually working in neighborhoods like Ossington and Little Italy, where restaurants are finding success with cozy taverns offering exceptional cocktails rather than chasing whatever’s trending on TikTok this week.
“Do not turn people off by gaslighting them on Instagram,” Harito warns, getting more animated. “If your prices are extravagant, you’re going to turn people off. Have a menu that isn’t just trendy but has evergreen cocktails and food that people love.”
Traditional wisdom about event timing has been completely upended in Toronto’s post-COVID landscape. “People never used to do Monday and Tuesday events. That’s completely gone out the door because there are so many events,” Harito explains. Wednesdays and Thursdays were once the golden days, but she’s successfully executed Saturday events that exceeded capacity—something that would have been unthinkable before 2020.
Evening events have shifted too, now frequently starting at 7 or 8 PM and running until midnight, a significant change from the traditional 6-8 PM window.
One of the most frustrating oversights Harito encounters? Restaurants are launching their social media presence too early. “Another major mistake: launching a social media presence one week before opening without understanding your audience or establishing core brand identity. That’s not a strategy—that’s hoping for luck.”
Her Instagram bio essentials for every Toronto restaurant are surprisingly simple: location, reservation link, and either hours of operation or a clear description (think “Italian steakhouse,” not some vague artistic statement). She also recommends pinning an updated menu as one of the top three posts—seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many miss this.
So how do you actually know if a grand opening worked? Harito looks for specific signs after launch, not the immediate social media buzz that fades in a week. “Success means getting the right people—those who understand why they were there and deliver a strong message to their audience. Six months later, look for continued organic media interest, award nominations, sustained social growth, and genuine DM engagement.”
The most telling indicator? When the media naturally writes about you because your food and beverage program is spectacular, without any PR push. “That’s when you know you’ve built something real.”
There’s a mistake that seems smart but backfires: offering media and influencers exclusive menu items that regular customers can’t access. “That level of exclusivity doesn’t attract the masses you’re trying to reach—it feels exclusionary,” Harito argues. “Having a viral moment is great, but if there’s no follow-through, you’ve failed. Restaurants need repeat customers, not one-time spectacle.”
Her rule is straightforward: anything showcased at a grand opening should be available to customers afterward, with the obvious exception of one-time theatrical elements like champagne on an ice sculpture.
For Toronto restaurateurs navigating an increasingly crowded market, Harito’s advice comes down to three things: start earlier, invest properly, and prioritize authenticity over trends.
“People return to places that make them feel seen,” she concludes. “That happens through exceptional service and a genuine love of hospitality at the operational level. We’re seeing a return to neighborhood-focused, comfortable, cozy environments. PR’s job is to bring media in to witness that authenticity and share it—but the foundation must be there first.”
It’s advice that applies whether you’re opening in the Financial District or a quiet corner of the Beaches. In Toronto’s restaurant gauntlet, the fundamentals still matter most.
Dustin Fuhs is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of 6ix Retail, Toronto’s premier source for retail and hospitality industry news. As the former Editor-in-Chief of Retail Insider, Canada’s most-read retail trade publication, Dustin brings over two decades of expertise spanning retail, marketing, entertainment and hospitality sectors. His experience includes leadership roles with industry giants such as The Walt Disney Company, The Hockey Hall of Fame, Starbucks and Blockbuster.
Recognized as a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert in 2024 and 2025, Dustin delivers insider perspectives on Toronto’s evolving retail landscape, from emerging brands to established players reshaping the city’s commercial districts.