Hoss and Mary's Tasty Grub Photos

Hoss & Mary's Tasty Grub - slide show

An Introduction to Hoss & Mary's Tasty Grub




Click below to hear how it all started!





Below, Hoss and Mary explain how they are able to stay open in the offseason, how they use Facebook to promote their business, and how they operate differently in the summertime.





In this next clip, learn about how the "Manimal Challenge" was started, how it attracted national attention, and why the restaurant has decided to put it to rest at the end of this year. (Photo courtesy of the restaurant's Facebook page.)





Wondering what's up with Mother Futcher's Coffee Cake? Click below to find out!





Finally, listen to the clip below to see what's next for Hoss and Mary's.

Using Social Media to Attract Customers

One of the most prevalent ways of getting information out to the public is through the use of social media. I decided to check and see if restaurants open in Old Orchard Beach during the winter use social media as a tool to get the word out about their business and attract more customers. I found that some take full advantage of the tool, while other use it to provide basic information only.

Hoss and Mary’s Tasty Grub uses their Facebook page to the fullest extent possible. Their page is updated several times per day and is bursting with information. They have more photos on their page than any of the other pages I looked at. They not only post photos of their food, but of customers, and various activities that they participate in. Hoss and Mary’s has also included their menu on their page.

The posts on the Hoss and Mary’s Facebook page communicate information about what the specials of the day are, what food items are selling out, community activities they are involved in, and more. A week before I put together this post there was a snowstorm that caused many schools and businesses to close. Hoss and Mary's took to their page to let the community know they were open for business. The post was followed by several check-ins from the public throughout the day.

Jumpin Jake’s Seafood Café used Facebook in a similar way, though they did not post as often. Posts were more spread out though they did come at a steady rate. There are a few pictures posted on the page. The café uses their Facebook posts to communicate information similar to Hoss and Mary’s, though there was one main difference. Jumpin Jake’s hosts a lot of live entertainment, and often post about upcoming acts in order to draw people in.

A few restaurants had Facebook pages but only posted basic information. For example The Captain’s Galley Facebook page included 4 photos, a list of services, and a short paragraph that included background information about the restaurant. There were no posts. This could be attributed to the fact that they have a website, and post more extensive information their. Both Jumpin Jake’s and Hoss and Mary’s do not have separate websites.

Jimmy the Greek’s Restaurant has a Facebook page, but it is made up of very basic information. There are no posts or pictures, but the address, phone number, and a link to their website is listed. Again, the lack of information provided on the Facebook page could be because they too have their own website.

OOB House of Pizza was the only one that had made the switch to Facebook’s timeline. Their page included a few pictures and posts, and their menu. There was not a lot on the page, but it seemed as though it had just been put together.

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Restaurant	“Likes”	"Check-Ins"	# “Talking About”	Link to Page
Hoss and Mary’s Tasty Grub	1, 518	305	219	Click Here.
Jumpin Jake’s Seafood Café	291	203	18	Click Here.
Jimmy the Greek’s Restaurant	550	2,273	47	Click Here.
The Captain’s Galley	73	387	2	Click Here.
OOB House of  Pizza	81	Not Listed	Not Listed	Click Here.

*Numbers were last updated on 3/8/2012

*These are not all of the year-round restaurants in Old Orchard Beach that have Facebook pages. This is just a sample.