Questions to ask before hiring. Ask whether the agency has worked with kitchen businesses specifically and request named case studies with documented outcomes. Ask how leads are tracked from first click through to signed deposit, whether the agency caps clients per region to avoid competing engagements, and what written guarantees sit behind the proposed results.
Red flags to watch for. Be cautious of agencies that promise top Google rankings within 30 days, charge ad spend through their own card rather than the client’s, refuse to share dashboards or raw analytics, or pitch the same playbook for kitchen businesses that they pitch for dentists, gyms, and SaaS startups. Generic process is the clearest signal that the agency is learning the kitchen industry on the client’s budget.
What good reporting and accountability looks like. Good agencies share a live dashboard with cost per qualified appointment by channel, conversion rate from enquiry to booked job, and revenue attributed to each marketing source. A clear monthly strategy call with an actionable plan should accompany every report, and any written guarantees should be specific, time-bound, and tied to outcomes the client actually values.