Marketing strategies in the restaurant sector during a global crisis: A case study of Restaurant Kampo, Madeira

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered an unprecedented global crisis that profoundly disrupted tourism systems and the restaurant sector, exposing the structural vulnerability of hospitality businesses to external shocks. In response to mandatory closures, mobility restrictions, and rapidly changing consumer behaviour, restaurants were compelled to redesign their business models, operational processes, and marketing strategies in order to ensure survival and long-term viability. Within this context, marketing emerged not merely as a promotional tool, but as a strategic mechanism for organizational adaptation and resilience. This study analyses the marketing strategies adopted by Restaurant Kampo, an author-driven restaurant located on Madeira Island (Portugal), using an in-depth qualitative case study approach. The research examines strategic decisions implemented across three distinct phases: pre-pandemic, lockdown, and post-lockdown, focusing on strategic positioning, marketing mix adaptation, customer relationship management, and the preservation of experiential value under crisis conditions. Data were collected through document analysis, direct observation, digital communication review, and strategic analysis tools, allowing for methodological triangulation. The findings indicate that strategic flexibility, strong brand identity, and customer-oriented communication played a critical role in maintaining operational continuity and reinforcing brand positioning during the crisis. Experience-based marketing, transparency, and the strategic management of people, processes, and physical evidence emerged as key drivers of customer trust and loyalty. By providing empirical insights into crisis-driven marketing adaptation within a tourism-dependent island destination, this study contributes to hospitality and marketing literature and offers practical implications for restaurant managers seeking to enhance resilience in turbulent environments.