When someone looks up a restaurant online, they're usually hungry and in a hurry. They want answers to four questions: What's on the menu? Are you open? Where are you? How do I order or book? A great restaurant website answers all four in seconds.
1. A menu people can actually read
Make your menu easy to find from every main page. Make it easy:
- Use real text, not just a PDF or a photo of your menu. PDFs are hard to read on phones, slow to load, and text is easier to search, resize and use with assistive technology.
- Include prices. Customers who can't see prices often move on.
- Group items clearly: starters, mains, sides, drinks, desserts.
- Mark dietary options like vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free.
- Keep it current. An outdated menu leads to disappointed customers and bad reviews.
2. Hours that are always right
Wrong hours are one of the fastest ways to lose a customer for good. Show your hours on the homepage, and update them for holidays, special events and seasonal changes. Make sure they match your Google Business Profile.
3. Location and directions
- Your full address, with a link that opens in maps apps
- Parking information
- Landmarks or "we're next to…" details if you're hard to spot
- Whether you have outdoor seating or a drive-through
4. Ordering, reservations and delivery
Make the next step one tap away:
- Order online button, if you take online orders
- Reserve a table button, if you take reservations
- Links to the delivery apps you use
- Your phone number for call-in orders
Put these at the top of the page, not buried at the bottom.
5. Mouth-watering photos
Good food photos sell food. You don't need a professional photographer to start. Shoot in natural daylight, close up, on a clean plate. Show your most popular dishes, your space and your team. Avoid dark, blurry photos, which can do more harm than having none.
6. Your story, briefly
Customers love knowing who's behind the food. A few sentences about your family, your recipes or why you opened makes you memorable. A photo of the owner or chef helps.
7. Catering and private events
If you offer catering or host events, give them their own page with:
- What you offer and for how many people
- Sample menus or packages
- How far in advance to book
- A simple inquiry form
Catering orders can be some of your most profitable business, so make them easy to ask about.
8. Reviews and press
Show a few real reviews and any local press mentions. Link to your Google reviews.
9. Mobile first
Many visitors will check a restaurant on their phone. Test your site on a phone: Can you see the menu, hours and order button without pinching and zooming?
A simple restaurant website structure
| Page | What goes on it |
|---|---|
| Home | Photo, hours, address, order and reserve buttons |
| Menu | Full menu in text, with prices |
| About | Your story and team |
| Catering | Packages and inquiry form |
| Gallery | Food and space photos |
| Contact | Address, map link, phone, parking |