Digital demands and online searches have never been so high. According to Forbes, each month, over a billion restaurants are searched on Google.
Most of the searches are “food near me.” It indicates how people start their eating experiences online.
This proves that having a digital presence for your “brands” is more critical than ever.
As we all know, a digital presence for a restaurant business also starts with a website.
So, if you want to create a winning website design for a restaurant, we’ve designed a checklist based on the current tech-driven food world.
Check out and follow this handy restaurant website design checklist to go through all the necessary steps.
1. Adding CTA Buttons
Do you want people that visit your website to call their order in no time? Do you want them to book their table online? Are you excited and ready if a visitor places their order on your website?
It is the number one website checklist for restaurants. A terrific website designed for restaurants will include at least one call-to-action button. These CTA buttons might be “Reservation” and “Call Now.” The call to action buttons depends on your business goals; that’s why they will vary from business to business.
So, that’s the first thing to figure out. Next, find your goal from the following:
- Do you want to grow customers?
- Are you looking to turn your catering orders 10X?
- Do you want to get more reservations?
- Are you interested in collecting more email subscribers?
Let’s not miss this opportunity and find your main objective. Then, put a button that clearly defines your goal and tells the visitor exactly what to do.
2. Mouthwatering Food Videos and Pictures
When your potential customer is searching for “Chinese restaurants near me” and your restaurant appears on top results, the first thing that will catch their eye is what they’re hungry for Chinese food pictures or videos.
Many restaurants take pictures of their food on their phones. Unfortunately, they’re not in high-quality lighting; photos are blurred and grainy.
With increased visual recommendations, spend your time and money on professional photography that shows your culinary skills to broaden your digital presence.
It can be overwhelming to engage yourself between styling, props, and lighting; hence, the best thing is to find professionals to take high-quality photos and mark your strong web presence.
In addition to your food photos, share photos of the interior of your restaurant. This will set the overall vibe of your restaurant and proper expectations of the ambiance.
The most important part is to include alt tags on all of your website images. One of the easiest ways to rank in search engines is by your photos. The alt tag, also known as “alt description” or “alt attribute,” tells the search engines what this photo is about.
Moreover, don’t forget to capture and share photos of your dining room filled with happy customers. Pictures of restaurants with no one in them look crappy, and it seems like no one goes there. Show your customer a snapshot of the products and experience they’ll get if they come with their loved ones.
Remember; stock photos you find online aren’t something you can get away with when it comes to meals. People now want to see what YOUR PIZZA looks like, not what a TYPICAL pizza looks like.
3. Show Reviews and Testimonials
People now have short attention spans and so aren’t going to spend 10 or 15 minutes reading restaurant reviews.
If someone tells you that, don’t let this fool you.
Testimonials and reviews are important, so showcase them on your restaurant website.
When you post more than 5 reviews on your website, you’re no longer showing authority, but you’re bragging. People don’t bother about the long list of praise you’ve gotten. Instead, they care about how you will satisfy their “Hunger.”
Your reviews will boost restaurant credibility and encourage more customers to visit your restaurant if they have never been there before.
No testimonials yet? That’s completely ok.
Encourage diners to write reviews for your business. They’ll help and encourage potential customers to choose your restaurant.
4. Responsive & Mobile-Friendly Restaurant Website
More than 80% of your potential diners are finding you on their phones when they’re hungry. So your customers must get everything they need from mobiles.
Responsive web designs are usually “mobile-friendly,” as they adapt to all screen sizes. Make sure your website is easy to navigate and create a customer-centric design.
Put all the key information on your website, such as events, pricing, pictures, menus, and make it easy to use.
5. Add Menu with Prices
The most frustrating thing is to search on Google for a specific restaurant; go to their site, and you can’t find its menu with pricing.
Customers hope to see a restaurants’ menu with prices on it.
When a person lands on your website, make sure there is a menu button that is clearly visible where people can easily find a menu with pricing.
A menu helps potential customers see what you have to offer. Some customers feel comfortable knowing the price of meals in advance of ordering them.
6. Email subscription sign up
Find a way to capture details of your visitors—moreover, it’s a better way to invite future communications with a quick email sign-up.
This Ignored and simple-looking tool can boost your restaurant website’s user engagement. But, you don’t want to overdo it or become a nuisance or distraction to your visitors.
7. Special Deals
If you have special deals, you need to communicate this via your website. This gives a better incentive for new customers to try your restaurant out.
If you don’t have special offers or deals, consider featuring 3-4 of your “Most Popular” menu items and include their pricing next to it.
8. Include Other Services Page
Many restaurants offer a special page of “other food services” for their customers.For instance, these may include delivery services, culinary classes, catering, food trucks, etc.
No matter what unique service (items) you might offer your customers, be sure to include the information when designing website copy for your restaurant.
Let’s say you offer catering services for private events, so add this info on your website.
9. Include Reservations/Book My Table Button
Trying to book a table for your family gathering at your favorite restaurant should be a piece of cake. 
Be specific and clarify if you don’t take reservations for less than 8 or more than 8.
10. Add Your Contact Information
Imagine creating a fantastic website, and it’s missing the following;
- Your restaurant phone number
- An Email address
- Address or a map with directions on how to find your restaurant.
Often customers will call to change or confirm a reservation, find out more info about your menu. So clearly display your restaurant’s contact details (phone number and email address) clearly in the footer or navigation of your homepage.
11. Link to Your Social Media Platforms
People are constantly taking pictures of their food and sharing them with their friends and family. Be sure to have a Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and, Google My Business account.
You can capture all of those pictures and engage with your potential customers digitally.
12. Update Your Blog
Adding a blog section to your restaurant websites will help you in search engine optimization, updates and trends, and building email subscribers.
Not sure what to cover in the “blog” section? Here are some ideas: featured menu lists or special deals on menu items, FAQs, private dining or catering services detail, event announcements, and employee spotlights.
Bottom Line
Having a low quality or poor website design can destroy your restaurant business. So make sure to follow this checklist while designing your restaurant website copy;
- Include CTA Buttons
- Upload Mouthwatering Food Videos and Pictures
- Show Reviews and Testimonials
- Responsive & Mobile-Friendly Restaurant Website
- Add Menu with Prices
- Email subscription sign up
- Special Deals
- Include Other Services Page
- Include Reservations/Book My Table Button
- Add Your Contact Information
- Link to Your Social Media Platforms
- Update Your Blog
So, if you want to sell your high-quality dining experience, your restaurant website design should also be of supreme quality.
Remember, the first impression always matters, and once people make an opinion about your food and services, it’s nearly impossible to change their minds.
What’s more to add? Let us know in the comment section below.
