The restaurant website checklist: what guests need in ten seconds
Menu, hours, location and a next step — the decisions a guest makes on a phone, and how your site should support each.
Start with the decision, not the design
Most restaurant visits begin with a quick question: are they open, what do they serve, how do I get there? Put the answers where a thumb can reach them on the first screen.
Make the menu real text
A PDF menu is hard to read on a phone and hard for search engines to understand. A text menu with prices and dietary notes serves both.
One clear next step per visit type
Dine-in guests want directions or a reservation link. Takeout guests want ordering. Don’t make either hunt.
Keep it current
Wrong hours cost more trust than a plain design ever will. Decide who updates holiday hours before the holiday arrives.