A restaurant website has three jobs: make people hungry in three seconds, let them book without friction, and give them the practical information without a treasure hunt. Everything else is decoration.
BLACKT has designed around twenty restaurant websites, from single venues to multi-brand groups. Here’s what yours needs, in order of importance.
The 7 essentials of a restaurant website
- 1. One-click booking, visible on the very first screen, mobile first: it’s the number one thing your visitors want to do.
- 2. An up-to-date menu, as a proper web page, not a PDF: readable on a phone, translatable and indexable by Google.
- 3. Flawless practical information: opening hours, address, how to get there, phone number. Half of all visits are looking for nothing else.
- 4. Photos that make people hungry: your own, not stock images. The plate, the dining room, the team.
- 5. An identity: your site should taste like your menu. A generic template tells the story of a generic restaurant.
- 6. Social proof: reviews, press, guides. Integrated with restraint, it reassures without turning the site into a billboard.
- 7. Speed: your customers look at the menu out on the street, on mobile data. Every second of loading time costs you covers.
Should you sell online (click and collect, gift vouchers)?
If you already sell takeaway through delivery platforms, an ordering module on your own site cuts out the commission and gives you back your customer list. Online gift vouchers are the most profitable add-on: sold in advance, often never fully used, and with no logistics. Neither is essential at launch: first, the site has to fill the dining room.
The most expensive mistake: the sleeping website
A winter menu still online in June tells customers just one thing: nobody’s looking after this place. A restaurant website must be editable by your own team, menu and opening hours first, without touching the design and without calling anyone. That’s a design requirement, not a luxury.
FAQ
Does a restaurant need a website if it has Instagram?
Yes. Instagram shows, but it doesn’t answer “open on Sundays?” or “vegetarian menu?”, and Google can’t read any of it. The website captures the people who are searching; Instagram keeps the people who already know you engaged.
Which booking tool should you choose?
The one that matches your volume and the commission you’re prepared to pay: Zenchef, TheFork, SevenRooms or another. What matters is how it’s integrated into the site, so customers can book without leaving it.
How long does it take to build a restaurant website?
Allow 4 to 6 weeks, including photos if they need to be shot. Supplying the menu and copy early shortens the timeline.
BLACKT designs websites that fill dining rooms: our offer for restaurants, or let’s talk about your restaurant.
Further reading
- websites for restaurants: what they need to contain and prove.
- restaurant branding: what sets one place apart from another.
