Websites for restaurants, cafés and bistros: menu, reservations, Google
Guests visit a restaurant website with three questions: what's on, is it open today, can I get a table. Most do it on a phone, often straight from Google Maps. A restaurant website doesn't need to be big, but it has to answer those three questions faster than the Google profile alone, and it has to match that profile.
The menu: text, not PDF
A scanned PDF menu is awkward to read on a phone, loads slowly and goes out of date quickly. As a normal text page the menu is readable, your team can update it and search engines can understand it. People searching for "vegan pasta" or "lunch menu" in your town find you more easily when those words are on the menu.
What works:
- Categories with prices, short descriptions and vegetarian and vegan labels.
- A separate page or section for the lunch or weekly menu that the team updates without a developer.
- Allergens: if you take orders online, EU food information rules require allergen information to be available before purchase. For an information-only menu it's voluntary, but for many guests it's a reason to choose you.
Reservations and ordering
A reservation button belongs at the top of every page. Whether you embed a reservation system or rely on phone and form depends on demand: once evenings are regularly full, a system with confirmation and reminders saves phone time and reduces no-shows.
For pickup and delivery it pays to compare: delivery platforms bring reach but charge commission per order. Your own ordering on the website makes most sense for regulars who already know you.
Google profile and website must match
For restaurants the Google Business Profile is often the most important channel. Opening hours, holiday hours, phone number, menu and reservation link should be identical there and on the website. Contradictions confuse guests and search engines.
On the website, Restaurant structured data with cuisine, opening hours, address and menu link helps search engines match the details unambiguously.
Photos, cookies and cost
Real photos of dishes and rooms beat any stock photo, but they must be compressed for phones or the page loads slowly. Embedded Instagram feeds, Google Maps or reservation widgets often set cookies; load them only after a click or obtain consent.
Most restaurants need a compact website: home, menu, reservations, about, directions and events. With us such a website starts at €1,800 fixed price, including a self-editable menu and integration of your reservation system.
Frequently asked questions
- Isn't an Instagram profile enough?
- Instagram shows atmosphere but answers opening hours, menu and reservations poorly and hardly appears in Google for "restaurant + town". The website is where your Google profile and Instagram link to.
- Can we change the lunch menu and prices ourselves?
- Yes. Menu, lunch specials, opening hours and events are edited in the editor, from a phone too.
- Do we need pages for events and catering?
- If you offer group bookings, company parties or catering, yes: these enquiries are often the most valuable and are searched for specifically. A dedicated page with capacity, menu suggestions and an enquiry form brings them in.
Sources
Tell us about your restaurant, your reservation system and whether you take orders. You get a page plan and a fixed price.
Request a restaurant website