How To Build A Restaurant Website In 2024

How To Build A Restaurant Website

For firms in the foodservice sector, having a website is essential. It allows your restaurant to be found online, offers menus and basic information to customers, and acts as a platform for accepting online bookings and orders for pick-up or delivery. All you have to do now is choose a content management system (CMS), a template, edit your template, and publish your site.

1. Decide On A Content Management System (CMS) (CMS)

The first step in creating a restaurant website is to decide on a site builder. This is a crucial choice that determines how simple (or difficult) it will be to design, create, launch, and administer your website, as well as how much it will cost. You won't run out of possibilities, from WordPress to more user-friendly site builders like Squarespace and Wix. The finest platforms for creating a restaurant website are as follows:

Wix

The best all-around website builder for restaurants, featuring a simple and user-friendly site editor. It comes with everything you'll need to get discovered, make online bookings, and take online orders.

Squarespace

Squarespace is the best choice for businesses who want to sell food and products online since it offers the most economical online selling options and food ordering capabilities built-in.

GoDaddy

It features industry-leading booking capabilities and an event ticketing system, making it a great solution for restaurants that serve as event venues, whether they conduct events often or provide spaces for private use.

Webnode

The best bare-bones solution for restaurants on a small budget that simply need a basic and informative website to keep their internet presence up to date.

WordPress

WordPress is ideal for huge restaurant chains with a large number of websites. With the best web hosting services, such as Bluehost, which costs $2.95 per month, you can host several sites for one cheap set monthly fee.

You've undoubtedly heard that WordPress is the most popular content management system. It's best to avoid it if you're new to web design and don't have the time (or inclination) to learn.

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WordPress not only has a high learning curve, but it also requires regular maintenance. To save you time and difficulties, we'll utilize Wix instead, which is a low-maintenance and simple-to-use site builder.

It's also the greatest website builder for restaurants in general. If you're dead set on using WordPress, check out our step-by-step tutorial on how to create a WordPress website. Make sure to include restaurant-specific plugins, such as Restaurant Menu by MotoPress or FoodBook for online ordering, while installing plugins.

Squarespace Versus Wix: Which Is Better?

Squarespace and Wix are two popular website builders that make creating a professional website simple and inexpensive for almost anybody. While Wix includes a genuine drag-and-drop editor, it may be clumsy, and the creative flexibility can lead to uneven (and bad) design. On the other side, Squarespace is well-known for its high-quality templates and professional design.

2. Register For An Account

The next step is to go through your favorite provider after deciding which CMS to use to develop your site. Go to Wix and click the “Get Started” button, for example. After that, you'll be requested to create an account.

Click the “Get Started” option on the next page, and then specify that you're creating a restaurant website. Finally, you'll be asked to choose the restaurant features you want in your design.

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3. Pick A Restaurant Design Template

You'll then be asked if you want Wix to develop your site for you or if you want to choose a template. You can use either, but we'll go with “pick a template” for greater design flexibility.

Following that, you'll be taken to the template library, where you'll see templates that match your requirements depending on the information you provided in the previous step. Here are some pointers to consider while selecting a template for your restaurant website:

Match the template to your brand
Check to see whether it includes the resources you'll need
Run the template through a user experience test

Take your time looking through the templates, and when you find one you like, mouse over it and pick “View” to try it out. Click “Edit” to access the site editor if it meets your demands and the design style you choose.

4. Make Your Template Your Own

It's now time to start personalizing your restaurant website, which includes adding your own logo, modifying the header and footer, adding and deleting pages (such as your locations, hours, and menu), and integrating any connections (e.g., OpenTable). Wix is a highly user-friendly site builder, but it will take some time to get to know how to use it.

Personalize Your Header

Because your header will be shown on every page, it's critical to have a well-designed header with easy-to-use navigation for future site visitors. Simply click inside the header area to make changes.

You may then edit the navigation, add your company's name or logo, change the colours and fonts, and update any components, such as a call-to-action (CTA) button (e.g., online ordering or online reservations).

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5. Examine And Publish Your Website

You're nearly ready to publish and go live with your website. Before you do so, double-check that everything on your site looks and performs correctly. Examine each web page, click on each link, and make any necessary changes to the content.

Also, click the “Preview” button in the upper right-hand corner to see how your site appears on mobile, and then change it to mobile by clicking the mobile symbol in the upper left-hand corner.

When you're ready, click “Publish” in the top right corner, and then “Upgrade to Premium Plan” in the pop-up that displays. This will allow you to link your own domain, as well as take online payments (both of which are required for any professional website). Choose the best plan for you and finish the checkout procedure.

6. What Is The Best Way To Include Reviews On My Restaurant's Website?

The platform you chose to develop your site (e.g., WordPress, Squarespace, or Wix) and the platform you use to gather reviews will determine how to incorporate reviews on your site (e.g., Google, Trustpilot, or Tripadvisor). If you're using WordPress for your website, a plugin is your best choice. Go to Plugins > Add new and type in the name of the review platform you're using (e.g., Google Reviews). Learn more about Google reviews and how to incorporate them.

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7. Which Online Reservation Systems Are The Most Effective?

If your restaurant takes reservations, you'll need an online reservation system.

ResyOS
Tock
Yelp Bookings
EatApp
SevenRooms, and
GloriaFood

These are the finest overall systems, whether you only require the capacity to accept and manage reservations via your website or you need more complex capabilities like the ability to collect prepayments or send SMS notifications.

Conclusion

Building a website for a restaurant does not have to be complex or costly. It's really lovely and economical, thanks to an all-in-one website builder like Wix, with options beginning at $14 per month and no startup costs.

You may also use Wix for free to get started (no credit cards required). Visit Wix to learn how simple it is to create your own restaurant website that can be found online and drive more customers through your doors.

“People who love to eat are usually the greatest people,” Julia Child famously stated. You probably have firsthand experience with this as a restaurant owner. Even for the most ardent foodies, though, a restaurant is about much more than just specialties.

There are so many aspects that go into making your restaurant as amazing as it is, from your drool-worthy plating to immaculate service and the right ambiance.

Creating a restaurant website is at the top of that list of restaurant must-haves. A robust and professional internet presence may help your restaurant's marketing efforts by encouraging consumers to reserve tables, purchase food, and tell their friends about their experience.

Fortunately, you don't need to know how to code or design to create the right website for your business. To build the website of your dreams on your own, just follow the instructions below.

Collect Ideas And Inspiration

Inspiration may strike everywhere, not just in the kitchen. Learn about the newest web design trends and visit some of your favorite restaurant websites. Keep an eye out for websites of restaurants in your area or that provide food in a similar manner to yours.

You may also gain some inspiration from this selection of restaurant website templates to help you bring your restaurant's atmosphere online. Make a mental note of why you like these restaurant websites and themes and what you believe should be improved as you go through them.

These tips will come in handy while building your own website. After that, you may start brainstorming any site ideas you may have. Do you want to greet your customers with a full-screen picture, or do you want to start with only the restaurant logo?

Do you want your visitors to use a menu to traverse the website, or do you want them to scroll through a single long-scroll page? You may start planning out the structure of your site once concepts like these start to take form.

Make A Content Plan

Approaching the cooking of a dish without first deciding on the ingredients is the web design equivalent of approaching the Editor without first deciding on the pages or sections you'd want to include.

Consider what kinds of information you'd want to provide your visitors (anything from hours of operation to a picture gallery) and what kinds of activities you'd like them to be able to do (such as reserving a table).

Here's a list of suggested pages for a restaurant website to help you make your selection. Of course, you may add to or subtract from this list to best suit your company, but these possibilities are a wonderful place to start:

Your Homepage

Your homepage, as the front door of your website, is your one opportunity to make a good first impression. This part should be simple and uncomplicated, with just the most essential information for visitors to understand right immediately.

Your company name, or restaurant name, should be prominently displayed, followed by a smaller tagline that describes the service you offer. Finally, including one or two visually appealing elements on your site is usually a fantastic idea for attracting visitors.

Menu

Because the food you serve is the heart of your company, it should also be the heart of your website. Tempt your visitor's hunger by offering a variety of foods, as well as rates and offers.

You can create a menu that looks fantastic on both desktop and mobile and is even search engine friendly, with the Wix Restaurant Menu app.

Determine menu prices and ensure that your menu is presented in a clear and logical manner. Consider including images of your food or breaking the menu into parts to make it easier to read.

Gallery

We eat with our eyes first, therefore showcasing your food in all its splendour is a good enough argument. Delicious-looking images of your cuisine, restaurant, and maybe even a peek behind the doors of your kitchen can put visitors in the appropriate mood.

On both desktop and mobile, the Wix Pro Gallery displays photographs in their highest quality and lets you pick from a range of layout options. If your restaurant has an active Instagram account, you can easily incorporate it into your website, keeping your material as fresh and up-to-date as your social feed.

Reservations

What better approach to get consumers in the door than to let them reserve a table directly via your website? For every company, relying only on walk-ins and phone calls is unproductive and leads to unrealized potential.

When booking a table using Wix Reservations, guests may choose the time, day, and a number of people in their group. Once you've accepted their reservation, you'll get an immediate email and SMS confirmation. You will be able to manage all bookings and gather client information online for no charge as the company owner.

Orders For Takeout Or Delivery

If your company provides takeout or delivery, your website is a gold mine for attracting new consumers. Create a comfortable and easy-to-use interface with Wix Restaurants Orders that enables clients to choose their favorite foods right from your delivery menu.

They can pay and tip using any device, share the tab with others, and even place an order ahead of time. The power over your orders is entirely in your hands with this 100% commission-free tool. You may choose delivery zones, get alerts for each incoming order, accept and manage orders while on the road, and much more.

Make sure your consumers have everything they need to contact you before they get too ‘hungry.' Include all-important contact information on a distinct page or section.

Mention your business hours, address(es), phone number, email, and social media profiles. If your newsletter has one, you may also include a contact form or a subscribe form.

In addition to developing a contact page, include your most critical contact information in the footer of your website (the section at the bottom that appears on all pages) so that it is readily accessible from any page. Your business hours, phone number, location, and social network connections may all be included at the bottom.

About

The ‘About' or ‘Our Story' page is where you may tell a bit about what makes your restaurant special. Write about your company's history, as well as your expertise, goal, and values.

You can also wish to introduce your team members and inform them about yourself. Allow your website visitors to gain a sense of your restaurant, its people, and the ideals that drive it so that they feel at ease even before they come.

Testimonials

This one is optional, but if any of your clients have ever gushed about your life-changing macaroons, or if any media has ever written a review extolling your outstanding service, take advantage of the free PR job. Customers see impartial evaluations as a very trustworthy source of information, so include favourable remarks and don't forget to credit the source.

Select A Delectable Template

You don't need to be a web designer to make your website seem as delicious as your food. Instead, go through a variety of designer-crafted restaurant and food templates to discover the one that's ideal for you and meets your aesthetics and requirements.

Each template is totally modifiable, so you may use it as is or as a starting point for experimenting to get the results you want. These templates may be customized in a variety of ways, from minor changes to complete overhauls. If you'd rather take a shortcut, Wix ADI can set up your website for you in a matter of minutes.

Simply respond to a few questions so that the artificial design intelligence (ADI) tool may learn about your company, the style of website you want, and even your preferred colours. Then, just in front of your eyes, witness a website come to life in cyberspace.

I trust you enjoyed this article on How To Build A Restaurant Website. Would you please stay tuned for more articles to come? Take care!

JeannetteZ

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