Restaurant owners have a full plate when it comes to the types of responsibility and knowledge they require to own and operate a successful restaurant. The internet and changing trends with mobile usage are creating a marketing shift that many restaurateurs have now realized. The internet is here to stay and more and more businesses, entrepreneurs and companies have learned that going online is a necessary component of any operation.

It used to be good enough to have a basic website with your menu posted somewhere online; however, the rage for having the internet and apps handy have made people look for restaurants online. What is considered ‘important’ has changed. Here are the top 4 things that every restaurant website needs to have to maximize its chances of converting website traffic into paying customers.

1. Mobile-Friendly Website Design: The majority of restaurant websites are not mobile friendly. There is a new standard for restaurant websites which is to offer visitors a version that is easy to read on a mobile device either through an app or a website built with responsive design.
2. The Online Menu: Restaurant websites that have a downloadable PDF menu are not compatible with a mobile device. If you are not ready to add responsive website design to your entire website, consider adding an online ordering system that features mobile-friendly menu design as part of their service. Make sure your menu page includes descriptions of the food, any specials or promotions and appealing photos of your dishes. If you use WordPress you can use our free WP Restaurant Price List plugin to create your responsive menu and compatible with new smartphones.
3. A Photo Gallery of your Restaurant and Food: People love to see what the restaurant looks like before they decide to eat there. That is why every restaurant website needs to have a photo gallery. Hire a professional photographer to come during one of your restaurant’s busy times and capture the ambiance, decor and dishes that make your restaurant unique. Then display the photos on your website in a simple photo gallery.
4. An Effective, Restaurant Homepage: Your homepage is the most important page on your website because it makes the first impression. Within seconds of arriving at your homepage, a person will decide if it is worth their time to look through the rest of your site.

With the advent of this virtual era, everyone goes online to look for restaurants when they want a new place to have dinner at. If your restaurant has no website, or if your online presence if not good enough, people will look for someone else whose restaurant they can find. Also, if you don’t feature a well-designed and thought out website, including photos, menu, contact and other information, potential customers will likely move on to another website and will dine at another restaurant.

There are hundreds of professional restaurant website design companies that designs, develops, and markets websites, specifically for the restaurant industry.

The professional web design solutions help restaurants stay organized and put out an ultra-professional reputation that helps drive more traffic. Be it a large-scale food chain or a small mom-and-pop restaurant, the designers can provide a custom-made website for your restaurant. Yes, before designing a website, they learn the ambience of every restaurant they we work with, as no two restaurants have the same ambience and dining. Whether you have an existing website requiring some updates or are just getting started in the restaurant business and want to go online, hire an expert team of restaurant website designers.