Restaurant website must-haves: menu, online ordering and reservations
Most diners check your website before they visit. Here is what a restaurant website needs so they book a table or place an order instead of moving on.
Before choosing where to eat, most people look up the restaurant on their phone. They want the menu, the hours, the location and a quick way to book or order. These restaurant website must-haves are what turn that quick look into a reserved table or a pickup order.
You do not need a huge site. A café, a family restaurant or a busy grill can do very well with a few fast, clear pages. What matters is that the essentials are easy to find on a phone in a few seconds. Here is the checklist.
Put your menu online as real text, not a PDF
The menu is the most visited part of any restaurant website. A PDF or a photo of a printed menu is hard to read on a phone, slow to load and invisible to Google. Publish it as a real web page instead.
- Group dishes into clear sections with short descriptions and prices.
- Mark vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and spicy options.
- Make it easy to update when prices or seasonal dishes change.
- Add a QR code at the tables that opens the same mobile menu.
Photos, hours, location and Google Maps
Good photos of your dishes, your dining room and your terrace help people picture the visit. Use your own photos, well lit, and keep them light so the page loads fast.
Your opening hours, address, phone number and an embedded Google Map should be visible on every page, usually in the header or footer. Include holiday hours and a note on parking or the nearest transit stop. People often look for this information while already on their way.
Online reservations that work on a phone
If you take reservations, let people book without calling. A simple booking form or reservation tool should show available times, ask for party size and contact details, and send an instant confirmation. Add a reminder the day before to reduce no-shows.
Put a “Book a table” button at the top of every page so it is always one tap away.
Online ordering for pickup and delivery vs delivery apps
Delivery apps help new customers find you, but they charge a commission on each order, often a significant share. Having online ordering on your own website for pickup and delivery lets regular customers order directly, so you keep more of each sale and get their contact details.
Many restaurants keep the apps for discovery and use their own ordering for loyal customers. Make your direct ordering attractive with a small reason to use it, such as a free drink or a loyalty discount.
How do I get my restaurant to show up for “restaurant near me”?
Local search starts with your Google Business Profile. Fill in every field: categories, hours, menu link, photos and your website. Ask happy customers for reviews and reply to them, both good and bad.
- Use your cuisine and neighborhood in page titles, for example “Mexican restaurant in” plus your area.
- Keep your name, address and phone exactly the same on your website and Google.
- Make the site fast: compressed images and no heavy pop-ups.
- Set it up in Google Search Console so you can see how people find you.
Bilingual menus and AI agents for reservations
If you serve tourists or a bilingual neighborhood, offer your menu and key pages in both languages, for example English and Spanish. It makes visitors feel welcome and helps you appear in searches in both languages.
Restaurants get the same questions all day on WhatsApp and Instagram: are you open, do you have a table for six, do you have vegan options. An AI agent can answer these, take reservations and send menu links on your website chat, WhatsApp, Instagram and phone, while handing anything unusual to your staff. Learn more in our guide to AI booking agents for small businesses.
Getting your restaurant website built
At Buildmine we design and build restaurant and café websites with mobile menus, reservations, online ordering and AI agents, in English, Spanish or both. You do not need to be technical. It starts with a free 30-minute call, then a blueprint with a fixed quote, so you know the cost upfront. A focused website is typically ready in one to three weeks.
You can see example designs, including a restaurant and a brunch café concept, on our home page, or read more about whether your business needs a website and our services.
Frequently asked questions
Is a PDF menu good enough for my restaurant website?
It works, but it is hard to read on phones and Google cannot read it well. A text menu on a web page is faster, easier to update and better for search.
Should I stop using delivery apps if I have my own online ordering?
Not necessarily. Many restaurants keep the apps to reach new customers and encourage regulars to order directly, where no app commission applies.
What pages does a small restaurant website need?
Usually a home page, menu, reservations or ordering, and an about or location page with hours and a map. Small and fast beats big and slow.
How do I get more reviews on Google?
Ask satisfied guests, add a review link to your receipts, QR codes or follow-up messages, and reply to every review.
How long does it take to build a restaurant website?
A focused restaurant website typically takes one to three weeks. Online ordering or an AI agent can be added as needed, with a fixed quote upfront.
