Good restaurant website design does three jobs fast: it shows your menu, lets people order, and lets them book a table, all from a phone in a few taps. If a hungry customer can’t find your hours, menu or “order now” button within seconds, they’ll pick the place down the street.
Your website doesn’t need to be fancy. It needs to be fast, current and easy to use with one thumb while someone stands on Commercial Street deciding where to eat.
This guide covers what to put on your site, how to handle menus, how to choose between online ordering options, and how to set up reservations without giving away more of your margin than necessary.
What should a restaurant website include?
Before you think about colors and fonts in your restaurant website design, make sure the basics are rock solid. Most visitors come looking for the same few things:
- Hours, including holiday and seasonal changes.
- Address and a map link, plus parking tips if parking is tricky.
- Phone number that’s tappable on mobile.
- The menu, as real text on the page (more on that below).
- An “Order Online” button if you do takeout or delivery.
- A “Reserve a Table” button if you take reservations.
- Great photos of your food, your room and your team.
- Private events or catering info if you offer it, with a simple inquiry form.
Put hours, location, phone and your main action buttons near the top of the home page. For a lot of people, that’s all they’ll read.
Different industries have different must-haves. If you’re curious how restaurants compare with other local businesses, see our overview of small business website design by industry.
How should you put your menu online?
This is where many restaurant sites fall down. A scanned PDF menu feels easy to update, but it’s frustrating on a phone: people have to pinch, zoom and wait for a download. It’s also harder for search engines to read.
Use an HTML menu, not just a PDF
Build your menu as regular text on a web page, organized by sections like starters, mains, desserts and drinks. That way it loads quickly, reads well on any screen, and lets Google understand what you serve. You can still offer a printable PDF as a secondary link.
Keep it current
Nothing frustrates a customer like driving over for a dish that came off the menu in September. Make sure your website lets you (or your manager) update items and prices yourself in minutes. If you change menus seasonally, as many Maine restaurants do between summer and the shoulder seasons, plan for that from day one.
Sync your menu with Google
Your Google Business Profile has its own menu tools. According to Google’s Business Profile help page on the menu editor, food and drink businesses can list items with descriptions and prices directly on their profile, or simply add a link to a menu hosted elsewhere. Google notes it may also pull menu details from your website, so keeping your site accurate helps keep Google accurate too.
Online ordering: third-party apps vs ordering on your own site
Delivery apps can bring in new customers, but they take a cut of every order. On DoorDash’s merchant pricing page, Marketplace delivery commissions range from 15% to 30% depending on the plan, while orders placed through DoorDash’s own commission-free online ordering carry only a payment processing fee.
That’s why many restaurants use both: apps for discovery, and direct ordering on their own website for regulars. Every order placed directly is an order where you keep more of the money and own the customer relationship.
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Third-party marketplace apps | Exposure to new customers; delivery drivers handled for you | Commission on each order; you don’t own the customer data |
| Ordering through your POS (e.g. Toast, Square) | Orders flow straight to the kitchen; menu syncs with your system | Monthly or processing fees; setup takes some care |
| Commission-free ordering pages from delivery platforms | Lower fees than marketplace orders; quick to set up | Still a third-party page; less control over the look |
Whatever you choose, link to it with a big, obvious “Order Online” button on every page, especially on mobile.
Restaurant website design for reservations
If you take reservations, make booking as easy as ordering. Embed a booking widget or link to your reservation system right from your home page and menu page.
Reservation platforms vary a lot in cost. As one example, OpenTable’s plans page lists monthly subscriptions starting at $149, plus per-cover fees for diners who find you through OpenTable’s network. Bookings made through your own website are treated differently, and on higher plans they’re included. That’s another reason to send your regulars to your own site rather than to a marketplace.
Not every restaurant needs a paid platform. A small café might be fine with phone reservations and a clear note on the site. A busy summer spot in Ogunquit may need online booking to keep the phone from ringing all night. Booking tools work much the same way for other appointment-driven businesses; see how we approach it in salon and spa websites with online booking.
Restaurant website design tips that make a real difference
- Mobile first. Most people looking up a restaurant are on their phone. Design for small screens, then scale up.
- Speed. Compress large food photos so pages load quickly, even on a weak coastal cell signal.
- Clear buttons. “Order Online,” “Reserve,” “Call” and “Directions” should never be more than a tap away.
- Real photos. Your actual dishes and dining room build more trust than stock images.
- Seasonal banners. Announce winter hours, closures or patio season at the top of the site.
- Accessibility. Use readable text sizes, good color contrast and descriptive image text. The W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are the widely used standard for this.
How much does a restaurant website cost?
Costs depend on how many pages you need, whether you’re integrating ordering and reservations, and how much photography and copywriting help you want. For market ranges and what drives price up or down, read our guide on how much a website costs in Maine.
Morellis doesn’t use fixed packages. Every project is quoted after a free consultation, so you only pay for what your restaurant actually needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should my restaurant menu be a PDF or a web page?
A web page is better for most restaurants. It loads faster on phones, is easier to read and is easier for search engines to understand. You can still offer a PDF version as an extra download for people who want to print it.
Do I need online ordering on my own website if I’m already on delivery apps?
It’s worth considering. Delivery apps help new customers find you, but they charge commissions on each order. Direct ordering on your own site gives regulars a way to order that usually costs you less.
What’s the most important thing on a restaurant home page?
Hours, location, phone number and your main action buttons. Most visitors want to know if you’re open, where you are, and how to order or book. Put those at the top, then add photos and your story below.
How often should I update my restaurant website?
Any time your menu, prices or hours change. Seasonal businesses should also update before each season, including holiday hours and closures. Keep Google Business Profile in sync at the same time.
Can I update the menu myself after the site is built?
You should be able to. Ask your designer to set up the menu so you or your staff can change items and prices without calling a developer. On WordPress, that’s straightforward to do.
Let’s build a site that fills tables
Whether you run a lobster shack in Bar Harbor or a cozy bistro in Portland, your website should make it easy to see the menu, place an order and book a table. Morellis is a web design and marketing team based in Westbrook, Maine, and we build restaurant websites that work hard on busy Friday nights. Book a free 30-minute consultation to talk about your menu, ordering and reservations, or explore our website and marketing services.