Welcome to part 1 (of?) in my series about getting your restaurant online (quickly and efficiently).
Well here we go, it's time to dive into your website, either for the first time or to give it a little refresh. If you're hoping this post will save you some time and hassle, well.... good thing you're here. Grab a pen or copy and paste the list below, I've put together a little checklist you can follow to make sure your site contains everything your users are looking for when they land on your page. (I'm talking about stuff beyond your logo and maybe some good looking pics of your product). Fair warning: if you're not a food service brand, this probably doesn't apply to you....so.... sorry Charlie.
This is the list I keep as a reference for myself before I deliver a site to a client. I wouldn't want them coming back to me asking where their phone number is like this is amateur hour.
This is stuff you NEED to have on your restaurants site, this is the the info that, if you DON'T have on your site, you'll be answering emails with some .jpegs, .pdf's, or google address links attached. No fun. Try to put this info above the fold on your site if possible.
Your Menu
As clear and easy-to-read as possible. The ONLY caveat for not having your menu online is if you have an online ordering system where your customers can find your offerings.
Service Offerings
Offer pickup, dine-in , curb-side, AND delivery? Your customers visiting your site want to know! Put it in a headline right in the hero section of your site. Something like this will work wonders to keep your host off the phone answering "do you deliver?" phone calls : "Award winning Jamaican food in Albuquerque, now offering curbside pickup, and contactless delivery!"
Social Links
Have em? This is where your customers will click to get a good idea of what your food looks like.
Your Address
Bonus if it's clickable, nothing like trying to copy and paste a google address off a website on your phone 🙄
Phone Number
If phone orders are a big thing for you put this either right in the center of your hero section or at the top of the page on the mobile version of your site. You don't want users having to look too hard to find what they're looking for.
Hours of Operation
You can pop this in the top right corner of your site right under the phone number.
An Order Online Link
They're looking for it.... trust me. Make it easy to find.
If you have the capabilities to add the following, add them to your list and pop them on your site!
Email List Sign Up
Grow your email list! (Read this)
Book a Table
Can your customers book online? Don't forget to add this in!
Facebook Pixel
Build. Your. Ad. Audience.
Google Analytics
Know your users!
I figured I'd put together a little list of some things user's just don't care about in my experience. So... take it for what it's worth but I say either don't waste your time and energy, or put some of this stuff on your social media 👍
Daily specials (maybe make room for this on your menu section if you feel like updating it every day, I dont see any harm in adding a "check out our daily specials on our facebook or insta" button and redirecting them to a social link for that)
Endless Pictures. Post enough to get the point across, no one is looking for pictures of your dining room from every angle and then photography of every item. Put 3-5 of your best pics up and call it a day.
A blog
Unless you have something great to say or a strong SEO strategy, skip it.
Well that's it... did I miss something? Let me know on my Insta!
Ready to choose your platform? Read part 2.
I help ambitious restaurant groups craft and grow powerful brands using creative strategies and meaningful design.
I’d love to hear about your business, your goals and your challenges.
