Guests should be able to read your current menu, find your opening hours and request a table without taking several detours. Put this information near the start of the site structure, even if you have beautiful photos and a lot to say about your cooking.
Plan for ongoing updates, too. When the menu or opening hours change, someone needs to know where the information lives and how to update it. A restaurant website is not finished forever when it first goes live.
The menu needs to be easy to read on a phone
A menu written as regular page text can adapt to small screens. Guests can browse the categories without zooming in on a document or scrolling sideways. A PDF can be useful as an extra option, for example for saving or printing.
Do not use a photo of the printed menu as the only version. Its text will not automatically reflow into an easy-to-read layout on a phone. Even a carefully designed PDF should not be the only way to view the dishes if it is hard to read on the go.
- Organise the menu into clear categories.
- Keep each dish, its description and its price together.
- Label different menus and state when each one applies.
- Explain how you communicate short-notice changes.
Website design does not replace a content review of the menu. The information comes from your business. Assign someone to approve changes and keep all versions in sync.
Make your opening hours clear
If kitchen hours differ from opening hours, list both. The same applies to closing days, holiday closures and special dates. A holiday notice should not still appear as current information months later.
| Question | Information to provide |
|---|---|
| When are you open? | Regular hours and known exceptions. |
| Until what time is hot food served? | Kitchen hours, if they differ from opening hours. |
| Can I come without a reservation? | Your actual policy. |
| Where is the entrance? | The address and, if needed, brief directions. |
Keep your hours in sync with your Google Business Profile. That way, the website and search results show the same information. A guest might otherwise notice the mismatch only after arriving at a closed door.
Choose a booking method you can manage
Phone, email and a booking system each involve different processes. A form initially sends a request. Whether that request becomes a confirmed reservation depends on your team and the system you use. Make the status clear.
If requests arrive by email, someone at the business needs to be responsible for handling them. A booking system needs its hours, capacity and exceptions kept up to date. The extra technology helps only when it fits your day-to-day process.
Our website package includes a direct contact option. A booking system is not included by default and needs to be planned separately. Your proposal should make this distinction clear, too.
Show the place guests will visit
Photos of the dining room, outdoor area and selected dishes give guests a sense of the visit. Choose images that match your current offer. A beautiful photo of a completely different restaurant creates the wrong expectations.
A small selection is usually easier to maintain than a large gallery. Choose images that work in both wide and narrow crops. Keep essential information as page text, not only inside an image.
Keep your website and Business Profile up to date
Google offers eligible food businesses features for displaying menus with dishes, descriptions and prices. The options available can vary by profile. Check the settings offered in your own account.
Link to the relevant page on your website. When something changes, set a short process: update the website menu, any PDF and the information in your Business Profile. If several people contribute, make clear who confirms the update is complete.
What the website needs at launch
- The current menu and approved copy.
- Regular opening hours and, where relevant, kitchen hours.
- Address, contact details and directions.
- The agreed process for table requests.
- Your own photos or images licensed for the intended use.
- A named person responsible for future updates.
Start with the information guests need before a visit. Stories about your cooking and its origins can add to the site. Show the atmosphere without making the menu and contact details harder to find.