Designing a restaurant website

Every good business needs to have an online presence. If there isn’t a website, then it is so much harder for customers to find you. The days of everyone having a yellow pages in their home to find a cafe or restaurant is long gone – people search for things online now, thanks to the rapid growth of the internet.

Key features of a restaurant’s website

If a restaurant wants to attract customers then there are a few things that it will definitely need to have on its website. The first is some eye catching imagery. A site that consists of plain text will not be very enticing. Include images of the actual restaurant. Any site that opts for stock images will soon lose customers when they realise that what they see online is very different to the reality.

The menu is a must on the website. Everyone will want to know what is on offer before they decide to visit your establishment. It is also your opportunity to explain to your customers which dishes are suitable for vegans, are gluten free and which contain other allergens.

Creating the site

With so much software and templates for web design, it isn’t necessary to have formal web design training. All you would need to create the site is a good quality computer and the content to go on it. It does not even have to be a new computer. A refurbished imac is a good choice as these are good quality computers with a high resolution screen that will help to create the sharpness of image that you are looking for. And a refurbished imac will definitely not be as expensive as you might think.

Take the time to play about with different templates and try different images to see what works best for your restaurant. Try to create an image online of the ambiance that the customer can expect when they visit in person. A website is similar to a shop window and any customer should be able to tell what your restaurant is all about when they look at the site.