Most people who visit a restaurant website are hungry, on a phone and in a hurry. They want three things: what’s on the menu, whether you’re open and how to order or book. If your site makes that hard, they’ll move on to the next place. Here’s what to check.
The essentials
- Your menu as a web page, not a PDF or a photo. Include prices, and keep them up to date.
- Opening hours on the homepage, including holidays.
- A tap-to-call phone number that works with one tap on mobile.
- Your address and a map, with parking or delivery areas if they’re relevant.
- Clear ordering or booking. Say how people should do it, right at the top.
- Good photos of your real food. They sell better than stock images.
Make it work on a phone
Open your site on your own phone and try to find your menu, your hours and your phone number. Can you do each one in a few seconds? Does the text fit without zooming? That’s the real test.
Allergen information
UK food businesses must provide information on the 14 main allergens. If you sell online or by phone for delivery, that information has to be available before the customer buys, as well as when the food is delivered. Say clearly how customers can get it, and check the Food Standards Agency’s guidance for your situation.
Think about delivery app fees
Delivery apps bring you orders, but they charge commission on each one. Your own website can give regular customers a direct route, even if that’s simply a clear menu and a call-to-order button. We built exactly that for Fry & Fork, a takeaway in Kirkcaldy: customers build an order on their phone and call the shop, so there’s no commission.
Get found on Google
- Claim your Google Business Profile, and keep your hours and menu link up to date.
- Use a clear page title, such as “Fish & Chips in Kirkcaldy | Fry & Fork”.
- Add Restaurant structured data, so search engines can read your address, hours and menu.
- Ask for reviews, which matter a lot for restaurants. Here’s how to do it properly.
Useful extras
- A QR code on tables, flyers and packaging. Our free QR code generator makes one in seconds.
- A short “about us” section, because people like knowing who’s cooking.
- A preview image, so your link looks good when it’s shared on WhatsApp.
How does your site do?
Run the free website check to see what’s missing. If you don’t have a website yet, we build mobile-friendly sites with menus and opening hours for £149, including the domain and first-year hosting.
Common questions
Should my menu be a PDF?
It’s better as a normal web page. PDFs are slow and fiddly on phones, and search engines and AI assistants read web pages more easily.