Why Restaurants Need Great Websites
In the hospitality industry, your website is the digital equivalent of your restaurant's kerb appeal. Before a guest ever tastes your food, they taste your brand online. In fact, 90% of guests research a restaurant online before visiting. If your site is slow, outdated, or hard to read on a phone, they will simply scroll to the next option.
Your website needs to answer three questions immediately: What is the vibe? What is on the menu? How do I get a table?
Step 1: Create the Foundation
Start by setting the mood. Is your place a dark, romantic speakeasy or a bright, fast-casual brunch spot? Your prompt should reflect this atmosphere.
Prompt:"Create a restaurant website for an upscale Italian venue called 'Bella Notte'. Use a dark, elegant aesthetic with warm gold typography (#D4AF37). The homepage should feature a full-screen hero video of pasta being made, with a clear 'Book a Table' button overlay."
Step 2: The Menu Experience
PDF menus are the enemy of user experience. They are hard to read on mobile and impossible for search engines to index. Build a native, responsive menu instead.
Prompt:"Create a menu page with distinct sections for Antipasti, Primi, Secondi, and Dolci. Each item should have a name, a mouth-watering description, price, and allergen icons (GF, V). Use a sophisticated two-column layout that stacks vertically on mobile."
Step 3: The Reservation Engine
The goal of the site is to fill seats. Don't bury the reservation link. It should be the most prominent action on every page.
Prompt:"Add a prominent reservation widget that stays visible as you scroll. It should allow guests to select party size, date, and time. On the backend, create a simple confirmation page that thanks them and sends a calendar invite."
Local SEO Ecosystem
To get found, you need to tell Google who you are. A website is just one part of the local ecosystem.
Step 4: Tell Your Story
Food is personal. People love to know who is cooking for them. Prompt:
"Create an 'Our Story' section that introduces the Head Chef. Include a portrait photo and a short bio about their culinary journey from Naples to New York. Emphasize the commitment to locally sourced ingredients."
Step 5: Essential Operations Info
Don't make hungry people hunt for your address. Prompt:
"Design a functional footer that includes the full address with an embedded Google Map, phone number, and hours of operation clearly listed for each day of the week. Add links to Instagram and Facebook."
Restaurant Website Must-Haves
* Mobile First: 80% of restaurant searches happen on mobile devices while people are walking down the street. Your site must be thumb-friendly. * Photography: Invest in professional food photography. A blurry photo of a steak looks unappetizing; a crisp one triggers hunger pangs. * Up-to-Date Info: Nothing frustrates a guest more than showing up for a Happy Hour that ended six months ago.
Conclusion
A great restaurant website is an extension of your hospitality. It welcomes guests, guides them to their choices, and makes the booking process seamless. With BYOB, you can build a site that reflects the quality of your kitchen without spending your entire marketing budget.
Build your restaurant site