How to Make a Restaurant Website

You want more customers. You want people to find your restaurant. You want a bigger reach. A website is your digital door. It gives you new ways to sell. Maybe you want people to order online. Maybe you want them to see your menu before they visit. A website helps with all these goals. Many owners ask, “How do I make a restaurant website?” Maybe they search “restaurant website tips” or “easy steps to build a restaurant site.” If that is you, keep reading. It is not too hard. You just need some plan, a clear name, a good design, and a way for guests to order. You can do it bit by bit. Let’s get started.

A website is like a digital sign. It must be clear. It must share who you are. It must show your food. It must tell your story. Old ways of marketing might be slow now. People go online to find places to eat. They also order pickup or delivery. They often want to see photos of your dishes. Many also want to check your open hours and maybe read your story. So your website is more than a page. It is like a new dining room. You can even add loyalty deals there. Some owners worry about the cost. Some worry about the time. But you can do it in simple steps. Let’s break it down.

Plan Your Website

Before you jump in, sit down. Think about what your site must do. Do you want to show your menu? Do you want to sell gift cards? Do you want to take direct online orders? Write it all down. This planning step saves you pain later. Some owners only want a one-page site with pictures. Others want many pages, like an About page or a Gallery page. Think also about color themes. If your restaurant is bright, your site should match. If you are cozy, use warm colors. Keep it simple. Guests do not like messy pages. They want to see a few big pictures, a few easy menus, and a quick way to order or reserve. Once you have a plan, you can move on.

Pick a Domain Name

Next, get a domain name. That is the website address that people type. For example, something like “mariasdiner.com.” You want a name that is simple. You want it easy to remember. It can just be your restaurant name. Avoid long words. Avoid special characters like dashes if you can. Also check that no one else owns it. You can find domain sellers online. Prices can vary, but they are usually a small yearly cost. Do not let tricky domain names confuse your customers. If your restaurant is called Charlie’s Café, keep it simple. Try “charliescafe.com” or “charliescafeonline.com” if the first one is not there. The domain name is like your address on the internet. You want it to make sense.

• Short name is best
• Avoid odd symbols
• Check if it is easy to spell
• Think about your brand

Choose Your Platform

You can build a website in different ways. Some people hire a local web developer. Some people use platforms like Square, Shopify, or others. Each has pros and cons. Some can feel simple but may cost more over time. Others can be cheap but might take more work. It is like choosing between cooking all your recipes from scratch or using some ready-made sauce. Both ways can work. With the right platform, you can have a nice look and also add things like online ordering. Check if it offers easy ways to show your photos. Check if it can handle your menu. Also check if it can fit your brand. You do not want a generic look. You need your style to shine. Make sure your platform can update as your restaurant grows.

• Compare costs monthly
• See if they allow easy changes
• Check if you can add loyalty tools
• Ask if it supports your design ideas

Design and Layout

Your design should reflect your vibe. If you serve home-style meals, you might use warm colors and cozy fonts. If you serve trendy dishes, you might use sleek layouts. Pictures are key. Show your food, your dining area, maybe a smiling staff photo. Keep your homepage clean. No clutter. Share an appealing photo at the top. Then a clear button that says “View the Menu” or “Order Now.” Many folks only stay a few seconds if they do not see something nice. Let them see your brand message right away. Think about sections: a short About section, a Menu page, an Online Ordering section, and a Contact or Location page. That might be enough. The goal is clarity. Put your hours up front. Put your phone number in an easy spot. Make it super simple for a new visitor to see your food, place an order, or call you. It is just like welcoming them at your front door.

Write Your Menu

Your menu page is often the most visited part of a restaurant site. People want to see the dishes. They want to see the prices. Make it easy to read. Put the dishes in clear sections like Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, or Starters, Main Meals, Desserts. Use short descriptions. If you have a dish called “Grandma’s Special Soup,” try to explain it in a few words. For example, “Hearty chicken soup with fresh herbs.” People do not want to read long text. They just want to know what they can eat. Make sure the text is legible. If you have daily specials, you can post them. Keep it updated. If you run out of a dish, note that on your site if you can. This is especially useful if you also do online orders. You do not want people to order something you no longer have. A clear, accurate menu builds trust.

Include Online Ordering

Many diners want a quick way to order. They do not want to call. They want to do it online. This can also help you earn more sales. Third-party apps like DoorDash or UberEats exist, but they often take a fee. You might also lose direct customer contact. With a direct ordering tool, you can keep data. You can keep more revenue. If you pick a platform like Dinevate, you can have a built-in loyalty section too. Think about the checkout steps. You do not want your guests to fill ten forms. You want them to complete their order in seconds. Apple Pay or Google Pay can help. Users click once, and it is done. This can boost your takeout orders. It also keeps your customers close to your brand. If you rely on others, you may not get customer emails. You may not see order history. That data can help you plan. That is why direct online ordering matters.

• Check how many steps your checkout has
• Use Apple Pay or Google Pay if possible
• Keep it easy so people do not abandon the cart
• Show clear order confirmation

Make Your Website User-Friendly

A user-friendly site feels smooth. It loads fast. It has large text. It is easy to scroll on a phone. Many older restaurant owners may not think about mobile use, but trust me, we are in a mobile world. Make sure your site can adapt to a small phone screen. In the design, test how easy it is to tap the order button. Is the phone number clickable? Does your location map load properly? If your site has big pictures, they should still load quickly. People do not wait long these days. Speed is vital. Also, keep your main buttons at the top. If someone wants to see the menu, they should find it in two clicks or less. A user-friendly site also helps you get more traffic from people searching “how to order from local restaurants” or “where to eat near me.” That means more potential customers discover you.

Test Before Launch

Before you tell people about your new site, give it a good test. Go through every page. Click every link. Place a test order if you have online ordering. See if you get a confirmation message. Check the site on a phone, on a laptop, and maybe on a tablet. Ask a friend or a family member to do the same. Sometimes you think it is clear, but a fresh eye might notice a big error. Make sure your contact form works if you have one. Make sure your phone number is correct. Fix any slow pages. This step can save you from embarrassing problems. You do not want your grand opening to fail because your site crashed or your menu page never loaded. So test it. Ensure it is running well. Then you can launch with confidence.

Promote Your Website

Once you have a new website, tell people. Print your domain name on your menus. Put it on your social media. Mention it in your restaurant. Train your staff to mention it too. For example, when someone pays the check, they can say, “Remember, you can order online next time at our website.” You do not have to be pushy. Just remind them. The more people visit, the more they may share it. Having a domain name that is easy to say helps a lot. You can also add your new website on online directories. That way, when someone searches “best diner in town” or “fish and chips near me,” your website has a better chance to appear. Step by step, you build your online presence. Then your loyal guests can even share your site with their friends.

Keep Updating

Do not let your website stay frozen. Update it. If you add a new dish, put it on the menu page. If your hours change, make sure the site matches. If you have new photos, consider switching them in. A fresh look keeps people excited. It also shows you care. Many restaurant owners forget this. Then they wonder why people call them for old deals that no longer exist. Keep your website accurate. It only takes a few minutes each week. If you have new staff who do great service, share a quick post or photo. This can attract more customers who want a friendly vibe. A website is a living thing, not just a one-time job. Keep it fresh, and it will keep serving you day after day.

How Dinevate Can Help

We built Dinevate to help owners like you. It is not just a website tool. It is also your online ordering and loyalty partner. A website that looks great can pull in more visitors. Then our direct ordering system gives you all the data. You own your customer details. You can also offer easy payment with Apple Pay and Google Pay, so checkout takes under 30 seconds. People love that speed. You stay in control of your brand. You do not have to share data with big marketplaces. You do not have to lose money to big fees. You also get built-in loyalty features. Guests can earn rewards each time they order with you. Plus, you can see what they like to order. That helps you plan new dishes or promotions. We come from restaurant backgrounds. We understand your needs. If you want to make your own website or if you want a better online ordering path, Dinevate can guide you step by step. We focus on giving independent restaurants big benefits in a simple way. Build your website. Grow your business. Keep your loyal diners. That is our goal.