From online menus to reservation forms — here's what separates the restaurants that get bookings from those that don't.
90% of diners research a restaurant online before visiting. If your website is missing key information — or worse, doesn't exist — you're losing tables to competitors who have their digital presence together. Here are the seven things your restaurant site absolutely must have.
This seems obvious, but you'd be shocked how many restaurant websites link to a PDF menu from 2019. Your menu should be live text on the page, not a PDF. Live text is faster to load, readable on mobile, and indexable by Google. Update it every time your offerings change.
Use SiteForge's Services section to display menu categories. Add each item as a card with title (dish name), description (ingredients), and icon (price or dietary tag).
Don't make people hunt for how to book a table. Your primary call-to-action button in the hero section should say "Reserve a Table" or "Book Now" — not "Contact Us." If you use OpenTable, Resy, or Yelp reservations, link directly to your booking page.
Put your address, hours, and phone number in the footer of every page. If parking is tricky, mention it. If you're in a confusing location ("look for the blue door on the alley side"), explain it. Friction before the visit kills conversions.
This is the single biggest lever you can pull. Bad food photography kills appetites. Good food photography books tables. You don't need a professional shoot — modern smartphones in natural light produce excellent results. Shoot near a window in the morning before your lunch service.
Add a Testimonials section with three or four of your best Yelp or Google reviews. If you've been featured in local press or food blogs, add a "As Seen In" logos section. Social proof is the most powerful conversion tool you have.
The About section is where you build emotional connection. Don't write "We opened in 2018 with a vision to serve great food." Write about why you started, who your regulars are, what makes your kitchen different. People eat at restaurants for the experience, not just the food.
Over 70% of restaurant searches happen on mobile. Use SiteForge's device preview toggle to check how your site looks on a phone before publishing. Make sure your menu is readable, your phone number is tappable, and your booking button is front and center on small screens.
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