More people now place food orders directly through websites instead of calling in or using apps.

If you don’t have your own website, you’re likely missing out on customers who prefer the ease of clicking a button to place an order.

A restaurant website helps you bring in more customers, collect online payments, and manage reservations without depending on third-party platforms that take a cut of your profits.

To make a restaurant website that increases online sales, pick a website builder or service with built-in ordering, upload your menu, add clear calls to action, and connect it to social media and Google Maps.

In this article, you will learn how to create a website that helps you grow online orders and support your restaurant business.

Ways to Build Your Own Website for Your Restaurant Business

There are a few main ways to build a website, depending on your time, budget, and technical skills.

You can do it yourself, use a restaurant website builder, or hire a service to build and manage it for you.

Building a Restaurant Site Yourself

If you prefer full control and have some technical experience, you can build your restaurant website from the ground up.

You can decide how the menu looks, where to place calls to action like “Order Online,” and how to display your location and contact details.

To get started, you’ll need to pick a content management system (CMS), register a custom domain, and choose a web hosting plan.

From there, you’ll build your website, add features like online ordering or booking forms, and make sure everything works on both mobile and desktop screens. You’ll also need to take care of updates, backups, and security settings yourself.

Some platforms that let you build from scratch include:

• WordPress - Easy to customize with themes and plugins.
  

• Joomla - Offers extensions for menus, reservations, and more.
  

• Drupal - For advanced users who want deep customization.‍
  

• Webflow - Visual builder with custom design tools and CMS support.
  

Using the Best Restaurant Website Builder

For most restaurant owners, using a website builder is the fastest and easiest way to get online. These platforms help you launch a professional site without needing design skills or technical setup.

Many include built-in features, such as online ordering, mobile-friendly templates, and menu management.

Restaurant website builders give you all the tools in one place. You won’t need to handle hosting, security, or plugins separately.

Instead, you’ll choose a design, customize it with your branding and menu items, and publish your site in a few clicks. Some platforms even offer features like loyalty programs, contact forms, and SEO tools.

Options to consider:

• Wix - Offers drag-and-drop design, built-in ordering for Wix Restaurants, and hundreds of food-related templates.
  

• Squarespace - Provides mobile-ready designs with a simple menu and reservation features.
  

• GoDaddy - Helps business owners build and edit a site quickly, including domain and hosting.
  

Hire a Service

Some restaurant owners don’t want to deal with setup, design, or technical tasks.

If that sounds like you, hiring a service to build your restaurant website makes sense. You’ll save time and launch faster, without learning design tools or worrying about plugins.

Unlike third-party platforms that take a cut of your profits, Buildify gives you full control over your online ordering and digital presence for a flat monthly rate.

For $399 per month, you’ll get everything you need to grow your sales, such as:

• A new website - Built to increase sales and convert website visitors into returning customers.
• A custom mobile app - Branded with your restaurant’s name so regulars can order fast.
• Online ordering system - Simple and smooth ordering experience that matches major food apps.
• Loyalty and rewards programs - Encourage repeat orders with customer perks.
• Push notifications and promotions - Send offers, deals, and reminders to your entire customer list.
• Coupons and community deals - Attract new customers with local promotions.
• 24/7 customer support - Help is always available, backed by top reviews.

Book a call and learn how Buildify can help you create a website in no time.

13 Steps to Build a Restaurant Website

Creating a great restaurant website means going beyond basic pages. You need a clean layout, fast loading speed, online ordering, and features that help bring in more customers.

These 13 steps will guide you from idea to launch:

1. Define Your Website Goals

Before you start building, decide what your restaurant website needs to do. Clear goals help you choose the right features and layout.

A casual café may want to focus on daily specials and pickup orders, while a fine dining restaurant might highlight reservations and chef events.

Think about what matters most for your restaurant. Do you want to boost delivery orders? Bring in new customers? Improve how people view your brand online?

These goals should shape how your site looks and what tools it includes.

Common goals for a restaurant site include:

• Attracting new customers - Show up in search results and make a strong first impression.
• Displaying your online menu items - Keep it updated, mobile-friendly, and easy to read.
• Enabling ordering - Let customers order food for pickup or delivery with just a few clicks.
• Accepting online payments - Make the checkout process smooth and secure.
• Promoting events or offers - Use banners or pop-ups for specials and limited-time deals.
• Sharing your restaurant’s story - Build trust with an “about page” that feels personal and real.

With your goals in place, you’ll know what pages to create and what features to focus on first.

2. Choose a Restaurant Website Builder

Once you’ve set your goals, choose a platform that helps you reach them. A quality restaurant website builder should come with features like online ordering, mobile optimization, and restaurant-specific website templates.

These tools help you save time and avoid the cost of hiring a developer.

Look for these features when picking a website builder:

• Restaurant templates - Designed for menus, food images, and clear calls to action.
• Ordering tools - Let customers order online without using a third-party app.
• Mobile-friendly design - Your site should look great and work well on all screen sizes.
• Online payments - Accept credit cards or digital wallets securely.
• Search engine optimization tools - Help your site appear in search results when people look for places to eat nearby.
• Table management tools - Allow customers to manage reservations without calling.

3. Register a Domain Name

Your domain name is your web address, the name customers will type in to visit your site. Pick something simple and easy to remember that reflects your restaurant’s brand.

If possible, include your restaurant name and location to help with local search visibility.

For example, if your restaurant is called Blue Dog and it’s based in Chicago, you might choose bluedogchicago.com. Avoid long names or anything with unusual spellings or symbols.

Most website builders offer a free custom domain for the first year or let you purchase one through their platform. You can also register a domain using services like Google Domains or Namecheap and connect it to your site separately.

When choosing a name, make sure to keep it simple and relevant. Short names are easier to remember, and you want your restaurant name to be in it. Don’t use complicated spellings or slang that’s hard to type.

Before you settle on a name, use domain search tools to see if it’s available. Finally, make sure your domain matches your restaurant’s name on social media and other platforms.

4. Pick a Restaurant Website Template

A website template acts as the foundation for your site design. It saves time by giving you a structure you can edit instead of building from scratch.

When choosing a template, avoid anything too generic. Pick one built specifically for restaurants, so it includes web pages like menus, opening hours, online ordering buttons, and a contact page.

A food-focused layout will help you showcase your dishes and make ordering easier for potential customers.

Look for a template that includes:

• Large header image or video - Great for showing food and atmosphere.
• Prominent calls to action - Buttons like “Order Now” or “Book a Table” should be visible on every page.
• Room for high-quality images - Photos of your food make a strong first impression.
• Clear menu layout - Customers should find menu items quickly without clicking through other web pages.
• Mobile-friendly design - It must look good and work well on all screen sizes.

5. Customize the Look and Feel

Personalize your template, as it helps your website stand out and creates a consistent experience between your physical location and your site.

Even if you’re using a builder, you still have control over the design details.

Start by uploading your restaurant logo, then update the colors and fonts to reflect your brand. Stick to a clean design that makes reading easy and keeps attention on your menu.

Use font sizes that are easy to read on both desktop and mobile screens.

Select real photos whenever possible. Show your food, your team, and your location. These visuals build trust and help turn visitors into customers.

Add a strong hero image to the homepage, include eye-catching visuals of dishes, and update your gallery regularly.

Edit the homepage layout to feature your most important contact information, such as phone number, hours, social media accounts, and address. You should also make it easy to find the menu, contact page, and order online button to improve the user experience. 

Having section headers helps visitors scan the page and find what they need faster.

6. Add Core Pages

Every restaurant website needs a few core pages that help customers find what they need and take action. These pages should be easy to reach from the main menu, with clear labels and calls to action.

Make each page clear and useful. Include only what’s needed to help the visitor take action.

For example, your “Contact Us” page should focus on the most important contact information like phone number, email, social media links, and physical location, not general info that belongs on other pages.

Recommended pages to include:

• Homepage - A quick overview of your restaurant with a standout image, a brief intro, and buttons for ordering or booking.
• Menu page - List your menu with names, descriptions, pricing, and photos. Make sure it’s easy to view on all devices.
• About us - Share your story, values, or chef background to build trust and connect with customers.
• Order Online - A separate page for takeout and delivery orders. It should support online payments and show order status.
• Contact us - Add your contact details, phone number, address, and opening hours. Include a contact form and a Google Maps embed.
• Reservations - If you manage bookings, let customers reserve tables online.

7. Set Up Online Ordering or Reservations

Adding ordering or reservation tools to your website helps turn visitors into paying customers.

Many people prefer placing food orders through a restaurant’s website rather than calling or using third-party apps. When you offer ordering directly through your website, you avoid fees and build stronger connections with your customers.

You can use tools offered by your website builder or connect third-party services. Platforms like Wix Restaurants, GloriaFood, Square, and ChowNow offer integrations for food ordering.

Some services, like Buildify, include ordering systems, which save setup time.

To increase conversions, you can add a clear “order online” button to your main menu and homepage and make the ordering process fast and mobile-friendly. You should also use secure online payments to build trust and highlight any delivery zones, order minimums, or estimated times.

If there is an issue with the delivery, offer pickup or table booking.

For reservations, connect tools like OpenTable or use a form where customers can request a table. Let them choose the date, time, and party size.

Automating this process saves time for your staff and avoids missed calls.

8. Add Legal Pages and Disclaimers

Legal pages help protect your business and build trust with your customers. Even if your restaurant is small, adding these pages is good practice.

If your restaurant takes online payments, clearly list refund or cancellation rules. If you collect emails for promos or loyalty programs, mention that in your privacy policy.

These pages show your customers that you take their privacy and safety seriously.

Add these legal pages to the footer of your website:

• Privacy policy - Explain how you collect and use customer data, especially if you offer ordering or email marketing.
• Terms and conditions - Cover your policies on cancellations, refunds, delivery limits, and order timing.
• Allergen disclaimer - Let customers know if the menu may contain allergens.

9. Optimize for Mobile

Customers will visit your website from a phone, not a desktop. That means your website must work perfectly on small screens.

If customers struggle to read your menu or click the “Order Now” button, they’ll leave and order elsewhere. A mobile-friendly layout helps you keep visitors and convert them into paying customers.

Check that images resize properly, buttons are easy to tap, and text remains readable without zooming. Your menu should load fast and show items clearly, and your ordering process should work from start to finish without problems.

Other things to focus on:

• Responsive design - Your layout should adjust automatically to the size of the screen.
• Readable font sizes - Avoid small text that’s hard to read on phones.
• Fast load times - Use compressed images and simple layouts to reduce waiting.
• Clickable buttons - Make sure your calls to action, like “Order Today” or “Book Now,” are big enough to tap.
• Test every page - Visit your website on several devices to check menus, contact forms, and ordering tools.

10. Add SEO Elements

To help people find your restaurant online, you need to add SEO elements to your website.

Local SEO helps your website show up when someone looks for food near them, like “best Thai restaurant in Denver.” It brings in new customers who are nearby and ready to order.

Start by using local keywords throughout your website. Mention your city, neighborhood, or even street name on the homepage and menu page.

Add those same keywords to your meta titles, image alt text, and URLs when possible.

To improve your local SEO, you should target location-based keywords, such as “pizza in San Diego” or “downtown Houston sushi.” Create a Google business profile to claim and update your listing with your hours, address, and menu link.

Finally, add schema for restaurants to your website to help search engines read your hours, reviews, and menu correctly.

11. Enable Maps, Social Media, and Reviews

Make it easy for people to find your location, connect with your restaurant online, and see what others are saying.

Start embedding a map to let visitors get directions without leaving your website. Include your full address and double-check that the map points to the correct spot.

Add social media links to your main menu or footer. Include platforms where you actively post, such as Instagram or your Facebook page. You should also choose real feedback from Google, Yelp, or Facebook. Highlight short quotes that speak to your food or service.

12. Test and Launch Your Website

Before you publish your website, test every page to make sure everything works smoothly. A broken link, a slow page, or a confusing checkout process can stop someone from placing an order.

Catching issues early protects your first impression and gives website visitors a better experience.

Use this checklist before going live:

• Test all links - Nothing should lead to an error or empty page.
• Submit forms - Contact and booking forms should deliver messages correctly.
• Try the order process - Complete a test order from start to finish.
• Review on mobile and desktop - The layout, load time, and responsiveness should look right on all devices.
• Proofread your content - Look for typos, spelling mistakes, or missing info.

13. Promote Your New Website

After your website goes live, you need to promote it so potential customers know where to view your menu, place an order, or book a table. A well-built website can bring results, but only if people know it exists.

Start with social media accounts. Post your link on Instagram, your Facebook page, and any other platforms you use.

Pin the link to your profiles and share it with a clear reason to click like “Order direct and save” or “Check our daily specials.”

Use email marketing to reach returning customers. Send a quick message announcing the launch of your new website, and include a discount or promo code to bring them back.

Offline, use your printed materials. Add your domain to menus, flyers, and window decals. Place a QR code near the register or on tables so walk-in customers can scan and view your web page quickly.

How to Track Online Orders and Website Performance

After your website is live and running, tracking performance helps you understand what’s working and what needs improvement.

You don’t need advanced tools or technical skills to get started. Just set up basic tracking systems and review your site’s activity regularly.

Begin with Google Analytics. It shows how people find your website, which pages they visit, how long they stay, and where they leave.

Next, set up tracking for your orders. Most ordering systems have reporting that tells you how many orders came in, what items were popular, and when people placed them to spot trends and plan ahead.

Key metrics to watch:

• Order conversion rate - The percentage of visitors who complete a purchase.
• Bounce rate - Visitors who leave after viewing just one page.
• Page load speed - A slow website can hurt sales.
• Top traffic sources - Know where your visitors come from.
• Popular menu - Track which products drive the most sales.
• Device breakdown - See if people visit mostly from phones or desktops.

Create a Restaurant Website Effortlessly With Buildify

If you want a quick way to launch a restaurant website and mobile app, Buildify makes it simple. For $399 per month, you get a full setup made specifically for restaurants.

Buildify gives you a professional website designed to bring in traffic and boost direct orders. It also includes a branded mobile app, an ordering system, loyalty rewards, and tools for sending push notifications and special offers.

Everything also goes live in under 10 days, and support is available 24/7 and highly rated.

Need a better way to manage orders and reach more potential customers? Buildify helps you launch a complete digital setup for your restaurant in days!

FAQs About How to Make a Restaurant Website

How much does it cost to build a website for a restaurant?

It can cost $10 to $500 per month to build a restaurant website. Services like Buildify charge $399 per month for a full setup with an ordering system and a mobile app.

What is the best website builder for a restaurant?

The best website builder depends on your needs. Buildify offers the most complete package, while Wix Restaurants and Squarespace are great for quick DIY setups.

How long does it take to make a website for a restaurant?

Most restaurant websites take one to five days to launch. DIY builders are faster, while services like Buildify handle everything in under 10 days.

What should a restaurant website contain?

Your website should include a homepage, menu, contact page, online ordering, reservations, about section, social media links, and reviews.

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