When someone searches for somewhere to eat, they decide fast. They pick up the phone, find you, glance at the menu, see where you are, and either walk over or move on. Your website has about a minute to answer four questions: what is on offer, how much is it, where is it, and are you open now?
1. The menu: text, not a PDF
A PDF menu is the most common mistake. It opens slowly on a phone, needs pinching and zooming, and Google reads it badly. Put the menu on the page as text: categories, dish names, short descriptions, prices.
- Keep a sticky category bar at the top so nobody gets lost in a long menu.
- Print the price next to every item. A hidden price breaks trust.
- Mark vegetarian, gluten free and spicy dishes with simple icons.
- Set things up so you can change prices quickly. An old price is worse than a wrong one.
If you want a menu guests open at the table, we have QR menu templates: Menu Card for cafés and Dinner Card for restaurants.
2. Bookings: the shortest path wins
Every venue takes bookings differently. What matters is that a visitor can reach you in one step.
- Phone: make the number tappable (a tel: link) so nobody has to copy and paste.
- WhatsApp: a button that opens with a ready message, far easier than a call during a rush.
- Online form: date, time and party size, with the request landing in your inbox.
Whichever you choose, say what happens next. Even one line such as "Request received, we reply within 30 minutes" removes the uncertainty.
3. Google Maps and business details
People often search on Google Maps first and your site comes second. The two should tell the same story.
- Address, phone and opening hours should read identically everywhere.
- Embed a map on the page and add a "Get directions" link.
- Show opening hours near the top or in the footer, and update them for holidays and special days.
- Add practical notes such as parking, entrance and step-free access.
Setting up your Maps listing properly is its own job. We cover the steps in how to get found on Google.
4. Photos: the food itself, not stock images
Photography is the strongest asset of a restaurant site and also its weakest point. Stock images give themselves away at once.
- Shoot your real plates, the room and the team. Natural light and a plain background are enough.
- Three or four strong photos on the home page, the rest in a gallery.
- Write a descriptive alt text for each image ("charred aubergine puree with slow-cooked lamb"). It helps accessibility and search.
- Upload images as WebP at the right size. A 6 MB photo slows the page on a phone.
5. Speed and mobile use
Most visitors are on a phone, and many are on the street or already at the table. If the page does not open in three seconds, they leave.
- Large buttons that are easy to hit with a thumb.
- A single column layout with no sideways scrolling.
- No pointless animation, heavy video or music that plays by itself.
- Menu, address and phone on the first screen or one tap away.
6. Signs of trust
A short quote from a real review, a mention in the press, an award or a brief introduction to the chef. Do not invent reviews. A few honest lines are enough.
7. Languages and tourists
If you are in a tourist area or have foreign guests, the menu and key details should read well in English too. Separate the languages by address (for example /en) and do not force visitors into a language by their browser; let them choose. Writing allergen and dietary information in both languages builds trust.
8. Social media and reviews
Keep links to your Instagram account and your Google review page in the footer. Rather than embedding the whole Instagram feed, place a few strong photos directly on the page, which keeps it faster. If guests want to leave a review after the meal, one tap should take them to the review page.
A last check before you publish
- On a phone, can I find the menu, the address and the phone number within 10 seconds?
- Are opening hours and prices up to date?
- Is every photo a sensible size and does it have alt text?
- Does a booking request really reach me? (Send yourself a test.)
- Does the map point to the right spot?
- Do the details match the Google Business Profile exactly?
The four most common mistakes
- Music or video on arrival. It annoys people, loads slowly and does not play on most phones anyway.
- A phone number you cannot tap. A number set as an image cannot be dialled and cannot be read by Google.
- An old menu. Leaving old prices up after a price rise damages more than trust, it makes the bill awkward too.
- Only a home page. If menu, contact and about are separate pages, Google can show each of them for a different search.
Which template fits?
Ready-made templates give you a starting point that already covers this list, without waiting for a bespoke design. You can browse each one live and change colours and text in the Studio:
- Savor: for full-service restaurants, with menu, bookings and gallery.
- Bean: for neighbourhood cafés that roast their own coffee: bar menu, bean shop and workshop calendar.
- Corner: a calm layout in ceramic and pastel tones for boutique coffee houses, with a diet filtered menu.
- Menu Card and Dinner Card: QR menu templates opened from a code on the table.
Everything is on the templates page. For plans and prices see the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Should a restaurant menu be a PDF or a web page?
A web page. A PDF opens slowly on a phone, needs zooming and is hard for search engines to read. A menu published as text is fast and easy to update.
Do I need an online booking form?
No. What matters is being reachable in one step. A tappable phone number and a WhatsApp button with a ready message are enough for most venues. If you add a form, make sure the request reaches your email.
Is an embedded map enough?
A map is needed but not enough. Your address, phone and opening hours must match exactly between the website and your Google Business Profile.
Do I need a professional photographer?
Not strictly, but real photos of your plates and room work far better than stock images. Phone photos taken in good light and cropped well can do the job.
Which template suits a café?
Bean suits cafés that roast and sell their own coffee, Corner suits boutique coffee houses, and Menu Card suits anyone who wants a QR menu at the table. All of them can be browsed as live demos.