Your restaurant’s website is an important tool to connect with customers, take online orders, and create a professional presence online. Setting up a restaurant website is as easy as using an online website builder to reflect your brand and showcase your menu. If you use a restaurant website template, you can input your business information into a site design you like without having to start from scratch.
After purchasing a domain name, you’ll need to pay for hosting so it’s accessible online. Then you need to use a website developer or online tool to create a design and add written text and photos.
Using a website designer or developer is the right choice for a custom website, but it will cost you more money and take longer. A restaurant website builder is more cost-effective and saves you time, since you choose from existing restaurant website templates.
Fortunately, there are several restaurant website builders that you can choose from:
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMSs) available today. You can install WordPress to easily manage a self-hosted website or you can purchase an inclusive package on WordPress.com that includes the domain and hosting. WordPress is incredibly versatile, which means that all types of businesses can create a website that reflects their needs without facing huge costs.
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Webflow is a code-free website design tool that allows you to build a website without having extensive coding knowledge. It uses a secure hosting platform and offers free SSL certificates to promote security. Webflow’s collaborative functionality can make it easier to work on your website with your team and reduce the time it takes to get your website up and running.
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Square offers a range of solutions for restaurants from POS systems to HR solutions and loyalty programs. Many restaurants may already use Square and may feel comfortable adding another service from a company they already purchased from.
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Wix is another popular drag-and-drop website builder that prides itself on being easy to use. You can simply move around elements on your website and add new features. There are even free tiers with Wix subdomains so you can get started with the tool without having to invest anything upfront.
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When it comes to using a restaurant website template you first need to select the right one for your business. Choose one that reflects your restaurant’s brand and includes customizable colors, logo, and fonts. Even though you used a template, you want to customize it enough that it portrays your unique business and customer experience. If you operate a serious, fine dining restaurant, your website should reflect that, for example.
Be cautious about choosing themes that you see frequently on other sites. Know what your local competitors’ websites look like and make decisions that can help you stand out.
A website is one of many digital tools available to help your restaurant thrive. When you first launch your restaurant’s website, let customers know where to find it and what information they can expect to see.
Can customers place online orders through your website’s eCommerce store? Can they buy swag? Can they see your full menu and daily specials? Do what you can to foster a relationship with them online as well as in person.
Now that you have a website, it's also a smart idea to think about your restaurant’s digital marketing strategies now that you have a website. Can you use your new domain to send marketing emails? What’s your plan to incorporate local SEO so new customers can find you? Do you have a mobile loyalty program ready to promote on your site?
If thinking about all of this is too much to digest in one go, Paytronix offers a range of tools to help restaurant owners succeed and continually improve their online presence. Check out our Online Ordering Guide for access to everything you need to know to run your restaurant’s online ordering program.