Restaurant Website Design: Most Important Features
Having a website is one of the most important things you can do to market your restaurant online. It’s often the first place people go to learn about your menu, hours, and location. In fact, your website might be the first impression someone gets of your restaurant, and that’s why you need to get it right.
We’ve researched over 400 restaurant websites across the U.S. to determine what truly drives success in restaurant website design. From our findings, we’ve discovered a lot of must-have features that can make your restaurant’s website stand out and bring in more customers.
General statistics
The restaurant industry is one of the most popular sectors in the economy, and it's easy to see why. Over 60% of consumers order takeout or delivery every single week. This shows how much people enjoy the ease of not having to cook for themselves every day.
34% of Americans spend an average of $50 on online food orders, making it a significant part of their monthly expenses. Restaurants also play a huge role in employment, 63% of American adults have worked in the restaurant industry at some point in their lives, whether it’s a first job in high school or a long-term career.
These numbers indicate that the gastronomy business is not just popular—it’s essential. Whether you're looking for a place to spend a lunch break, enjoy fine dining, or even start your own business, the restaurant industry offers something for everyone.
Color palette
When it comes to restaurant website design, the colors you choose can make a huge difference in how customers perceive your brand. Our studies show that the most popular colors for restaurant websites are red (20.1%), white (18.8%), and black (14.9%). These colors are strong, bold, and help create a sense of excitement, which is why they’re commonly seen across various types of restaurants.
It's also worth noticing that the type of restaurant also plays a big role in color choice. For example, over 66% of vegan restaurants lean towards green as their main color, which makes sense since green is closely associated with nature and a plant-based diet. Similarly, 30% of researched ice cream shops selected mint as their main color, even though mint is only used as the primary color 2.3% of the time on average across all restaurant websites. This shows how important it is to consider the kind of food you offer when picking your color palette.
Main colors on restaurant websites
A well-designed color palette plays a huge part in your branding and marketing efforts. The right colors can help you communicate your restaurant's personality, and even influence the mood and appetite of your visitors. So, whether you're going for a vibrant red to spark a hunger for grilled meat or green to promote plant-based dishes, choosing the right colors can help you connect with your customers on a deeper level and leave a lasting impression.
Delivery
Delivery is a big deal for restaurants. Not everyone wants to or has the time to go out and eat at a restaurant. Some people are just too busy with work and some prefer the comfort of eating at home. Offering delivery means your food can reach those customers who love your dishes but would rather enjoy them on their couch. It's a simple way to make sure your restaurant stays busy, even when people aren’t willing to dine in.
Delivery providers
Did you know that, according to our research, only 1 in 5 restaurants handle their own delivery? Most places rely on third-party services to get your food to you. DoorDash is the top choice, with 34.3% of restaurants using it. Grubhub is also popular, with 20% of places going with them. These services help restaurants get hot and fresh food to your door. So, when you order in, your local DoorDash drive will probably deliver your food.
Most popular delivery options
Delivery cost
When you’re ordering food online, the delivery costs can vary a lot. For most restaurants, these costs depend on the delivery service they use. 51 examined restaurants relied on third-party delivery services, like DoorDash or UberEats, to decide how much you’ll pay. Some restaurants charge based on how far away you are, with 36 of them using this distance-based pricing. In many cases, the delivery cost is actually pretty low. About 18 times, the delivery fee was between $1 and $5, and in 8 cases, it was completely free, this means, you can enjoy your favorite meal without stressing too much about delivery costs!
Delivery cost listed on restaurant websites
Tips
Only about 44.4% of restaurant websites let you add a tip when you check out. Tips aren’t just for the waitstaff and cooks: they’re also a really important income source for delivery drivers who work hard to get your food to you. If your favorite restaurant doesn’t have a tip option online, it might be worth letting them know that you’d appreciate it. It’s an easy way to show thanks and make sure everyone who helps with your meal gets a fair reward.
Gift cards and merchandise
When you think of restaurant website design, you probably imagine menus and online ordering, but actually, food is not the only thing restaurants sell! Around 12.3% of restaurants also sell merchandise online. So, if you’ve ever wanted a t-shirt, hat, or even a cookbook from your favorite spot, you can now find these items on their site. Some restaurants go even further and sell homemade sauces, pasta, and more, so you can enjoy their unique flavors at home.
In some cases you can also purchase a gift card for your favorite restaurant. 37.5% of restaurants let you buy gift cards straight from their websites as it makes it super easy to give the gift of a great meal to someone special.
Payment methods
When you're ordering food online, having a variety of payment options can be beneficial for your business. The most popular payment option is a credit card, 91.8% of all restaurant websites provide that option. Credit cards are super convenient and widely used, so it's no surprise they're so popular.
Payment methods listed on restaurant websites
Next up is PayPal, used by 44.3% of all examined restaurant websites—perfect for those who want a secure payment method without typing in card details. Google Pay is the third most popular payment option for 32% of restaurants. Surprisingly, 8.2% of restaurants still let you pay with cash for online orders. This can be handy if you don’t use digital payments or prefer cash. All in all, having different payment options is really important for a restaurant's website. It makes it easier for customers to pay in a way that suits them, which can lead to more happy, repeat customers.
Events
If you’re looking to make your restaurant website design stand out, adding an events section could be a good idea. Right now, only 25.6% of restaurant websites have this feature, but it’s super helpful for your customers. An events page lets you share all the exciting things happening at your place, like special dinners, live music, or cooking classes. Plus, some websites even let you book private events directly online. Imagine being able to set up a birthday party or a work event with just a few clicks! So, if you’re running a restaurant, think about adding an events section—it’s a small tweak that could make a big difference.
Reservation
When dining out, convenience plays a crucial role, and online table reservations significantly contribute to this ease. Currently, 34.2% of restaurants provide this option on their websites. For diners, making a reservation means you can skip the wait and dive straight into your meal, especially during busy times or at popular spots. For restaurant owners, it helps manage the flow of guests and ensures you get a steady stream of customers without the unwanted chaos. Plus, it can even help reduce no-shows with reminders and confirmations. So next time you're planning a night out, consider reserving your table online in advance, and if you’re a restaurant owner, we highly encourage you to make that option available.
Online table reservation available on restaurant websites
Photos
A website is like your restaurant's online front door. It’s where people get their first impression of your place. Most restaurant websites (80.8% to be exact) have images whether in the form of a gallery, photos of the interior of their restaurant, or just the staff, and that’s a great way to show off your space and people.
But here’s where many websites fall short: even though 97.5% of restaurant websites have a menu, only 45.5% include pictures of the actual dishes. Imagine how much more appetizing your menu would look if it had photos of your delicious food! When potential customers can see what they're about to eat, it can make your offerings seem even more mouthwatering. So, if you want to make your website more inviting, consider adding some high-quality photos of your dishes to your menu.
Contact options
If you’ve ever tried to get in touch with a restaurant, you probably noticed that calling them is usually the easiest way. About 90.8% of restaurant websites make sure to list their phone number. It’s quick and personal, and you get answers right away.
Email is the next most common contact method, with 50.4% of restaurants providing an email address on their website, and 44.6% offering a contact form on their site. But here’s something interesting: none of the restaurant websites we researched had a live chat.
Live chat is a super fast way for customers to reach out and get immediate help, so if you run a restaurant, adding a live chat option could really benefit you. It can make communication smoother and improve your customers' experience. So, if you take customer service seriously, consider setting up live chat on your website—it’s a small change that could make a big difference.
Conclusion
Choosing the right colors, adding tempting photos, and offering online reservations and delivery on your restaurant’s website can be the difference between winning and losing a customer. Don’t overlook small details like payment options and a contact form—they’re important for meeting your customers’ needs.
Putting effort into these features can help your restaurant stand out and turn visitors into regular customers. Since your website is often the first thing people see, make sure it makes a great impression!
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