Ever since the COVID pandemic hit, the importance of having a website for your restaurant can no longer be dismissed.
However, this is about much more than just enabling customers to order food online.
In this article, I want to highlight the three most important benefits of having a website for your restaurant.
The main points for takeaway
Nowadays, having a website is essential for creating a great first impression. It can help you reach a wider audience and build up the costumer’s confidence as they get a taste of what your restaurant is like. Additionally, a website allows you to stand out from other possible competition.
1. A website attracts more customers to your restaurant
The first and most beneficial aspect of having a website for your restaurant is its ability to bring in new customers.
Let me illustrate this to you with an example.
In this example, I am a 25-year-old web designer who has never been a guest at your restaurant. As such, I have no idea how good or bad your dishes are.
As a restaurant owner you have to think of something to convince me of your restaurant.
Since I don't happen to be standing in your kitchen right now, where my mouth would surely water because of all the fantastic smells, you have to come up with something feasible given the circumstances.
And the circumstances look something like this: I'm about to go on lunch break, phone in hand, ready to ask Google for something to eat nearby.
There are four possible scenarios:
Scenario 1: Your restaurant doesn't show up in my search because you don't have a website for your restaurant. Well, in this case it's impossible for you to convince me of your food because I cannot find your restaurant on Google.
Scenario 2: Your restaurant is displayed to me on Google Maps, but the popup that appears does not contain a link to a website. In this case, how am I supposed to know what dishes you sell? In this case, too, I would choose to go to a different restaurant.
Scenario 3: The Google Maps popup for your restaurant contains a link to your website! Unfortunately, the design looks like it's from 2001 and I have to download your menu as a PDF. Not only am I now afraid of what your diner looks like with a site design like this, I also don't think that I should have to download a PDF to find out what I can eat at a restaurant in the year 2022. I'd rather check out what other restaurants in the area have to offer.
Scenario 4: I find a website that looks modern, has a design appropriate for the type of cuisine as well as an easy-to-navigate menu. Yup. This is where I will be having my lunch today.
As you can see, first impressions matter a lot when it comes to convincing new customers to visit your restaurant.
And this is the benefit of having a website for your restaurant.
Everybody's quest for something to eat begins online nowadays and people searching for food expect a professional web presence from your restaurant.
If you provide everything important (i.e. your phone number and menu for starters) on your website, it is easy for hungry souls to place their order with you in just a few clicks.
Restaurants whose web presence seems too old-fashioned or simply does not exist will have a poor chance of attracting new guests.
2. A restaurant website builds trust with your customers
Hungry people go to eat where they feel comfortable.
This begins with the atmosphere and extends to the reliability of the information provided by restaurants.
This is where you as a restaurant owner can kill two birds with one stone.
On the one hand, a website gives you the opportunity to continuously communicate current information - such as opening hours, contact information, COVID regulations, menu changes, and more.
And yes, you can achieve the same with an Instagram profile, but with that you will only reach those who already follow you or use Instagram at all.
On the other hand, you can already convey the flair and ambience of your restaurant to your guests online.
And since nowadays the number of takeaway orders is increasing anyway, people will only see the interior of your catering business for a few moments. This makes it even more important for your website to already make your guests feel at home.
3. Your restaurant website performs functions that social media and ordering platforms cannot
Don't get me wrong: social media is great because it allows you to be a part of your customers' social lives and to keep them up to date with professional or funny posts about your restaurant, dishes, and specials .
However, social media is limited in terms of design flexibility and reach of information.
For one thing, the way you can present information on social media is predetermined and limited. For another, few people would decide to open Instagram or Facebook when they're looking for something to eat.
Ordering platforms, on the other hand, can be useful for increasing your restaurant's reach.
But for this added reach you pay considerable sums of money per order placed. You also have no way of visually distinguishing your offer from that of your competitors.
You can solve all of these problems with your own restaurant website.
There are no limits as to the way you design and configure your homepage, menu, and processes for taking online orders and reservations.
A good web designer can turn even your wildest fantasies into a stylish website for your restaurant.
A website is also indispensable for your restaurant to be found for relevant Google searches, as this is the number one way to make potential customers aware of your offer.
With the help of search engine optimization and targeted advertising campaigns (both are things that you have little to no control over on external platforms), it is also possible for your restaurant to appear in search results ahead of your competition.
All in all, your website is the ultimate tool for presenting your restaurant, selling your dishes, and taking reservations without having to pay fees to third party providers.
What's more is that you hold the keys for all things design and marketing to set yourself apart from your competition.
Closing thoughts
Having a website (with the correct implementation) offers great benefits for your restaurant.
Although going digital may sound like a bunch of new challenges for your restaurant, you can rest easy.
Just as there are people like you whose specialty is to pamper people's taste buds, there are people like me whose specialty is to open up the possibilities of the digital world to restaurants like yours and to do all the related work for you.
Do you feel like you could benefit from having a website for your restaurant?
Then feel free to write me a message and together we will find a suitable solution for you.
