People open a restaurant website at almost the same moment every time: right before deciding where to eat. They have your name, often from Google or a friend, and they check three things in a few seconds. Are you open? What is on the menu, and at what price? Can I book now? Everything else comes after.
This guide lists the pages and features that lead to a booking, and compares ways to take reservations online based on the tools' official pages. For the overall budget of a site, see how much a business website costs.
What do guests look for on a restaurant website?
| Situation | What they want to see right away | Where to put it |
|---|---|---|
| Eating out tonight | Open or not, availability, address | Top of the home page, Book button |
| Comparing two places | The menu with prices, photos of dishes | Menu page, as text |
| Planning a group meal | Capacity, group menus, private hire | Groups page with a form |
| Has an allergy | How to know what each dish contains | Menu page, clear note |
| Visitor from abroad | A menu in a language they read | Translated menu page |
| Wants takeout | Pickup hours, ordering | Takeout page, if you offer it |
What pages should a restaurant website have?
A restaurant site does not need many pages. It needs each one to be up to date. Here is the site map I suggest.
- 01
Home
A real photo of the dining room or a dish, the cuisine in one sentence, today's hours, an address that opens directions, and a "Book a table" button visible without scrolling.
- 02
Menu
As text, with prices, organized as in the restaurant (starters, mains, desserts, drinks). The daily special, if you have one, editable by you in two minutes.
- 03
Book
The reservation widget embedded in the page, plus the phone number for people who prefer to call.
- 04
Groups and private hire
Capacity, group menus, terms (deposit, confirmation deadline) and a short form. These requests are often worth more than a table for two.
- 05
About
The chef, the team, the producers you really work with. This is the page that makes people choose you over the place next door.
- 06
Getting here and hours
Map, transit, parking, accessibility, closing days and annual closures.
- 07
Legal notice and privacy
Required, especially if you collect booking or event data.
Should a restaurant menu be a PDF or text on the website?
Text, on the page. A PDF opens badly on phones, forces zooming, is heavy, and tends to stop being updated. A text menu reads on a small screen, is edited in two minutes, and can be read by Google and by AI assistants answering questions like "where can I get ramen tonight".
Three tips:
- Show prices. A menu without prices makes people hesitate and sends them to a competitor who shows them.
- Date the menu or label it "autumn menu", so guests know it is current.
- Plan for allergens. Rules on allergen information depend on the country. In France, for example, allergen information for dishes served is governed by decree no. 2015-447 of April 17, 2015 on consumer information about allergens and non-prepacked food (accessed October 17, 2026). The website does not replace the information owed in the dining room, but if your menu is online, at least say how to get allergen information, and keep it up to date.
Which online reservation system should a restaurant choose?
There is no best system in absolute terms. Here is what the official pages of a few common options say, accessed October 17, 2026. I did not reproduce prices: they were not shown on the pages I read, or depend on the plan. Ask for them in writing.
| Option | What the official page says | Check before signing |
|---|---|---|
| Bookings through Google Business Profile | You pick a "Reserve with Google" partner provider, or add your own booking link. The provider may charge you. It appears on the profile within a week. | That your system is among the providers available in your country |
| TheFork Manager | Software to manage bookings and service, with visibility on the TheFork platform and bookings integrated from several channels (Google, Tripadvisor, Guide MICHELIN, Meta, according to the page). | How you are billed (subscription, per-booking fees) and what happens to your guest data if you leave |
| Zenchef | Reservation system presented as taking no commission on guest bookings, with a widget, waitlists and prepayments. The widget works with WordPress, Wix, Squarespace and others. | The subscription price and paid options |
| Simple form on your site | No third-party tool: the request arrives by email or message, and you confirm by hand. | That someone answers fast, or the guest books elsewhere |
Questions to ask any provider:
- How are you billed: flat subscription, fee per cover or per booking, or a mix?
- Does the widget sit inside your site, or send guests to another platform where they also see your competitors?
- Can you export your guest list if you switch tools?
- How are no-shows handled: card guarantee, prepayment, automatic reminder?
- Is it connected to your Google Business Profile, so people can book straight from search?
Which features actually help fill the dining room?
- Call and directions buttons that work with one tap on a phone. Some guests still prefer to call.
- Correct hours everywhere: on the site, on the Google profile and on booking platforms. A guest who finds the door shut after reading "open" does not come back.
- A daily special you update yourself, without waiting for a provider.
- A menu in a second language if you get visitors from abroad. One page is enough.
- Automatic answers to simple questions: hours, parking, dogs allowed. They can go through an automatic message or an assistant on the site, as long as a person takes over for group requests.
These are the sites I build for shops and restaurants: fast, editable by you, with the reservation system of your choice properly connected. My method is described on the website design page.
When is a full website not worth it for a restaurant?
- You don't take bookings and the room fills with walk-ins. A complete Google Business Profile and one page with the menu and hours are enough.
- You will never update the menu. A site showing last year's menu does more harm than no site. In that case, only publish what does not change.
- You rely on a single platform for everything. It works, but you depend on its rules and prices. A site, even a short one, keeps an entry point that belongs to you.
On budget, La Fabrique du Net's 2026 barometer of the French market gives a €4,000 median for the tourism, hospitality and restaurant sector (agency-built sites of all types, accessed October 17, 2026). If you are weighing a do-it-yourself builder against a site built for you, I compare the options in Wix, WordPress or a custom site.
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help, setting up reservations through a provider: support.google.com (French version read on October 17, 2026).
- TheFork Manager, official home page: theforkmanager.com (accessed October 17, 2026, in French).
- Zenchef, home page and widget page: zenchef.com and Zenchef widget (accessed October 17, 2026, in French).
- French decree no. 2015-447 of April 17, 2015 on allergen information for non-prepacked food: legifrance.gouv.fr (accessed October 17, 2026).
- La Fabrique du Net, website pricing barometer, July 2026 edition: lafabriquedunet.fr (accessed October 17, 2026, in French).
FAQ
Should a restaurant put its menu online as a PDF?
It is better as text on the page. It reads on a phone without zooming, updates in two minutes and can be read by Google. Keep the PDF, if you want, as a printable version.
Which reservation system should a restaurant use?
One that embeds in your site, connects to your Google Business Profile and lets you export your guest list. Compare how it bills (subscription or per-booking fees) and ask for prices in writing before signing.
Can a restaurant take online bookings without commission?
Yes. A simple form on your site costs nothing per booking, but you confirm by hand. Some tools, such as Zenchef according to its official page, also say they take no commission on bookings.
How do I add a Book button to a restaurant's Google profile?
In your Business Profile, the Bookings section lets you choose a Reserve with Google partner provider or add your own link. According to Google's help page, the provider appears on the profile within a week.
How much does a restaurant website cost?
La Fabrique du Net's 2026 barometer of the French market gives a €4,000 median for the tourism, hospitality and restaurant sector, for agency-built sites. Add the reservation system subscription if it is paid.