Your restaurant’s website isn’t just a digital business card anymore. It’s your hardest-working team member, taking orders at 2am, showcasing your best dishes to hungry customers, and booking tables while you sleep.

Yet I see too many restaurants here in Cardiff stuck with outdated sites that actually drive customers away. Let me share what really works for restaurant website design in the UK.

Mobile-First Design: Your Customers Are Hungry and Impatient

Honestly, if your restaurant website doesn’t work perfectly on mobile, you’re losing money every single day. Most people are browsing menus on their phones whilst deciding what to order for dinner.

A Cardiff restaurant owner came to us recently because their old site was built on some clunky template that looked terrible on phones. Customers couldn’t read the menu, the ordering button was broken, and people were giving up and calling competitors instead.

We rebuilt their site with mobile as the priority. Now their online orders have tripled, and customers actually compliment them on how easy it is to browse and order.

Your menu needs to be scannable on a small screen. Large, clear fonts, proper spacing, and buttons that are actually clickable with thumbs, not tiny mouse cursors.

Online Ordering Integration That Actually Works

Here’s something that drives me mad: restaurants that send customers to third-party apps for ordering, losing that direct relationship and paying hefty commission fees.

Smart restaurant website design integrates ordering directly into your site. Yes, you might still use Deliveroo or Just Eat, but your own website should be the primary ordering channel.

We typically integrate solutions like ChefOnline or OrderYOYO for our restaurant clients. These platforms let customers order directly through your website whilst you keep more of the profit and maintain that crucial customer data.

The key is seamless integration. Customers shouldn’t feel like they’re being bounced around different platforms. Everything should feel like part of your restaurant’s experience.

Menu Display: Making Food Look Irresistible Online

Your menu is the star of your website, but I see restaurants treating it like an afterthought. Blurry photos, tiny text, no descriptions of ingredients or allergen information.

Professional food photography is non-negotiable. I know it’s an investment, but customers eat with their eyes first, especially online. One afternoon of professional shots will serve your website for months.

Good restaurant website design makes customers hungrier, not confused.

Organise your menu logically. Use clear categories, highlight your signature dishes, and make prices easy to find. Nothing annoys customers more than hunting around for how much something costs.

Include dietary information prominently. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free options should be clearly marked. This isn’t just helpful, it’s essential for accessibility and shows you care about all customers.

Table Booking Systems: Keep It Simple

Complicated booking systems kill conversions. If customers have to create accounts, fill in endless forms, or wait for email confirmations, they’ll call your competitors instead.

We usually integrate OpenTable or similar systems that let customers see availability and book instantly. The booking form should ask for essential information only: date, time, party size, contact details. That’s it.

Always include your phone number prominently for people who prefer calling. Some customers, especially older diners, still want to speak to a human. Don’t force everyone through digital channels.

Local SEO: Getting Found When People Are Hungry

Restaurant SEO isn’t just about ranking for “best pizza Cardiff”. It’s about being found when someone searches “restaurants near me” at 7pm on a Tuesday.

Your Google Business Profile needs to be perfect. Accurate opening hours, current photos, regular posts about specials or events. Encourage happy customers to leave reviews, and respond to all feedback professionally.

On your website, include location-specific content naturally. “Serving fresh Italian food to Cardiff city centre since 2018” works better than stuffing keywords awkwardly into your content.

Everyone’s talking about AI and voice search, but good SEO fundamentals still matter most. The AI just scrapes well-ranking content anyway, so focus on creating genuinely helpful information about your restaurant.

Essential Technical Features

Your restaurant website needs these technical elements working flawlessly:

• Fast loading times: Hungry people are impatient people
• SSL certificate: Essential for taking payments securely
• Local schema markup: Helps Google understand your business
• Contact information everywhere: Phone, address, opening hours on every page
• Social media integration: Link to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok

I always build restaurant sites on WordPress with Bricks builder specifically so owners can update menus, prices, and opening hours themselves. Those trendy React sites might look flash, but you’ll pay through the nose every time you want to change a price.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should a restaurant website cost?

Expect to pay £2,000-£5,000 for a professional restaurant website with ordering integration and mobile optimisation. Anything much cheaper usually means corners are being cut on functionality or ongoing support.

Do I need online ordering if I mainly serve dine-in customers?

Absolutely. Even if takeaway isn’t your main business, offering the option captures additional revenue. Plus, many customers prefer to browse your menu online before visiting, even for dine-in meals.

Should I use my own website or just rely on Deliveroo and Just Eat?

Use both, but prioritise your own website. Third-party platforms charge hefty commissions and you lose customer data. Your website should be the primary channel, with delivery apps as additional options.

Getting Your Restaurant Website Right

Restaurant website design isn’t about fancy animations or trendy layouts. It’s about making hungry customers happy and converting browsers into bookings and orders.

Focus on mobile experience, seamless ordering, mouth-watering photos, and clear information. Everything else is secondary.

We’ve helped restaurants across South Wales create websites that actually drive business growth, not just look pretty. If your current site isn’t bringing in orders and bookings, let’s fix that.

Your restaurant deserves a website that works as hard as you do. Ready to turn your website into your best marketing tool?