What Are the Must-Haves for a Restaurant Website

In this episode we cover things like:

- menu

- directions/map

- visuals

Christian: [00:00:15] Hey.What's going on? Today we are going to talk about the must-haves for arestaurant website. We're going to talk a little bit about menu, location, andvisuals, but before we get started, could you please do us a little favor and first,if you haven't subscribed, subscribe to our podcast. Number two, if you have afriend who is a restaurant owner, share this episode with them. Click on thosethree little dots on the bottom right-hand corner and click on share episode.

Franklin: [00:00:48] Sharingis caring, people.

Christian: [00:00:50] Exactly.That's what I'm.

Franklin: [00:00:51] Sharingis caring.

Christian: [00:00:52] That'sexactly what I'm thinking.

Aaron: [00:00:54] Allright, so, let's get started here. We're going to cover- we'll just kind ofbreak these down in a few sections, but let's cover the basics. These are kindof- they may be like a duh situation, maybe not, but the first thing you've gotto have in a restaurant is a menu section. Absolutely a must to have a menusection on your website.

Franklin: [00:01:15] Right,because if I went to a website that was specifically for a restaurant and Ican't see what I can eat from there, I would probably not go to thatrestaurant.

Christian: [00:01:23] Exactly.

Aaron: [00:01:24] I'veactually had this happen where I drove by on the highway. It was like DallasNorth Tollway, and I was like, oh, that place looks cool. Let me Google them.The website was made from, like, 1990. No menu. You have to call, and the directionswere like you- there was not clickable directions or anything, so it was likeplease don't come to our restaurant.

Christian: [00:01:44] Wow.Yeah. It's kind of interesting because I went to a, I think you say, gyro,gyro? Is that how you say it?

Aaron: [00:01:50] Gyro.

Franklin: [00:01:50] Gyro.

Franklin: [00:01:52] Gyroplace. And I didn't actually go to the website but I went to Yelp, and it'skind of funny because people take pictures of the menu while they're there andyou can just see, you know, the menu from pictures that people were taking.

Franklin: [00:02:06] Nice.

Christian: [00:02:06] Andthey're on Yelp. That's kind of nice. Now this brings me to another really goodpoint. If you're going to have a menu on your website, if you have differentmenus for lunch, dinner, brunch, cocktails, make sure that you include those.Maybe even separate them. Put them on different tabs. And another big thing todo with the menu is put a date that was updated so that people know that this menuis current because menus change from time to time, you know? The good thingabout Yelp and looking at those pictures is that you have a date, you know. Ifthat picture was taken two weeks ago and that was the menu, more than likelyyou're going to have those same items. Now a website, you don't really knowwhen it was updated or when it was created, so the information there might beout of date.

Franklin: [00:02:51] Right.

Aaron: [00:02:52] Iwas going to say, one thing is that with restaurant owners I feel like a lot oftimes they don't do that part of it. Like, their websites aren't updated thatmuch because they're, like, what are we going to talk about or what are wegoing to do? So, that would be one way to, I don't know, stand out because A, ifI'm a seafood place and we don't have salmon half the time of the year. Like,if I go there and expect salmon, you know, that's a bad first experience, Iguess.

Christian: [00:03:14] Exactly.

Franklin: [00:03:15] Anotherthing about menus I like to see is actually a detailed description of how theymake specific items. So like, if they have a signature dish, like the placethat I went for my birthday. They have like an actual detailed description onhow they made their potatoes. Oh my god.

Aaron: [00:03:32] Andit made you buy them. I actually went to Cheddar's yesterday, and I didn't knowthey did this, but you can order salmon, like, grilled. I can't remember whatthe other one is. Like burr-on or bouron. I don't know. Don't- Don't judge me.Anyway, there was like three options, and then it told you exactly how it wascooked too. And that made me want to buy it. I was like, oh, I can get it thisway, and that's the way I want it. And that made me make that decision overgetting something different. So I think that's really important.

Christian: [00:04:01] Perfect.All right. What else should be on the website?

Franklin: [00:04:07] Visuals.

Christian: [00:04:07] Ilove visuals.

Franklin: [00:04:08] Yes,visuals are like candy on a website to me. Like, good pictures, good videos.That's what is extremely important to me because I'm a visual person.

Aaron: [00:04:21] Butwhat do you mean visuals specifically? What do they need to have pictures of?

Franklin: [00:04:26] Photos,photos, photos. Very.

Christian: [00:04:30] Likegood quality.

Franklin: [00:04:31] Goodquality photos. I'm not talking about, like, taking photos with a potato andlike letting there be- I'm stealing that from Casey. Taking photos with apotato and there being, like, an actual, like, photo for your menu, for yourwebsite. So look, like, something that's extremely crisp. Something that's likeup close and personal.

Christian: [00:04:48] Colorful.

Franklin: [00:04:48] Verycolorful. Something that shows off, like, the actual authenticity of your food.

Aaron: [00:04:54] Thisis something that I think where business owners who own restaurants, theyshould just hire out a photographer because they're going to be able tounderstand those visuals a lot more, and instead of just cutting your costs,you realize that people looking at those pictures, you're going to stand outand probably bring in a lot more business hiring a photographer for four orfive hundred dollars to get those crisp, clean colors.

Christian: [00:05:15] Yeah,I think- I don't think we tell every single client that has a website that theyshould do photography, you know, or have a photography package with it, but arestaurant I think it's a must have. Like, you need to have those visuals onyour website, especially, you know, of the food. Also, you know, photos ofpeople enjoying the food, and along with visuals, videos. And this is funny,but the other day, I saw on someone's Facebook- I know we're talking aboutwebsite. We're talking about, but on someone's Facebook, it was a restauranttype place, sort of a pub bar. But what they did was they installed a 360camera, and they turn on a live feed. So you get a feel for the ambiance andthe environment of that place before you even, like, go there.

Franklin: [00:06:11] Dude.

Christian: [00:06:12] Iknow. That blew my mind.

Aaron: [00:06:14] Nowwhat kind of- can you describe the place for us a little bit? Like, I mean, itwas a cool place I'm guessing.

Christian: [00:06:18] Yes.It was, yeah. Yeah, it was back in Puerto Rico. It was just like sort of aporch-type place, and there was people around. You could see them. You couldn'thear conversation, but you could hear the chatter and the music in thebackground. Like, it was really cool.

Aaron: [00:06:32] OK.That definitely stands out to me because one, nobody's doing the 360 videos,and then two, nobody's really showing those kind of videos anyway. So thatreally steps up your game.

Franklin: [00:06:42] Exactly.Because, like, if you were trying to find a place to go eat and you were justscrolling through Facebook, or if you went to, like, a specific website and yousaw live now and then you just clicked on it. It was like, oh, they're justsit- hey, let's go to go to such and such and go eat, but it looks like there'snot a lot of people there. We can go and enjoy ourselves. Yeah, that's exactlywhat would happen.

Christian: [00:07:05] Yeah.And I saw this on Facebook, but I'm pretty sure that's something you couldimplement on your website. Some kind of embed with the live video.

Aaron: [00:07:15] Right,YouTube has live video. Maybe an embed with that.

Christian: [00:07:18] Yeah,yeah, definitely possible. But I mean, that's definitely, you know, 2030. Maybe2020 when that becomes something that you must have on your website, but as faras videos that you must have right now, you could just do regular videos of theenvironment. You know, just, you know, have a good night where maybe you havelive music on your restaurant on a Friday night or something. Then record that.Have a good, you know, nice video. Show some B-rolls of the restaurant, of thefood being cooked.

Franklin: [00:07:50] Iwas just about to say that. Like, if you serve steaks, like, a good video. Soof, like, a guy with a really deep voice speaking voice over while somebody's,like, flipping a steak, and it drops on the grill and you see fire blaze. Like.

Aaron: [00:08:06] Right.And honestly, like, that's like next level stuff I think there. You could justdo straight video. You don't have to do even the audio, but just the video ofthe food being cooked would be way above. Again I don't think we've been tovery many websites where that's happening, but I would probably go eat there ifsomebody did that because I'm like wow. You know, that makes it- that standsout.

Franklin: [00:08:28] Sorry.I don't mean the George Lucas the restaurant commercial, but yeah, like the guyon Instagram. I can't remember what everyone was calling him, salt bae. Like,that's a really good example of, like, what would be a good video to put upthere.

Aaron: [00:08:43] Ifyou don't know what that is, go search on YouTube or I mean Instagram.

Franklin: [00:08:47] Justgoogle salt bae, and you'll see. Like, but he's a really good, like, steakchef. Like, you see him, like, chop pork chops. You see him chop steaks andsalt and grill them all at the same time, but like, if you had, like, a set ofvideos that were on your website where your chef was cooking and giving anexplanation of how he cooks it, that would be, like, perfect.

Christian: [00:09:09] Nextlevel.

Franklin: [00:09:11] Exactly.Like, I have my hands like an Italian chef. Like, it's perfect.

Christian: [00:09:16] Allright. Now something that's, again Aaron said that we're going to give you someduhs in there, it's to have the locations, directions, and a map. I mean,that's a given. Like, you have to have that. Otherwise people are not going tobuy from you. They're not going to find you.

Aaron: [00:09:32] AndGoogle likes that too. Like, you need to put that on there for you to be foundonline as well as, you know, adhering to your customers and making sure thatthey will want to show up to your restaurant.

Franklin: [00:09:41] Right.And then the thing- another thing that Aaron said at the very beginning is makesure it's clickable so that people won't have to go through the hassle ofactually trying to copy and paste it and all that.

Aaron: [00:09:50] IfI have to copy and paste your address in there, I'm going somewhere elsebecause I'm probably frustrated. Unless it's just like this is going to be theplace no matter what, but if I can't click it and get directions, that's just-I mean, that's a bad first experience. That's the first thing. Even before theyget to your restaurant, that's an experience that they have, and they alreadyhave that in their minds. So if the food's kind of like mediocre, that couldjust, you know, they may not come back.

Christian: [00:10:13] Exactly.I want to add something to this too because I know we're talking aboutrestaurants, but we're talking about more of a fast, casual more, like,Chipotle or something like that. You know, make sure that you sign up forDoorDash or Saver.

Aaron: [00:10:29] Grubhub.

Christian: [00:10:30] Grubhub.Any of those. There's about 10 of them, I feel like, but yeah, sign up with oneof those and make sure that you offer delivery service as part of yourservices.

Franklin: [00:10:44] Right.

Aaron: [00:10:45] Yeah.I mean, it doesn't make sense if you're like a five star dining, like, steakplace where the experience is there, but if you're doing fast casual likeChristian said, everybody is doing that. So it's kind of like you need to startplaying at that game to get delivery because like, well, I love your food, butyou don't deliver. I'm going to go try somebody else, and that may take yourbusiness.

Franklin: [00:11:04] Right.And then having that stamp on your website showing that you actually dodeliver, especially if you're in a competitive niche but no one in your, like,actual category is actually doing that. You could stand out, and people wouldcome to you a whole lot more than they would to your competition.

Aaron: [00:11:24] Absolutely.Do you have any other- I know, Christian, do you got any more add ons to this?

Christian: [00:11:29] No,I mean just our last point here which is, you know, and I feel like this is amust have, is, you know, including a brief history of your restaurant or whatkind of style restaurant or just some basic information on, you know, who youare, why are you doing this. I feel like that just gives the restaurant alittle bit more flavor to it, you know? Gives it a purpose almost.

Aaron: [00:11:53] AndI would say going back to the visual part, if this is family owned or even ifit's not family owned, but you have, like, just pictures of you or maybe yourchef at least on the About part if it makes sense. That's a really goodconnection where you can kind of tell your story and the visuals on that pagetoo.

Franklin: [00:12:10] Right.It gives it that authenticity. If I'm from Louisiana, so I know the full storyon how Raising Cane's started and where it started from. So like, knowing thatmakes me gravitate to it even though is franchised out now. So like, creatingthat story behind it will actually give you, to me honestly personally, givesyou authenticity and gives your restaurant longevity. Gives you the possibilityof being franchised out, and more people connecting to it.

Christian: [00:12:38] Allright. So just to recap here, some of the must have for a restaurant website.Make sure that you include a menu. Make sure that you put in there last timethe menu was updated. Number two, make sure that you have locations, directions,and then a map. Make sure that's easily clickable where people can just clickon it. They get directions. Boom. Main, main thing, visuals, photos, andvideos, and we also talk a little bit about 360 video, live video. That maybe alittle bit, not a must have, but definitely will take it to the next level.

Aaron: [00:13:12] Nextlevel. Next level stuff.

Franklin: [00:13:12] Definitelyfire emojis.

Christian: [00:13:15] Andthen the last thing, make sure that you tell them what kind of restaurant youare, a brief history of the restaurant, what makes you unique. Just tell yourstory. Anything else?

Franklin: [00:13:26] Nope.I'm good. I think that's it.

Christian: [00:13:28] I'mhungry now.

Aaron: [00:13:29] Yeah,exactly.OK, we need to go grab some food. So on that note, why don't you guys go grabsome food? But before you go do that, make sure you click that subscribebutton, and then you hit those three little dots in the right hand corner.Share this with somebody, and then leave us a rating and review, an honest oneand let us know how we did. And I don't know. Maybe you can tweet us@BitBranding.

Christian: [00:13:51] Doit.

Franklin: [00:13:52] Doit.

Aaron:[00:13:52] Seeyou guys.