Between GrubHub, DoorDash, Uber Eats, and similar online ordering apps, you may wonder if it’s worth investing in a website for your restaurant. After all, six in 10 Americans order online twice a week or more. Are digital menus enough, or does your restaurant need a website to keep growing?
Do Restaurants Need a Website?
Every restaurant needs a website, including Michenlin-star chefs, foodie-favorite fine dining, fast casual bistros, irresistible food trucks, and iconic coffee shops.
Create Unforgettable Experiences
There’s no comparison between a third-party ordering portal and a website that has your restaurant’s name on it. If the only contact customers have with you is via Uber Eats, they’re not likely to remember your brand — no matter how incredible your food is. Things are different when people visit your website in search of tasty treats. Your brand identity stands out front and center.
Say More Than a Menu Can
A big reason why restaurants need a website is that online menus have limited space. Short descriptions are great for hungry diners but not first-time visitors trying to decide between you and a competing restaurant.
A complete website lets you say more about your food, your restaurant, and your team. With words, pictures, and videos, you can win over potential visitors before the first bite. Share your vision and your passion.
Deliver the Best Possible Dining Experience
When you have your own website, you have complete control over the customer experience. You decide who to partner with for delivery, what menus look like, which images to include, and what the site looks like. To see how much of a difference that can make, browse a few of our favorite Shopify themes for restaurants.
Increase Your Profit Margins
Having more control over online ordering also matters because of platform fees. DoorDash, Grub Hub, and others often take 25% to 30% commissions on every order, not counting delivery fees. With your website, you can pocket more revenue, even having in-house drivers deliver.
Highlight Other Services
Do you offer catering for weddings and other celebrations? Do you rent out your picture-perfect location as an event venue for graduations or birthdays? Websites let you create stunning pages to let people know.
How Important Is It for a Restaurant To Have a Website?
A website is the digital version of your location. Just like you invest money to ensure the lighting, decor, and style of your building is perfect, you also need to design an attention-grabbing website to wow online customers.
Diners expect your restaurant to have a site. Over 75% of families search for restaurant websites and check them out before deciding whether to order out, dine in, or skip it.
Your Restaurant Needs a Website: How Do You Create One?
It’s impossible to overstate how much restaurants need websites for success in today’s digital economy. The best part? Building a phenomenal website doesn’t need to be expensive, time-consuming, or complicated. Shopify makes website creation easy: dishes, online ordering, delivery, and more. At StayTuned Digital, we’re happy to show you how. Discover how good Shopify can be for restaurant owners.