A quality restaurant website can attract customers, provide essential information like menus and operating hours, and offer online ordering and reservation systems. Today’s website builders make it easy to create and manage sites.
Here, you’ll find our picks for the best restaurant site builders based on features, ease of use, cost, popularity, SEO considerations, and support.
Best Restaurant Website Builders
Squarespace
Pricing: $16-$49/month (annual billing) 14-day free trial available.
Best For: Restaurants looking for a stylish, easy-to-use platform with built-in e-commerce features.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop website builder
- High-quality, restaurant-specific templates
- Built-in e-commerce capabilities for online ordering or merchandise sales
Cons
- Limited third-party app integrations compared to some competitors
- Some advanced features require higher-tier pricing plans.
- Customization can be limiting.
Why It’s a Good Choice for Restaurants
Squarespace is renowned for quality templates and a user-friendly interface. For restaurants aiming to make a strong impression, the platform offers a range of ways to showcase menus, photos, and customer testimonials.
Beyond aesthetics, Squarespace has essential tools that target the unique needs of restaurants, including integrated OpenTable reservations, event calendars, and ordering systems. The platform also provides e-commerce capabilities, allowing restaurants to sell merchandise.
Squarespace is a solid choice for restaurants aiming for a blend of aesthetics and functionality. Its ease of use ensures that maintaining a site isn’t too cumbersome. However, restaurants looking for extensive third-party integrations or deeper customizability might need to weigh their priorities. Overall, for many establishments, the platform’s design-centric approach can make a notable difference in attracting and retaining customers.
WordPress
Pricing: Costs can vary based on hosting, themes, and plugins. We recommend Flywheel or Bluehost as hosting options.
Best For: Restaurants seeking a highly-customizable platform.
Pros
- Unparalleled flexibility and customization.
- Massive library of plugins, including those specifically designed for restaurants.
- SEO-friendly platform, allowing for better search engine rankings.
Cons
- Steeper learning curve compared to other website builders.
- Maintenance and security are more hands-on, especially with self-hosted sites.
- Potential compatibility issues between plugins and themes.
Why It’s a Good Choice for Restaurants
WordPress stands out as one of the most flexible and scalable platforms available. For restaurants, this means the ability to create a site that perfectly aligns with their brand, vision, and functional needs.
Plugins are a key to WordPress, and many are designed specifically for restaurant needs. From menu display plugins to reservation systems and even e-commerce solutions for online orders, restaurants can find a plugin for almost any functionality. Moreover, the platform’s SEO strengths mean that with the right optimization, a restaurant’s site can rank well on search engines, driving organic traffic and potential customers.
WordPress is ideal for restaurants prioritizing customization and scalability. While it requires a bit more technical know-how, the payoff is a site that can grow and evolve alongside the business. For restaurants that have evolving needs or those that want to invest in robust online efforts, WordPress is a top contender. However, it’s essential to consider the time or resources needed for site maintenance and updates.
Square Online
Pricing: $0-$79/month (billed annually)
Best For: Restaurants already using Square POS or those looking for an integrated online ordering and payment solution.
Pros
- Seamless integration with Square POS and payment systems
- Built-in online ordering system for pickup and delivery
- Mobile-optimized and responsive restaurant templates
Cons
- Limited design flexibility compared to other platforms
- Some advanced features are locked behind higher-tier plans.
- Transaction fees can add up for high-volume establishments.
Why It’s a Good Choice for Restaurants
Square Online is a natural extension for restaurants already familiar with Square’s suite of products. This means a streamlined process where in-house sales and online orders are managed cohesively. The platform’s emphasis on e-commerce ensures that online ordering, whether for pickup or delivery, is a core feature, not an afterthought. This is especially crucial for restaurants where online orders are a significant revenue stream.
For restaurants already in the Square ecosystem or those prioritizing online sales, Square Online is a logical choice. Its integration with Square’s POS and payment systems means fewer headaches when managing finances and inventory. However, restaurants seeking extensive design customization might find the platform slightly restrictive. Overall, its strengths in e-commerce and integration make it a strong contender for establishments prioritizing online sales and order management.
Wix
Pricing: $16-$159/month
Best For: Restaurants seeking design flexibility and a wide selection of app integrations.
Pros
- Extensive drag-and-drop design flexibility
- Large App Market for additional functionality
- Online ordering capabilities
Cons
- Free plan includes Wix branding on the website.
- Can be overwhelming for some due to the multitude of design options.
- Site speed can sometimes be slower, especially with feature-rich websites.
Why It’s a Good Choice for Restaurants
Wix offers an extremely customizable website-building experience, which can be great for restaurants that have a clear vision of their brand and presentation. It has various tools for restaurants in its App Market, including reservation and order systems.
It’s a versatile platform that can fulfill the diverse needs of restaurants. While its myriad of options can be a double-edged sword — offering flexibility but potentially overwhelming some users — its dedicated tools for restaurants make it a strong contender. Restaurants prioritizing design flexibility and feature integration will find Wix a compelling choice.
Shopify
Pricing: $29-$299/month (annual billing)
Best For: Restaurants looking to expand into robust online sales, especially those considering selling merchandise or packaged food products.
Pros
- Powerful e-commerce capabilities with extensive payment gateway options
- Large selection of apps and plugins in the Shopify App Store
- Integration with social media platforms for sales and marketing
Cons
- Overkill for restaurants just seeking a basic online presence
- Transaction fees unless using Shopify Payments
- Some design limitations compared to dedicated website builders.
Why It’s a Good Choice for Restaurants
Shopify is primarily known as a leading e-commerce platform, and while it might not be the first choice that comes to mind for restaurants, it offers a suite of features that can be quite beneficial.
For restaurants that want to diversify their revenue streams by selling merchandise, packaged goods, or even subscription meal kits, Shopify provides tools to make this happen. Its powerful inventory management and sales analytics can give restaurants insights to optimize their online sales.
Beyond just sales, Shopify has notable integration capabilities. For example, restaurants can connect their store with various social media platforms. This can benefit establishments with a strong social media presence that want to leverage it for sales. Additionally, the Shopify App Store has many restaurant apps that can add functionalities ranging from reservation systems to loyalty programs, making the platform adaptable to specific needs.
While Shopify might seem unconventional for a restaurant at first glance, it’s worth considering for establishments that want to focus heavily on online sales and marketing. Its e-commerce prowess can open up new revenue channels, but for restaurants just looking for a basic online menu and reservation system, Shopify might be more than needed. It’s best suited for those ready to embrace e-commerce in a big way.
Best Practices for Restaurant Websites
Consider these tips when building your site to maximize your site’s value:
- Use high-quality images and videos. Visual content is very important for restaurant websites. Use high-quality images and videos to showcase your food and drinks and your restaurant’s atmosphere. Ensure your images are optimized for fast-loading pages and SEO benefits.
- Make it easy for customers to order online and make reservations. If you offer online ordering and reservations, ensure customers can easily do so on your website. Prioritize creating a great user experience for best results.
- Write informative content. Include all the important information that customers need to know, such as your hours of operation, location, contact information, and menu.
- Focus on Local SEO: Even some basic Local SEO techniques, like using a consistent name, address, and phone number (NAP) on your site and across the web, will greatly improve your results in Google Maps and Search.
- Optimize for mobile: Many users will visit your site on mobile devices, so ensure it looks good and functions well on small screens.
Bottom Line
An effective website is essential for any restaurant that wants to succeed online and off. Choosing an intuitive website builder with templates and features customized for restaurants can help you gain customers and online traffic. Explore your options and see which fits your needs best. ?
