What Customers Look for First on a Restaurant Website

Hungry Customers Decide Fast — Your Website Has Seconds

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When someone lands on a restaurant website, they’re usually doing one thing: deciding.

They’re deciding where to eat, whether to order, or if your place is worth the visit. And that decision often happens in under 10 seconds — usually on a phone, usually while multitasking.

If customers can’t quickly find what they need, they don’t search harder. They leave.

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How Customers Actually Use Restaurant Websites

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Most restaurant websites aren’t browsed — they’re scanned.

Visitors typically want to:

• Confirm you’re open
• Check the menu
• See what the food looks like
• Decide how to order or reserve
• Verify location and reviews

Anything that slows this down creates friction — and friction kills conversions.

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The 5 Things Customers Look for First

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1. The Menu (Immediately)

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Your menu should be:

• Easy to find
• Easy to read on mobile
• Fast to load
• Not hidden behind downloads or popups

PDF menus are common — and one of the biggest conversion blockers.

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2. Hours & Location (No Guessing)

Customers shouldn’t have to hunt for:

• Today’s hours
• Address
• Parking info
• Contact details

If this info isn’t obvious, trust drops instantly.

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3. Photos That Match Expectations

People eat with their eyes first.

They want to see:

• Real food
• Real space
• Real atmosphere

Stock photos or outdated images create uncertainty — and uncertainty loses customers.

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4. Ordering or Reservations (Front and Center)

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Whether it’s dine-in, takeout, or delivery, customers expect:

• Clear calls to action
• Minimal steps
• Mobile-friendly buttons

If ordering feels confusing or slow, they’ll choose another restaurant.

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5. Proof It’s Worth It

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Reviews, testimonials, and recognitions matter — especially for new visitors.

Displaying social proof reassures customers that:

• The food is good
• The experience is reliable
• They’re making a safe choice

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Mobile Experience Is Everything

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Most restaurant traffic is mobile — often coming from:

• Maps
• Social media
• “Near me” searches

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If your site:

• Loads slowly
• Has tiny text
• Buries important info
• Uses awkward popups

You’re losing orders before customers even see the menu.

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Common Restaurant Website Mistakes

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Even great restaurants make these mistakes:

• Overdesigned homepages with no clear actions
• Menus that are hard to read on phones
• Missing or outdated hours
• No clear ordering path
• Too many clicks to get basic info

A simple, clear website almost always outperforms a flashy one.

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How a Better Website Increases Orders & Reservations

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A high-performing restaurant website:

• Reduces customer hesitation
• Speeds up decision-making
• Encourages repeat visits
• Increases order volume without extra ad spend

Small improvements in clarity often lead to immediate results.

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Is Your Restaurant Website Helping — or Costing You Sales?

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Most restaurant owners don’t realize their website is the bottleneck.

That’s why we built a free 5-Second Website Test.

It shows:

• Whether customers instantly understand what you offer
• If the next step is obvious
• Where confusion or friction appears

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👉 Take the Free 5-Second Website Test

Find out if your website is driving orders — or driving customers away.

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Recommended Watch: Restaurant Website Best Practices

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This video does a solid job explaining what restaurant websites need to convert more customers:

👉 YouTube: Restaurant Website Design Tips That Increase Orders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv1Wz7sYk9M

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Conclusion: Make It Easy to Choose You

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Customers don’t visit restaurant websites to admire design — they visit to decide. The easier it is to find your menu, understand your offering, and take action, the more likely they are to order or book.

If your website adds friction, customers won’t complain — they’ll just choose somewhere else.

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