Restaurant website design mistakes that lose bookings

Key takeaways

The restaurant website design mistakes that lose bookings are menus as PDFs or images, a booking button that is hard to find on a phone, autoplay video and heavy galleries that slow the page, out-of-date opening hours and no clear allergen information. Diners mostly check on a phone, often on the move: show the menu, hours, location and booking in the first two taps.

• Put the menu on a normal web page, not a PDF or image.
• Keep a 'Book a table' button visible on every page.
• Show today's hours, address and a map link near the top.
• Explain how to get allergen information.

What do diners look for on a restaurant website?

Most diners want the same few things: the menu and prices, opening hours, location, how to book and what the place looks like. They are usually on a phone and deciding between options. Every design choice that delays those answers loses bookings to the venue down the road.

• The most common business website design mistakes
• Websites for UK hospitality businesses

Mistake 1: menus as PDFs or images

PDF menus are slow to open and hard to read on phones, and image menus cannot be read by search engines or screen readers. Put the menu on a web page as text with prices. It is easier to update, appears in searches for dishes and works on every device.

• PDFs on a mobile website: why menus and brochures fail
• Text in images: why it hurts your website

Mistake 2: a hidden booking button

If booking means opening a menu, finding a page and scrolling to an embedded widget, many diners will give up and call or go elsewhere. Keep a 'Book a table' button in the header on every page, and make sure the booking system works well on a phone.

• Online booking on a small business website
• Button design: why visitors miss your website buttons

Mistake 3: autoplay video and heavy galleries

Full-screen atmospheric videos and large photo galleries look good on a fast connection and slow the page on mobile data, pushing the menu and booking button further away. Use one strong, compressed image and a short gallery further down.

• Autoplay video and sound on websites: why to avoid it

Mistake 4: out-of-date hours and details

Wrong opening hours, especially on bank holidays, send diners to a closed door and damage trust. Keep hours on the website and your Google Business Profile in step, and show special hours clearly.

• Local SEO for a small business website

Mistake 5: no allergen information

UK food businesses must provide allergen information for the 14 major allergens. For food ordered online or by phone, it must be available before purchase and at delivery. On the website, mark allergens on the menu or explain clearly how diners can get the information.

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: a restaurant homepage opens with a video, the menu is a PDF and the booking widget is on a separate page. Putting the menu on a page, the booking button in the header and the hours near the top means diners can decide and book in a couple of taps.

• See client work
• Website Design & Development for UK businesses
• Website design review: score your own site in 30 minutes

Restaurant website checklist

• Menu as a web page with prices.
• Book a table button on every page.
• Hours, address and map link near the top.
• Hours matched to Google Business Profile.
• One strong compressed image, no autoplay video.
• Allergen information clearly explained.

Next step

On your phone, try to find your menu and book a table for Saturday. Count the taps.