How do restaurants get websites?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Debra Straka on July 24, 2008 at 8:33am

Our website provider is our POS provider. Most POS systems offer the service, assuming you already have your POS in place, I would start with them. Also it is not that difficult to start your own website by registering your domain name. There are plenty of templates out there, so if there is creative types within your organization they could put one together. It will require at least one from your organization to dedicate to updating information and refreshing stale. I find not enough businesses take that last step to seriously and end up with boring sites.

Permalink Reply by firerose on July 24, 2008 at 4:12pm

I'm curious about your restaurant website service. Do you build the sites, promote them, train restaurants, some combination thereof, etc? I think one of the biggest difficulties that restaurants face when building sites is promoting them effectively. Many, especially smaller restaurants, simply do not see enough return for the money they spent building and maintaining a site.

Permalink Reply by Judy "the foodie" Asman on August 6, 2008 at 9:44am

Great question.

I still have not worked with clients who want an online ordering system and their focus is primarily displaying the menus and offering general information. Honestly, I think it goes back to certain restaureteurs who don't have time to manage online ordering, since they're usually working in the kitchen or FOH. They'd have to hire someone specifically to do this. Also, many of them don't do delivery or catering, and to collect orders for pick up would create more work for them in the busy lunch hour.

As for other solutions they use: Many restaurants where I live are taking advantage of whatever Chamber platform is offered, if the restaurants are Chamber members. The platforms are fairly robust and enable the restaurants to display menus. I find it challenging to compete with an in-the-can service if the restaurant already undervalues the power the Web can have on their business.

And honestly, I think we're still finding out what that power is to make strong sell. So I'm glad you started this group!

Permalink Reply by Holly Plumlee on September 6, 2008 at 9:08am

I think the first step in making a decision about where and how to get your website, is to nail down exactly what you want out of it? Will your site be informational only? do you want to sell gift cards, merchandise or have online ordering? If it's informational only, maybe look into bartering the cost with a local web designer, or at least some of the cost. Also ask your staff, someone you already employ might have the skills to get your simple site up and running. Then, if your simple site turns into getting more hits a day than you expected that might answer the question of putting up the money to build a bigger more complex site with lots of bells and whistles! On the other hand, if you're wanting to sell merchandise or have online ordering, I would leave that to the big boys. As for learning to do this yourself, you might need to decide where it makes more sense for you to spend your time. It will take time and great patience to learn web design...even for the seasoned computer user. We have hired an external design company that is in the process of rebuilding our restaurant website. We're a couple of weeks out on our new site being live. One of the main highlights of our site is our menu...and we get over 1000 hits a month just on that. For a two unit restaurant in a small town, I think that's a lot. We also do a monthly email newsletter, which has about 1200 subscribers. We offer customers the ability to sign up for that, as well as our birthday club on our website.
Figure out what you want your site to do for your restaurant first and go from there.
:-)

Permalink Reply by Sarah on September 10, 2008 at 12:09pm

Hello, I just thought I would tag on that anyone can submit their information on my website for free. I am collecting information on vegetarian options at restaurants, so if you would like to send your restaurant's information in send it to sarah@goeggless.com. This is essentially free advertising for restaurants. Even if your restaurant only has one vegetarian option, it is still helpful because often a vegetarian will dine with a non-vegetarian and just needs to know what they'll be able to eat when they go to a restaurant. In particular, my site focuses on what is free of eggs, meat, and fish.

Permalink Reply by MenusNearU on October 14, 2008 at 11:56am

In our research we have found that in addition, if not more important than, your own restaurant website, owners need to hit the restaurant portals. More and more customers are using the portals as a starting point since they include review, coupons...etc. Our website, MenusNearU.com , is one such site.

When people are hungry, they go to the portals to figure it out. And some, like ours, include online ordering to make it a one stop shop.

Permalink Reply by Andrew Cargill on November 14, 2008 at 7:18am

We also offer a similar service at iGotMunchies.co.uk which is aimed entirely at the student market within the UK.