11 Essential Restaurant Website Features (2026)
Restaurant website features that actually matter: 11 essentials, nice-to-haves, and 5 features that waste money. Practical guide for UK restaurants.
Every restaurant website needs: mobile-responsive design, online menu, location/hours, phone number, and photos. Most also need online booking or ordering. Skip: chat widgets, excessive animations, and features you won't maintain.
Which restaurant website features actually matter? Every website builder and agency will try to sell you more features. More features, more price, right?
Wrong. Most restaurant websites have too many features — and are missing the few that actually drive bookings.
After building websites for restaurants across the UK for years, I’ve learned that what you leave out matters as much as what you include.
Here’s the honest breakdown: the 11 essential features you need, nice-to-haves, and 5 that waste your money.
Table of Contents
- The 11 Features Every Restaurant Needs
- Nice-to-Have Features
- 5 Features You Don’t Need
- Features by Restaurant Type
- How to Prioritise
- Frequently Asked Questions
The 11 Features Every Restaurant Needs
These aren’t optional. If your website is missing any of these, fix it.
1. Mobile-Responsive Design
Why it’s essential: 89% of restaurant searches happen on mobile devices. If your site doesn’t work perfectly on phones, you’re invisible to most customers.
Mobile-responsive means:
- Text readable without zooming
- Buttons easy to tap with thumbs
- No horizontal scrolling
- Fast loading (under 3 seconds)
This isn’t a feature to add — it’s the foundation everything else sits on.
2. Online Menu
Why it’s essential: It’s the #1 reason people visit your website. According to BentoBox research, diners want three things: menu, location, and how to book. Menu comes first.
Your menu should be:
- HTML text (not a PDF — here’s why they hurt your restaurant)
- Easy to scan and read on mobile
- Up to date with current prices
- Organised logically (starters, mains, desserts, drinks)
61% of diners say food photos are the most important feature — but a text menu with no photos beats a PDF menu that won’t load.
3. Location and Opening Hours
Why it’s essential: People need to find you and know when you’re open. This information should be:
- Visible on every page (header or footer)
- Correct (update for bank holidays!)
- Including postcode for sat-nav
- With an embedded map or map link
Put this in your site footer at minimum. Better: include it prominently on your homepage hero section.
4. Phone Number (Clickable)
Why it’s essential: Some people want to call. Make it easy.
The phone number should be:
- Visible on every page
- A clickable link (
tel:+44...) so mobile users can tap to call - Not hidden in a “Contact” page three clicks away
For restaurants, a visible phone number also builds trust. It says “we’re real, we’re reachable.”
5. High-Quality Food Photos
Why it’s essential: 61% of diners say food photos are the most important feature on a restaurant website. Poor quality photos actively hurt you — they make customers assume the food is bad too.
You need at minimum:
- 3-5 photos of signature dishes
- 1-2 photos of your interior
- 1 exterior shot (helps people recognise you)
Professional photography is ideal, but well-lit smartphone photos work. Just avoid dark, grainy, flash-washed images — they actively hurt you.
6. About Page or Story Section
Why it’s essential: Diners want to know who’s behind the food. Are you family-run? Chef-owned? What’s your story?
This doesn’t need to be long. A few paragraphs about:
- How you started
- What makes you different
- Your approach to food/service
People connect with stories, not businesses. Give them something to connect with.
7. Clear Call-to-Action Buttons
Why it’s essential: Your website exists to turn visitors into customers. They need to know what to do next.
Every page should have a clear CTA:
- “Book a Table” or “Reserve Now”
- “Order Online” or “Order for Collection”
- “Call Us” with the phone number
Make buttons stand out. Use contrasting colours. Position them where they’re easily tappable on mobile.
8. Fast Loading Speed
Why it’s essential: 53% of mobile users abandon sites that take over 3 seconds to load. Slow sites lose customers and rank worse in search.
Target:
- Under 3 seconds load time on mobile
- Under 2 seconds on desktop
- Mobile PageSpeed score above 50
Speed depends on hosting quality, image compression, and clean code. It’s technical, but it matters.
9. Basic SEO Setup
Why it’s essential: Most diners find new restaurants via Google search. If you don’t show up, you don’t exist.
Minimum SEO requirements:
- Page titles that include your restaurant name and location
- Meta descriptions for each page
- Your address and business name consistent across the site
- Google Business Profile linked and verified
- Fast loading, mobile-friendly (covered above)
This won’t make you #1 overnight, but it gets you in the game.
10. Contact Form or Email Link
Why it’s essential: Not everyone wants to call. Private dining enquiries, event bookings, and press requests often come via email.
A simple contact form works. Include:
- Name
- Message
- Phone (optional)
Make sure form submissions actually reach you. Test it yourself.
11. Social Media Links
Why it’s essential: Your Instagram probably has more up-to-date content than your website. Let people find it easily.
Simple icons linking to your profiles in the header or footer. That’s all you need — not an embedded feed (more on that later).
Nice-to-Have Features
These features add value but aren’t essential. Include them if they match your business needs.
Online Booking System
Who needs it: Table-service restaurants where reservations are normal.
Why it matters: Most diners now prefer booking online. Many people (especially younger demographics) won’t call.
Popular UK options:
- ResDiary
- OpenTable
- SevenRooms
- Design My Night
When to skip: Casual cafés, takeaways, and walk-in-only spots don’t need reservation systems.
Online Ordering System
Who needs it: Restaurants offering takeaway or delivery.
Why it matters: Direct ordering avoids the 15-35% commission fees from Just Eat, Deliveroo, etc. If you’re doing £5,000/month through delivery apps at 30% commission, that’s £1,500 in fees. Your own system pays for itself fast.
When to skip: Dine-in-only restaurants with no collection or delivery.
Gift Vouchers
Who needs it: Any restaurant wanting extra revenue streams.
Why it matters: Gift vouchers are essentially interest-free loans. You get cash now; they redeem later. They also bring in new customers who might not otherwise visit.
Implementation: Can be simple (buy a voucher, receive a code via email) or integrated with your POS.
Events Calendar
Who needs it: Restaurants with regular events — live music, quiz nights, tasting menus, seasonal celebrations.
Why it matters: Lets customers browse what’s coming up without you posting individually on social media.
When to skip: If you run events occasionally, just add them to your homepage or create individual pages as needed.
Email Newsletter Signup
Who needs it: Restaurants building a loyal customer base.
Why it matters: Your email list is yours — unlike social media followers, which can disappear overnight if the platform changes. Direct access to customers for events, offers, and news.
When to skip: If you won’t actually send emails, don’t collect addresses.
Allergen and Dietary Information
Who needs it: Every restaurant should have this somewhere. It’s legally required in the UK.
Implementation options:
- Simple text stating “Ask staff about allergens”
- Symbols on menu items (V, VG, GF, etc.)
- Filterable menu that shows only suitable dishes
- Downloadable allergen matrix
The filterable menu is a nice touch that helps customers with dietary needs feel welcome.
5 Features You Don’t Need
These waste money, slow your site, or actively annoy customers. Skip them.
1. Live Chat Widgets
Why to skip: Unless you have staff dedicated to responding instantly, chat widgets create frustration. Customers send a message, nobody replies for hours, and they leave irritated.
For restaurants, a phone number and contact form cover customer queries better.
Exception: Large chains with dedicated customer service teams.
2. Embedded Social Media Feeds
Why to skip: Embedded Instagram or Facebook feeds:
- Slow down your site significantly
- Break frequently when platforms change their APIs
- Show content that might be outdated or off-brand
- Take up space that could show your own content
A simple link to your Instagram is better. People who want to see it will click.
3. Music or Video Autoplay
Why to skip: Nothing makes visitors slam the back button faster than unexpected noise. It’s 2026 — we’ve learned this lesson.
Video is fine if it’s click-to-play. Background video with no sound can work for atmosphere. Autoplay audio? Never.
4. Complicated Animations
Why to skip: Fancy parallax scrolling, animated menus, and “reveal” effects look impressive in design portfolios but:
- Slow down your site
- Often break on mobile
- Distract from information people actually want
- Make updates more complicated
Keep animations subtle. Fade-ins and smooth scrolling are fine. Flying plates and zooming text are not.
5. Blog You Won’t Update
Why to skip: A blog with one post from 2022 looks abandoned. It signals “this business doesn’t care” to both visitors and Google.
Blogs only help SEO if you update them regularly (at least monthly). If you can’t commit to that, leave it out.
Better alternatives:
- News section on homepage (just a few bullet points)
- Updated “What’s On” or events section
- Seasonal menu highlights that change periodically
Features by Restaurant Type
Different restaurants need different things. Here’s a quick reference:
Fine Dining
| Priority | Features |
|---|---|
| Essential | Stunning photography, elegant design, online booking, tasting menu details |
| Important | Private dining enquiries, wine list, chef bio |
| Optional | Gift vouchers, press/awards section |
Casual Dining
| Priority | Features |
|---|---|
| Essential | Clear menu, online booking or walk-in info, location, photos |
| Important | Group booking options, events calendar |
| Optional | Loyalty programme, newsletter signup |
Pub
| Priority | Features |
|---|---|
| Essential | Food menu, drinks selection, opening hours, location |
| Important | Events calendar (quiz nights, live music), booking system |
| Optional | Beer garden photos, function room hire |
Café
| Priority | Features |
|---|---|
| Essential | Menu, hours (especially opening time!), location, atmosphere photos |
| Important | Takeaway ordering, breakfast/lunch distinction |
| Optional | Coffee sourcing story, seasonal specials |
Takeaway / Fast Casual
| Priority | Features |
|---|---|
| Essential | Online ordering, menu with prices, collection times, delivery area |
| Important | Loyalty/discount codes, allergy info |
| Optional | Catering enquiries, about page |
How to Prioritise
If you’re building a new site or improving an existing one, here’s the order:
Phase 1: Foundations (Get These Right First)
- Mobile-responsive design
- Fast loading speed
- Basic SEO setup
Phase 2: Core Content
- Online menu (HTML, not PDF)
- Location and hours (every page)
- Phone number (clickable)
- Food and interior photos
Phase 3: Conversion
- Clear call-to-action buttons
- Online booking OR ordering (whichever matches your business)
- Contact form
Phase 4: Polish
- About/story section
- Social links
- Nice-to-have features from your priority list
Don’t jump to Phase 4 until Phases 1-3 are solid. A beautiful site that loads slowly and has no clear CTAs won’t convert.
The Bottom Line
Your restaurant website doesn’t need to be complex. It needs to be:
- Fast
- Mobile-friendly
- Informative (menu, location, hours, contact)
- Action-oriented (clear next step for visitors)
Everything else is optional.
Start with the essentials. Add features only if they serve a real purpose. And skip anything that makes your site slower, harder to maintain, or annoying to use.
Still wondering what this all costs? See our complete pricing guide for restaurant websites or view our packages to see what’s included.
Frequently Asked Questions
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