Restaurant & Food Business
Covers: restaurants, cafés, coffee shops, bakeries, catering, delis, ice cream shops, juice bars, home bakers, cottage food businesses. See also food truck for food trucks and mobile food vendors — their discovery model is fundamentally different (schedule-driven, not address-driven).
What your visitors will find
I build the pages your customers actually look for — not a generic template.
Menu
The #1 reason people visit a restaurant website. PDF menus are bad for SEO and mobile — I convert them to HTML. Update it when the menu changes.
Hours / location
Include parking, transit, and "we're the one next to the blue awning" wayfinding. Display prominently — don't bury it.
About
The story behind the food. Family history, chef background, sourcing philosophy. This is what differentiates from chains.
Catering / private events
If offered. Separate page with menus, pricing guidance, and a contact form.
Gallery
Food photos, interior, events. Real photos of real food — not stock photography.
Contact
Phone (make it tappable), email, directions. Include a "call to order" CTA if they do takeout.
Custom orders
If the business takes custom orders (decorated cookies, custom cakes, catering). Include: what they make, lead time ("order 2–3 weeks ahead"), price ranges or "request a quote" form, order form or inquiry form collecting event date, theme, quantity, dietary needs, design inspiration. Show past work organized by occasion (weddings, birthdays, holidays, corporate).
Shipping
If they ship products (cookies, sauces, packaged goods). Shipping policy, turnaround time, zones/costs, packaging details, seasonal restrictions (e.g., chocolate in summer). Set expectations: "Shipped items are packaged for freshness — here's what to expect."
A design that fits your brand
Warm, inviting, appetite-stimulating. Dark backgrounds with warm lighting for upscale dining; bright and clean for cafés and bakeries; rustic textures for farm-to-table.
Warm tones — amber, terracotta, deep red, olive, espresso. Avoid cool blues and purples (they suppress appetite). Accent color for CTAs (order, reserve, call).
Classic stack (serif headings) for character and tradition. Clean sans-serif body. Heading weight 700+. Cafés and bakeries can go lighter and more modern with the humanist stack.
Your business tools, connected
I integrate with the platforms you already use — styled links, not embedded scripts. Your site stays fast and private.
Square
Payments, online ordering, marketing. Free tier is generous and easy to start. square.com
Toast
Restaurant-specific POS with online ordering, delivery integration. More features but more complex. toasttab.com
Map listings
Essential for "restaurants near me" searches. Claim the business on Google Business Profile, Apple Business Connect, and OpenStreetMap. Post menu updates and photos regularly. See docs/webmaster.md → Map listings.
Compliance handled
I know the regulations for your industry so you don't have to research them.
Health department permits
Required for commercial kitchens. Display permit number if required by jurisdiction. Link to latest inspection report if publicly available (builds trust).
Cottage food laws
Home bakers and makers of shelf-stable foods (cookies, breads, jams, candy) can often sell without a commercial kitchen under state cottage food laws. Requirements vary widely by state — check the specific state's rules. Common requirements:
Food allergen disclosure
Many jurisdictions require allergen information. At minimum, add "Please inform us of any allergies" to the menu or order page.
Alcohol licensing
If serving alcohol, display license type and number if required. Some states restrict advertising drink specials online.
Nutritional information
Required for chains (20+ locations) under FDA rules. Optional for small restaurants but helpful for customer trust.
ADA compliance
Menu must be accessible (not image-only PDFs). Ensure the website is screen-reader friendly.
Content that keeps visitors coming back
New menu items, seasonal specials, behind-the-scenes photos, event announcements, chef spotlights, community involvement, recipes (shareable and brings search traffic), "meet the team" features, holiday hours announcements, catering highlights, customer features (with permission), food sourcing stories, local supplier spotlights.
Ready to build your restaurant & food business website?
I'll use everything above to build you a site tailored to your industry — the right pages, design, tools, and compliance from day one.
Get started