What Every Restaurant Website Needs in 2025 (Menus, Bookings & More)
Running a restaurant, pub, café or bar in Chester isn’t easy – you’ve got menus to plan, stock to manage and customers to keep happy. But there’s one thing many venues still overlook: their website. And in 2025, a strong online presence is as vital as the food on your menu.
Here’s what every hospitality website needs to thrive this year and why it matters for your business.
Online Booking Made Easy
In a world where people book everything from haircuts to dog walkers online, your customers expect to book a table at your restaurant without calling. Integrating a booking system like OpenTable, ResDiary or Tock can make a huge difference.
Why it matters:
- Convenience: Customers can reserve 24/7, even outside opening hours.
- Reduced no-shows: Automated confirmations and reminders keep tables full.
- Data capture: Collect customer info for future marketing.
Better yet? Bookings directly through your own website save you money on third-party fees and let you nurture customer relationships. (See our comparison guide: Best Online Booking Systems for Restaurants and Pubs in the UK.)
Location, Hours and Contact Details
You’d be surprised how many restaurants hide this crucial info. Keep it simple:
- Address with Google Maps integration.
- Opening times (updated for bank holidays and seasonal shifts).
- Click-to-call phone number.
- A contact form that works.
Your customers are hungry, don’t make them hunt for the basics.
Beautiful, Professional Photography
People eat with their eyes first. Crisp, well-lit photos of your food, drinks and interior can set you apart instantly. You don’t need to hire a Michelin-star photographer, just make sure your imagery is consistent, professional and updated.
Tips:
- Use natural light where possible.
- Include a mix of food shots, drinks, interior, and atmosphere.
- Update seasonally to reflect your current menu.
Speed and Mobile Optimisation
Here’s the kicker: if your site doesn’t load in three seconds, most people leave. That’s business lost before you even had a chance to tempt them with your Sunday roast.
- Slow websites frustrate mobile users on the go.
- Speed impacts rankings – sluggish sites slide down Google.
- Perception matters, a clunky site makes your business feel dated.
We dive deeper here: How a Slow Website Could Be Costing Your Pub Customers and here: Mobile-Friendly Websites: Why They’re Non-Negotiable for Restaurants
Accessibility: Everyone Should Feel Welcome
- Alt text for images.
- Good colour contrast.
- Clear fonts at a readable size.
- Keyboard navigation.
- Captions on video.
Accessibility isn’t just ethical, it’s also good SEO practice and ensures you don’t unintentionally exclude customers.
SEO Foundations
What good is a website if no one finds it? SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) helps you show up when people Google “cocktail bars in Chester” or “family-friendly pubs near me.” From optimised titles to meta descriptions and local listings, the basics matter.
Advanced features include:
- Schema markup for menus and reviews.
- Local SEO via Google Business Profile.
- Blog content targeting “best of Chester” searches.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Menus hidden in PDFs.
- Outdated seasonal offers.
- Booking buttons that don’t work.
- Sites that only load properly on desktop.
- No analytics – meaning you can’t measure success.
Your customers expect better and you deserve a site that works as hard as you do.
A great restaurant website isn’t just pretty, it’s practical. It helps customers find you, trust you, and book with you. At Snack That Media, we specialise in Website Development & Hosting for food and drink businesses, because we know what works.
Related reads: How a Slow Website Could Be Costing Your Pub Customers · Mobile-Friendly Websites: Why They’re Non-Negotiable · Best Online Booking Systems for Restaurants & Pubs
