People look up restaurants in short, urgent moments: standing on a sidewalk, sitting in a parked car, or settling a group chat argument about where to eat. They are not reading your story first. They want to see the menu, check whether you are open, and either order, book a table or get directions. A restaurant site map should reflect that order of priorities.
This guide walks through the pages a restaurant usually needs, the decisions that change them, and an intake list to prepare. It is written for independent restaurants, cafes and small groups, not national chains with their own apps.
The annotated site map
The home page shows today’s hours, the address and the two or three actions you care about most, such as View menu, Order pickup and Reserve a table. The menu page is the heart of the site and should be real text on the page, organized by section with prices and approved dietary notes. A PDF can sit beside it for printing, but a PDF alone is slow to open on a small screen, hard to read with a screen reader and invisible to anyone searching for a specific dish.
The ordering branch depends on one decision: do you send guests to an ordering tool you already use, or set one up for the first time? Either way, the site links clearly to it, and the tool’s own fees stay with that provider. The reservations branch works the same way. The catering branch is a page with packages, lead times and an inquiry form, and it deserves its own page because catering buyers plan days ahead and compare carefully.
Decisions that change the map
- ✓Ordering link or ordering tool setup — link the system you use now, or we help you choose one
- ✓Reservations or walk-ins only — say it clearly either way so guests are not left guessing
- ✓Do you cater or host private events — each needs a page with capacity and lead times
- ✓How often does the menu change — frequent changes call for a menu that is quick to edit
- ✓Several locations — each needs its own hours, address and menu notes
Pages that are optional
A private dining page earns its place if you have a room or can close for events. A gift card page is worth adding only if a provider is already set up to sell them. An about page with the chef or the family behind the place helps regulars feel connected, but keep it short and put it after the menu in the navigation.
A jobs page helps when you hire often, and it saves staff from answering the same question at the host stand. See text menus that work on mobile for how menu pages are built and updated.
Intake checklist: gather these first
- ✓Current menu file — with prices and the sections you want shown
- ✓Dietary and allergen notes — only what the kitchen confirms is accurate
- ✓Ordering and reservation links — or a note that you need help choosing a tool
- ✓Hours by day — including holiday closures you already know about
- ✓Real photos — dishes, the dining room and the front door
Matching the map to a plan
A single-location restaurant with home, menu, catering, about and contact fits the Launch Website at $399 for up to 5 pages. Restaurants with several menus, such as brunch, dinner, kids and drinks, or with more than one location, often need Business Plus at $989 for up to 20 pages. Website Care at $30/month includes up to 30 minutes of small edits each month, which covers routine price and hours updates.
What to expect, honestly
- ✓Ordering and booking fees belong to those providers — we connect tools, we do not set their fees
- ✓Allergen wording comes from the kitchen — we publish only what you confirm
- ✓Hours must match everywhere — update your listings when you update the site
One example of what your site could look like
This is one sample we designed. Yours is built around your business, your photos and your words, and we have more examples if you want to compare directions.
What it costs
Websites are priced one-time by size, plus Website Care at $30/month for hosting, HTTPS, backups, weekly checks and A/B testing. Every package includes a consultation, mobile-friendly design, copy we write for you, a contact form, essential search setup and 10 revision rounds. Monthly SEO is an optional add-on when you are ready for it.
Optional add-ons, billed separately
The prices above are for your website. These two are separate monthly products you can add now or later. Neither is part of the website price.
Monthly SEO, from $50/month: new pages published on your site every month. See Monthly SEO →
Business Spotlight, from $30/month: articles about your business, labeled as paid, published on The Company Chronicle. See Business Spotlight →
How it works
1. Consultation
We learn your services, customers and goals, in English or Spanish.
2. We write and design
We draft the words and build the site around your business.
3. 10 revision rounds
You review and request changes until it is right.
4. Launch and care
We launch, then Website Care keeps it hosted, backed up, checked weekly and A/B tested.
Keep reading
What a restaurant website costs · Restaurant website examples · Restaurant website requirements · Online ordering websites
