What people want from a restaurant website
Most visitors arrive with one of a few questions, usually on a phone and often while deciding where to eat tonight:
- What's on the menu, and roughly what does it cost?
- Are you open now, or at the time they want to come?
- Where are you, and how do they get there or park?
- Can they book, and is it right for a date, a family dinner or a group?
A website that answers those four questions quickly does most of the work. Everything else is a bonus.
Why your menu should be text, not a PDF
- Phones. A PDF or a photo of the printed menu means pinching and zooming. Text fits the screen.
- Google. Search engines read text on a page far more reliably than words inside a PDF or an image, so dishes like "wood-fired pizza" or "gluten-free pasta" can help people find you.
- Accessibility. Screen readers can read text menus aloud; images of menus are often unreadable to them.
- Easy updates. Changing a price on a text menu takes seconds. Redesigning a PDF and uploading it again is a job that gets put off, so the online menu goes out of date.
Group the menu the way you serve it (entrées, mains, sides, desserts, drinks), with a short description and a price for each dish. Mark vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes with a simple key.
What to include
- Home: a great photo, one line about your food, opening hours and a "Book a table" button.
- Menu: as text, with prices. Add a set or tasting menu, kids menu or drinks list if you have one.
- Opening hours on every page (the footer is a good place), including public holiday changes.
- Location: your address, a "Get directions" link, and a line on parking or public transport.
- Bookings: a link to the booking service you use, or a booking request form that comes to your inbox.
- Functions and private dining, if you take groups or events.
- About: your story, your chef or your suppliers. People like knowing who's cooking.
- Gallery: real photos of your dishes and your room, kept current.
Allergens, prices and surcharges
- Allergens: under Australia's Food Standards Code you need to be able to tell customers about allergens in your food when they ask. A note on the menu ("please tell us about allergies when you book") points people to you; it doesn't replace that.
- Prices: keep online prices the same as in the restaurant. Out-of-date prices online are a common complaint.
- Surcharges: if you add a weekend, public holiday or card surcharge, show it clearly on the menu. The ACCC expects surcharges to be disclosed, not added as a surprise.
This is general information, not legal advice; check the rules that apply to your business with your state food authority or the ACCC.
Online bookings
You have two simple options:
- Link to a booking service you already use. The website's "Book a table" buttons go straight to it.
- A booking request form on your contact page: guests send the date, time and number of people, and you confirm by email or phone. It costs nothing extra and suits smaller places.
Either way, put the button where people look for it: the top of every page and next to your opening hours.
What it costs
| Option | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Do it yourself from a template, hosting included | Roughly A$20 to A$60 a month |
| Have it built for you | From a few hundred dollars for a simple website to several thousand for a custom one, plus hosting |
| .com.au domain | About A$20 to A$25 a year |
Prices as at 27 October 2026. With RBO Build, the restaurant template starts with your restaurant's name, phone and address on every page, and it's US$19 a month for one website. Or we'll build it for you.