Web Design Tips for Restaurants

By Gavin Kilgallon on Tuesday, 28 May 2024

Recently, ID Studio worked with Rare Restaurants, transforming their existing websites (Gaucho and M Restaurants), updating their out-of-date WordPress installation, and significantly improving conversion rates and online bookings in the process.

This project has been highly successful and continues to be so. We would like to share some of the insights and knowledge gained from this experience in this article.

Online Table Booking

We recently implemented OpenTable online bookings for Gaucho, resulting in a 1780% increase in newsletter opt-ins. Read more about Gaucho's success by adding OpenTable bookings to its restaurants.

We have listed some of the benefits an online booking system can bring to your website:

Accessibility: Bookings can be made 24/7, not just during opening hours.
Improved efficiency: Allowing customers to book online frees staff to complete other tasks.
Simplified data collection: Each time a customer completes an online booking, you have their name, contact number, and sometimes preferences. You can use this information for remarketing purposes as long as the visitor contents.
Reduce no-shows: One of the great features of online bookings is that you can set them to automatically remind customers of their bookings. This can help reduce no-shows and more efficiently allocate seating to customers, increasing occupancy and revenue.
Centralisation: All online bookings are kept on one system, allowing for easy access and alterations.
Perceptions: Online reservation systems can help improve your brand image, providing a professional and modern look.
Efficiency: Online booking systems rarely go wrong, minimising the probability of human error, such as double bookings, taking down incorrect details, etc.

Reviews & Social Media

Online reviews are crucial for restaurants as they significantly influence consumer decisions, build trust and credibility, and improve visibility in search results. Positive reviews act as word-of-mouth marketing, providing a competitive edge and will help drive new customers.

Reviews also offer valuable feedback for service improvement and help manage online reputation. Engaging with reviewers fosters a sense of community and customer loyalty, making online reviews vital for a restaurant's success and growth.

Social media is another great way for restaurants to interact with customers and promote their business and brand. Some techniques that can be used for social media include:

Promoting specials and featured items.
Showcasing recent reviews and media coverage.
Promoting upcoming events - i.e. Mother's Day, New Year's Eve, Public Holidays, etc.
Behind-the-scenes content showcasing your kitchen in action or sourcing local ingredients.

The Importance Of High-Quality Imagery On Your Website

The importance of high-quality imagery on a restaurant's website cannot be overstated. It needs to be taken professionally by a company specialising in this field. Getting your iPhone up to take snaps of food leaving the kitchen isn't going to cut it. While it may be expensive, the difference it can make to your brand and bookings can be significant.

Don't Miss out Out On Giftcards

Gift cards can be a great source of revenue and can significantly boost income. ID Studio can easily add them to your existing or new website. Once implemented, they require very little human input and tend to be cost-effective. Some of the key benefits gift cards can bring to your restaurant include:

Increased Turnover: Gift cards will generate instant income for your business and encourage people to visit your restaurant.
Marketing Information: Upon completing a gift card purchase, you will gain valuable marketing information on the individual who made the purchase and the card recipient. This information can be used for future marketing campaigns.
Immediate Revenue Boost: Many gift cards are misplaced or expire, resulting in an absolute profit. In addition, gift cards can significantly increase sales during busy periods such as Christmas.
Eco-friendly: Using eCards can result in less paper or plastic waste.
Cost-Effective Solution: Once set up, gift cards can be purchased 24/7, require minimal human input, with minimal operating costs.

Reward Loyalty

Establishing a solid client base with repeat purchases is crucial for the success of all businesses, especially for restaurants. There are various ways to achieve this through your website and social media platforms.

Digital loyalty Programs: Digital loyalty programs can help build brand loyalty and attract repeat customers. Incorporating loyalty programs on your website or app is a great way to implement this. By digitalising this process, you can reduce administration tasks and costs.
Newsletters: Newsletters are an easy way to keep your restaurant relevant. They can also be used to send our promotions or personalised content. You can also use it to send out loyalty point balances, promotions and special events.
Social Media: A proven method to announce special offers or promotions is via your social media platforms. They are a great way of self-promoting and driving extra traffic to your website.
Online Incentives: You can encourage customers to visit your website by offering online incentives. This doesn't have to be just for online orders. You can offer discounts during your quiet periods, two-for-one meals, etc. If you have an intuitive CMS, this can be achieved easily in-house.
SMS Offers: SMS offers are a cheap and effective way to stay in contact with your client base. They also enable you to send quick promotions to drum up business during quiet periods. This is where gift card data collection excels, providing you with a plentiful supply of mobile numbers.

Conclusion

In this article, we have covered the benefits that online booking systems, high-quality imagery, gift cards, and loyalty programmes bring to the success and growth of a restaurant. Online bookings enhance efficiency, reduce no-shows, and centralise data while boosting brand perception. High-quality images are vital in attracting and retaining customers through a professional presentation. Gift cards offer various advantages, such as increased immediate revenue, marketing insights, and eco-friendly solutions. Loyalty programmes, supported by digital tools, newsletters, social media, online incentives, and SMS offers, are key to maintaining a reliable customer base and promoting repeat visits. Each element collaborates to optimise operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive continuous business growth.

ID Studio has extensive experience in the design and development of websites for the restaurant industry. Contact us to discuss how we can help build your client base and increase revenue.