Why Websites Are Important for Restaurants?

When you talk about designing a business website, you immediately think of eCommerce stores (and you thought of just that right now). It is because eCommerce stores are the examples that we are using every now and then when we say ‘Digital presence’.

But is it just the concept of online shopping that needs to position themselves by means of a website? The answer is ‘No’. We are a web design agency and we have a website, right? If you are a restaurateur, YOU of all people need a website too, even though it may seem like an unnecessary expense to you now, but it will all change by the end of this article.

Restaurants in Dubai can never be a dying business for two reasons: a) Dubai is a hub of tourism and shopping and b) people can never stop eating. About 47% of the venues are casual dining outlets, where people choose to have food, against a 4% of fine dining outlets. This makes it equally important for a small-scale restaurant to have an online presence as it is for a top-notch restaurant.

Another considerable fact is that with the growing usage of Internet, the first thing that we do upon hearing a place to eat out (be it new or existing) is look it up online. Also, about 60% of the restaurants in UAE deliver and they do so by means of having a digital presence, in most cases, via website. So not having a website will give you minus points and you most certainly don’t want that.

A digital feel-good factor

That is how best restaurants in Dubai gain a plus, by giving the visitor to-be a feel-good factor via their website only. When someone looks at a website that is fully customizable to present the theme of the restaurant, the various types of cuisines that are served, what the seating arrangement looks like, they get the same warmth as of entering the restaurant.

Tempting menu at a glance

Right after looking up for the digital presence of a restaurant, the next thing he or she would want to do is look at the menu for the type of cuisines a restaurant have and whether it’s affordable. This means having a menu of your restaurant on your website should probably be one of the most crucial elements that takes your website from good to great.

And this is just 360-degree menu at a glance. You can tell how a digital presence of the menu says it all: It’s precise and neat!

Let them live the experience

Most of the time when people dine out it is not JUST because they want to eat out but because they want to experience a particular ambience and are looking forward to a specific kind of food. You give them that online and let them decide (whether they want to resist the temptation).

Take a look at how The Hamptons Café has remarkably executed it.

It’s a café and that’s exactly what you would expect at first, right? They pulled that off really well. So what’s next? As you head to the gallery, you can see what they have to offer.

Now that’s tempting! As if that wasn’t enough, they even have a 360-degree tour of the place, awesome!

Did you see what they did there? They added the reviews as well so the person browsing the website CANNOT miss them.

Make yourself accessible

Accessibility should be the number one concern because the person looking at your website would be wanting to visit too. So the next best thing you could do for them is to make yourself easily accessible. How Blue Jade did it is tremendous. This is what their website looks like…

So apart from the tantalizing image (and there are several like that on their sliders), they also want to be instantly accessible. To do so, they added their address, which leads to the location on the Google maps, alongside a number. It is quite prominent, with a color like that and it goes with the theme too – just perfect!

Automated reservations are a plus

Online booking is the existing fad in food and beverage sector as user adoption of this online solution grew by 60% last year, which is a LOT. Why? An automated reservation system allows the guest to make their reservations with a click of the button. This way, you will also be freeing up some of your staff from the phone. Why do that when your website can do that with very little manpower? So if someone is to plan a party, they can just make reservations online and spare more time for the fun.

Don’t forget to go mobile

In order to access the Internet, perhaps the first point of contact is a mobile device for a majority today. So if someone is looking up for a new place to dine out today (for example your restaurant), make it easier for them by providing a mobile-friendly version of the website. Trust me, they would love you for that! All that hassle of tweaking into the website to get the information will drive them crazy. A responsive website will save the day.

Controlling the online presence of a business is of utmost importance today, regardless of the sector you are in. At this point you may even think that Facebook could fulfill the purpose but what if your Facebook page has to go down for violation or anything? It is your website that always needs to be alive and should top the charts.

With a whopping $1.3 million investment in the restaurant reservation platform, lacking of online identity can damage the outcomes. Any social media platform simply cannot beat the dynamics that a website holds for your business. Not to forget the fact that best restaurants in Dubai are leveraging this opportunity already. Why let them win when your restaurant is equally the best? Get yourself a website today to officially mark your digital presence and tempt those taste buds!