How guests choose a restaurant
Choosing a restaurant is fast and mostly happens on a phone. Someone searches "Italian restaurant near me", "brunch Kitsilano", "patio Old Montreal" or "private dining Toronto", scans the map results, looks at photos and the rating, opens the menu and decides. Often within a few minutes.
That means the most important parts of restaurant marketing are not clever campaigns. They are the things a guest checks in that short window: are you open, what does the food look like, what does it cost, can I book, how do I get there. Restaurants that get those details right on every channel win more of those quick decisions.
Google Business Profile: your most visited page
For many restaurants, the Google Business Profile is seen far more often than the website itself. Treat it as a primary channel:
- Accurate hours, including holiday hours and seasonal changes such as patio season.
- The right categories and attributes: cuisine, dine-in, takeout, delivery, outdoor seating, accessibility, and dietary options you genuinely offer.
- Real, recent photos of dishes, the room, the patio and the team, not stock images.
- Menu and booking links that point to your own website or reservation tool.
- Reviews answered personally, including the critical ones, calmly and without arguing.
Our guide to the Google Business Profile explains each part, and our local SEO services page covers multi-location restaurant groups.
What a restaurant website needs
A restaurant website does not need many pages. It needs the right ones, fast and easy to use on a phone.
| Element | Why it matters | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Menu as a web page | Readable on a phone and searchable by Google | A PDF or image menu that is slow and invisible to search |
| Reservations | Turns interest into a booking in a few taps | Only a phone number, or a booking link buried in the footer |
| Direct online ordering | Keeps the guest relationship and margin with you | Sending every order to delivery platforms by default |
| Location and hours | Answers the most common questions instantly | Hours that differ from Google, no parking or transit info |
| Private dining and events | Often a valuable source of revenue | No dedicated page or enquiry form |
| Story and team | Gives guests a reason to choose you | Generic text that could belong to any restaurant |
Menus, allergens and bilingual guests
Put your menu on the website as text, not only as a PDF. It loads faster, is easier to read on a phone and lets Google understand what you serve, so you can appear for searches such as "vegan ramen" or "gluten-free pizza". Note dietary options and how guests can ask about allergens, and keep the menu current; an outdated price or dish is a common source of poor reviews.
Canada's bilingual context matters too. Restaurants in Quebec have obligations under the Charter of the French Language that can affect menus, signage and the website; your counsel can explain what applies. Elsewhere, a French or other-language menu can be a genuine welcome for visitors. Some provinces also have rules on menu labelling for larger chains, and alcohol advertising is regulated provincially. We do not give legal advice; we flag these topics so you can check them.
Direct orders and delivery platforms
Delivery platforms bring reach, but they also take commission and own the customer relationship. Many restaurants use them for discovery while encouraging regulars to order directly. A good direct ordering flow on your own site, linked from your Google Business Profile, makes that easy. Mention it on packaging and in the restaurant.
If you collect emails for a newsletter or loyalty program, Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) sets rules on consent and identification, and personal information falls under PIPEDA or your provincial privacy law. Keep sign-up simple and honest about what guests will receive.
Social media, photography and paid ads
Restaurants are visual. Good photography of your actual dishes and room does more for bookings than almost anything else, on your site, your profile and social media. Instagram and similar channels work well for showing what is new; our social media marketing page explains how we approach it without chasing every trend.
Paid ads can help for specific goals: a new opening, private dining, a seasonal menu or a slow weeknight. They work best once the basics are right. Sending paid traffic to a slow site with a PDF menu wastes the budget.
Common mistakes in restaurant marketing
- Hours that differ between Google, the website and social media. Guests who arrive at a closed door rarely return.
- PDF menus only. Slow on mobile and invisible to search.
- Heavy video backgrounds that make the site slow on a phone.
- Ignoring reviews, or responding defensively.
- No page for private dining or events, where enquiries are often most valuable.
- Buying fake reviews or followers. It breaks platform rules and undermines trust.
How we work with restaurants
We work with a limited number of restaurants and hospitality groups that compete on quality and want a brand and website to match. Every project starts with a paid strategy session: a 50-minute introductory conversation with the founder about your ambition, your guests and whether we are the right fit. Afterwards we decide whether we take on the project; if so, a proposal with a fixed scope and fixed price follows.
In the project we get the local basics right, build a fast site with a real menu and direct booking, and align the brand across website, profile and social channels. Our web design page explains how we build. We are based in the Netherlands and work remotely, planning calls around service hours in your time zone.