Best Website Builders for Local Restaurants Offering Online Menus
In today’s fast-paced, mobile-first world, customers expect to quickly find essential information about local restaurants — like hours, contact details, location, and most importantly, the menu — all online. This makes having a well-designed website not just a luxury but a necessity for small restaurants. Yet, not all restaurant owners have the time, money, or know-how to build a website from scratch. That’s where intuitive website builders come in.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
If you own a local restaurant and want to create a stunning online presence complete with an interactive menu, there are several user-friendly website builders designed for your needs. Squarespace, Wix, and GloriaFood are especially popular for ease of use, mobile optimization, and built-in restaurant-specific features. Many of these platforms offer online ordering tools, reservation integrations, attractive design templates, and SEO help to attract local customers. Choosing the right platform depends on your priorities — whether it’s design flexibility, ease of editing, or built-in restaurant tools.
Why Website Builders Are Essential for Local Restaurants
Restaurants operate in a competitive space where first impressions matter. A well-designed website not only creates credibility but can also drive more foot traffic and online orders. Key benefits include:
- 24/7 Availability: Your restaurant information is accessible anytime.
- Showcasing Menus: Display food items with photos and descriptions.
- Easy Updates: Make changes to menus or hours quickly.
- Online Reservations & Ordering: Integrations take the customer experience to the next level.
Top Website Builders for Local Restaurants
1. Wix – Best for Design Flexibility
Wix offers an incredibly user-friendly drag-and-drop interface that allows restaurant owners to build highly customized websites without touching a line of code. The platform includes over 60 restaurant-specific templates and integrates with popular services like OpenTable and Wix Restaurants for built-in online ordering and reservations.
- Pros: Drag-and-drop editing, mobile-optimized, restaurant-specific features.
- Cons: Can feel overwhelming due to the number of design options.
- Online Menu Integration: Wix Restaurants allows you to design an attractive, clickable menu with categories, images, and pricing.
2. Squarespace – Best for Stunning Visuals
Squarespace stands out for its sleek, modern design templates that make any restaurant look upscale. If aesthetics and branding are top priorities, this is a great choice. The platform offers easy editing, SEO tools, and integrations with ChowNow or OpenTable to support online ordering and reservations.
- Pros: Beautiful templates, built-in SEO and analytics, mobile-responsive designs.
- Cons: Fewer pre-built integrations targeted at restaurants.
- Online Menu Integration: You can use layout blocks and images to create multi-section, attractive menus right on your site.
3. GloriaFood – Best for Online Ordering
GloriaFood is a lesser-known but powerful niche platform made specifically for takeaway and delivery restaurants. The highlight is its robust, free-to-use ordering system, which includes online menu design, table reservations, and food delivery settings—all without the need for coding skills.
- Pros: Built specifically for restaurants, includes free ordering system, intuitive UI.
- Cons: Design capabilities are limited compared to Wix or Squarespace.
- Online Menu Integration: Dynamic menu system that supports modifiers, combos, pricing, and more.
4. Weebly by Square – Best for Small Budgets
Weebly, now owned by Square, provides a straightforward way for restaurants to set up an online presence with ecommerce tools included. You can utilize Square’s POS and online ordering tools directly within your Weebly-built site. This is particularly useful for small restaurants that already use Square in-store.
- Pros: Budget-friendly, integrates perfectly with Square POS, essential features for restaurants.
- Cons: Basic design templates, limited customization options.
- Online Menu Integration: Connects well with Square Online for menu and order management.
5. Shopify – Best for Merch and Food Sales
If your restaurant also sells merchandise, sauces, or packaged foods, Shopify might be your go-to. While it’s primarily an e-commerce platform, Shopify has customizable templates and restaurant-specific plugins. You can also add a blog or integrate with delivery services.
- Pros: Great for ecommerce, secure payment solutions, mobile-friendly.
- Cons: Monthly costs may be too high for very small establishments.
- Online Menu Integration: Via third-party templates and apps like Menuify or integrations with Grubhub and UberEats.
Features to Look for When Choosing a Website Builder
Before committing to any platform, make sure it meets your current and future needs. Here are crucial features to consider when choosing a website builder for your restaurant:
- Ease of Use: A user-friendly builder saves you time and effort.
- Online Menu Tools: These allow customers to view or even customize their orders from your website.
- Ordering and Reservations: Integration with platforms like OpenTable or in-house solutions enhances customer convenience.
- Mobile Optimization: More than 60% of food searches come from mobile devices.
- SEO Tools: Helps your restaurant show up for relevant local searches.
- Design Templates: High-quality templates improve how your brand is perceived.
Tips for Creating a Restaurant Website That Converts
Even the best platform won’t help unless you use it strategically. Here are some expert tips to design an engaging and high-converting website for your restaurant:
- Use High-Quality Food Images: People eat with their eyes first.
- Include a Click-to-Call Option: Make it easy for mobile users to call your restaurant.
- Keep the Menu Updated: Remove seasonal items and add new offerings regularly.
- Highlight Specials and Promotions: Use banners or popups to draw attention.
- Add Testimonials and Reviews: Boost social proof and trustworthiness.
SEO and Local Discovery
To make sure locals can easily find you, ensure your site has strong local SEO optimization. Key actions include:
- Add your restaurant’s address, contact info, and hours prominently.
- Use keywords like “pizza in [City]” or “best tacos near [Neighborhood]”.
- Integrate Google Maps for directions.
- Link your website on your Google Business Profile.
- Encourage customers to leave Google reviews and update your social media regularly.
Final Thoughts
The right website builder can elevate your restaurant’s online presence while simplifying daily operations. Whether you prioritize appearance, functionality, or affordability, tools like Wix, Squarespace, GloriaFood, Weebly, and Shopify offer various combinations of features tailored to the unique needs of local eateries. Remember, your goal isn’t just to look good online — it’s to convert curious website visitors into loyal customers.
Take time to evaluate each option and see which fits your vision for customer interaction, brand representation, and operational needs. With the right platform, your restaurant will be just a few clicks away from becoming a neighborhood favorite — both online and offline.