In less than five seconds, someone landing on your site forms an impression of your food, vibe, and service. In that moment, your website needs to communicate who you are, what you serve, and how easy it is to order.
With 94% of first impressions tied to design, getting it right matters. The good news? You don't have to build a restaurant website from scratch. Below, we're sharing essential design best practices, restaurant site inspiration, and how you can launch a polished, sales-ready branded website with DoorDash — no heavy design or dev work required.
Explore branded websitesWhy restaurant website design matters for online ordering
When a hungry guest lands on your site, they're asking (even subconsciously): "Is this real? Can I order? Will it be easy?" If your site looks outdated or confusing, it can potentially turn away 68% of diners.
In the online-first landscape, great restaurant website design directly translates to higher conversion. The best restaurant websites blend form and function:
Beautiful visuals that highlight your food
Easy-to-find menus
Clear, prominent "Order Now" buttons
Mobile-friendly layouts
Seamless pickup and delivery options
What makes a great restaurant website design
Whether you're building your first site or refreshing an existing one, these elements help create a frictionless guest experience, increase online orders, and boost repeat visits.
1. A menu-first layout
Your menu is the heart of your business — and it should be the heart of your website too. A menu-first layout has your menu appear above the fold, ensuring that it loads quickly and makes ordering simple. Make sure items are easy to scan on both desktop and mobile, and let guests jump between categories with ease. This clarity shortens the path to checkout, increasing both conversion and order volume.
2. High-quality food photography
Good photos pack your site with flavor. Crisp, appetizing images build trust, show off your dishes, and make guests more likely to place larger orders.
Look for designs that support large hero imagery, dish galleries, and menu item photos. With branded websites through DoorDash Commerce Platform, our team can integrate food imagery throughout the design for you so your signature dishes truly shine.
3. Mobile-first functionality
Most online orders start from a smartphone, so your restaurant website layout must be built for mobile first. That means fast load times, clear buttons, and a checkout experience that works seamlessly on smaller screens.
4. Integrated ordering
Great design and functionality go hand in hand. The best restaurant websites seamlessly connect to your online ordering system.
When selecting an online ordering system, look for features like:
Built-in pickup and delivery options
Loyalty or rewards integration
Saved payment methods
Re-order tools and cart reminders
The result? Reduced friction, aka fewer abandoned carts and more repeat customers.
5. Simple, intuitive navigation
Ordering should feel effortless. Clean navigation, clear "Order Now" buttons, visible menu links, and a short path to checkout help guests make decisions faster — and increase the likelihood that they'll return.
6. Optimized for SEO and conversion
Search-optimized restaurant website designs, built for local SEO, can make it easier for customers to find your restaurant on Google. And conversion-optimized elements, like Smart "Order Now" Buttons, pop-ups, or tailored calls-to-action, can turn a so-so site into a unique digital experience.
Restaurant web design ideas that inspire orders
Need some inspo? Here are three scroll-stopping restaurant website examples — created with branded websites — that make ordering irresistible.
1. Road Runner Mexican
Perfectly executed in its website design, Road Runner Mexican delivers on its slogan: "Speedy Flavors, Mexican Delights." The site features a clean layout, clear paths to order, and the star of the show (its famous nachos) front and center.
2. Fibis
Crave-worthy imagery done right: potential customers of Fibis are immediately greeted with high-quality photos of the restaurant's best-sellers. Too good to be true? A simple click reveals 5-star reviews for this classic NYC-style spot.
3. Tokyo Clarksburg
Tokyo Clarksburg helps new guests skip the guesswork by showcasing its most popular dishes right up front. When it's time to order, multiple clear buttons make the process effortless.
How DoorDash Commerce Platform's branded websites simplify success
Traditional restaurant website templates are designed for simplicity — they provide a pre-made layout that you can fill in with your logo, menu, and photos. By contrast, DoorDash Commerce Platform-branded websites deliver a more custom, brand-forward experience built specifically to help restaurants grow. They are:
Unique: Designed and launched to match your restaurant's brand, colors, photos, and personality.
Turnkey: DoorDash handles all the heavy lifting and backend work. We build the site using your existing DoorDash menu and assets, and we host it for you.
Purpose-built for restaurants: Structured to showcase menu items, highlight food photography, and guide guests quickly from browsing to checkout.
Built-in ordering: Direct, commission-free ordering is integrated into the site. You just pay a standard payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per order with Boost and Pro packages, and 3.3% + $0.30 per order with Starter.
SEO-optimized: Designed to help customers find your restaurant on Google.
Built for performance: Mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and designed to be ready to take online orders within hours.
Optimized for growth: Pairs with marketing tools like Smart Campaigns and Cross-Channel Loyalty to drive repeat visits.
Launch your custom restaurant website with DoorDash
Building a beautiful, functional restaurant website design doesn’t have to be complicated. With turnkey branded websites available with Commerce Platform Boost and Pro packages, you can launch a professional, search-optimized website that helps you reach new customers, boost online sales, and grow your brand.
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