New restaurants- Get a web Site!

We were seriously considering a new place last night, but they didn't have a menu online or a website and with 2 teens and 2 adults, it could be a disastrous night. We went to a perpetual favorite, Simply Thai.

I believe that every new restaurant opening should have a site with the hours, menus and contact info at hand. It isn't that difficult! I rely heavily on online info as well as opentable and such for reservations

When I helped a friend write up a business plan, that was one of the things I insisted he have. It makes life much easier in today's world!

With facebook/myspace there is no excuse. 100% free.

I couldn't agree more with a the need of a website! But I will say that more is needed than just facebook or myspace. With each of those you have to belong in order to view info. Many people after the last bunch of scandals with identity theft on MySpace refuse to join such sites. Recognize that a working website is just as much a business necessity now as a listing in the phone book was 30 years ago.

With each of those you have to belong in order to view info.

That is not true. You can view any facebook page that is not blocked by the owner without having a facebook account.

As someone said in another forum (cake related) that I frequent, "If you don't have a website you don't exist in today's world."

Seriously, with GoDaddy's template driven websites, already formatted for restaurants, and about $5 a month you can have a simple site up and running in a matter of hours.

ditto to all this...I called a 'new to me' pizza place off Hurstbourne last week to ask if they had a website, no dice. They also had no menu sheet they could fax me, and when I asked if he had a minute to recite a few items from the menu he just said "Pizza, that's what we do...", this at 4:00... We ate elsewhere.

Don't these places have teen workers who know basic HTML?

While I agree a Website is handy to have for illustrative and informative purposes, it should never mark their culinary offerings to you as a consumer.

In other words, even if they don't tell tell you about it; doesn't mean it sucks.

I understand people's apprehension. They feel a lack of preparedness echo from not having a Website throughout the entire store into food;customer relation; etc. I'd love for more places to have Web Sites. Really! I believe it would be beneficial to everyone. BUT, at the same time, people should not penalize restaurants for the simple fact they don't.

Don't these places have teen workers who know basic HTML?

I took a whole semester on HTML and still couldn't create a website using it if someone paid me and I have way more education than a teenager. Is there something I'm missing? Is it easier than I made it out to be?

However, I know how to create a free website on Yahoo that anyone who knows how to save files on Word can make.

basic HTML? Not a clue. And I've created numerous websites for my businesses and for organizations.

Truly, I do believe that any business that's serious about being in business needs to have a basic website. Hours of operation, address a pretty picture or too; And yes, i do penalize them if they don't have that, mostly because I probably will never be aware of them.

And yes, i do penalize them if they don't have that, mostly because I probably will never be aware of them.

Does that include other stores in Louisville? Even those that have nothing to do with Food?

Pretty much. I live in my kitchen where I have a laptop. So while cakes are baking or cooling, I'm on the InterWeb.

Hello all! This is my first post so take it easy on me. I've been lurking for a few years, but this subject is something I feel I can contribute too.

Essentially there are two issues surrounding website. Not just culinary websites, but every site out there.

First and foremost is the need to have a website. Statistically speaking, nearly 86% of customers will visit a companies website prior to contacting or purchasing from that company. In the restaurant industry web visitors are going to look for simple things such as hours of operation, location and maps, and menus.

Which brings us to the second issue surrounding websites. Keeping the site up to date. Your customers expect that your website is up to date, especially with your menu! I can't tell you how many restaurant sites I've visited prior to making a decision on where to go for dinner, only to find a menu from a few seasons or years ago. You certainly wouldn't present a diner at your establishment a menu from last spring would you? Content on your site has to be relevant!

Lastly, while HTML is still very prevalent, there are so many easy content editors out there, that if you can simply use Microsoft Word, you can build an incredible website.

Cheers!
Sumner

I have to comment on this topic, because it is a pet peave of mine. I believe that a website (or at the least, take-out menus!) is a MUST for a restaurant. Or any business, for that matter. It's key to advertising/marketing in today's world!! And the restaurant's menu is it's heart and soul. I love a culinary adventure, but I admit that I am what can be considered either obsessed or anal, take your pick, in that I like to have an idea of what I might order before I get to the restaurant. If I'm deciding between 2 restaurants in the same catagory, and one has a menu online, and one does not, 9 times out of 10, I will choose the restaurant with an online menu.

Slightly off-topic, I feel the same about take-away menus, which is what I relied on for years prior to the web (and still do, to a degree). But I am so surprised by how many restaurants who say they are 'out' of menus, especially the newer restaurants. Having a menu online would be less expensive, but I realize that some mom-and-pops might not have the knowledge to create one. I collect menus because it helps remind me of what a restaurant has to offer, even if the menu has since changed, and has prompted me to revisit places I might've otherwise forgotten. I also keep menu files for local restaurants, particularly at work. People in my dept. knew to come to my desk to look at menus, which gave ideas of where to eat for lunch. No menu, well, it's generally just not on the list. Just sayin...

Which brings us to the second issue surrounding websites. Keeping the site up to date. Your customers expect that your website is up to date, especially with your menu! I can't tell you how many restaurant sites I've visited prior to making a decision on where to go for dinner, only to find a menu from a few seasons or years ago. You certainly wouldn't present a diner at your establishment a menu from last spring would you? Content on your site has to be relevant!

I totally agree with this. I'm pretty picky so I always check a restaurant's menu before we dine there. When we go out to eat as a family, I'm always put in charge to pick the restaurant because everyone knows how picky I am. Thank goodness for this website because I spend at least a couple hours looking at menus and reading reviews before I make a choice. I try to make everyone happy. In my opinion, there's nothing worse than basing my decision on knowing that there will be something for me to eat at a restaurant and then finding out that the website has an out of date menu. It's such a disappointment.