A huge pet peeve of mine—and trust me, I’m not alone—is the state of restaurant websites in Windsor. It’s like we’ve come to accept that restaurant websites are going to be terrible. But why? How did it become the standard? I can’t count the number of times I’ve skipped going to a restaurant simply because I couldn’t find the menu, the website didn’t load, or basic things like their hours or contact info weren’t available (or worse wrong….and I showed up anyway).
The kicker? Restaurants are the one niche where people will go to your website without any heavy advertising, SEO, or social media efforts (though those things definitely help!). But if your site is outdated, clunky, or missing crucial info, you’re literally throwing money away.
Let me break it down for you:
There Are Three Types of Customers Visiting Your Website:
Returning Customers
These loyal diners already know and love your place. They’re likely visiting your site to check for updated specials, browse the menu, or call to make a reservation. And guess what? These customers are ready to spend money. If your website is easy to use and has the right info, they’ll keep coming back.
New Customers
This is where things get tricky. If a new visitor stumbles upon your site, they’re looking for one thing—your menu. And if it’s hard to find, not well-designed, or lacking prices and descriptions, they’ll bounce. Instantly. They don’t know your food yet, so all they can rely on is what they see on your website. If they can’t see what they need, they’ll head to your competitor who made it easier.
Tourists or Visitors
Windsor has a lot to offer, and for visitors looking to get the best of our local food scene, your website is the first impression. If you don’t highlight what makes your restaurant special, you’ll get overlooked for places that do. These visitors want an experience, and if your website doesn’t sell it, they’ll go elsewhere.
Missed Opportunities Everywhere
Most restaurant owners have no idea how much traffic they’re actually getting to their website. And that’s a huge missed opportunity. You could be catering to hundreds, even thousands, of potential customers every month, but without proper insights, you’d never know.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Smaller, less popular restaurants might see 100 visitors a month on their site.
- Mid-level, more well-known restaurants might get 500 visitors a month.
- Premium restaurants or those with specials? Easily 1,000 to 2,000 visits a month.
This is without any heavy digital marketing—just organic traffic! Now imagine if your website was optimized to convert those visitors into reservations, takeout orders, or dining room guests. It’s not just about appearances—it’s about functionality and making things easy for your customers.
Proof of This.
Here’s a quick look at the estimated website traffic from five Windsor restaurants, using an SEO tool called ahrefs. Keep in mind these numbers are usually on the low side and don’t include people coming in from social media or directly searching your name. The traffic’s there, but these websites? Not reaching their potential.
Penalty Box (1,800+ traffic/mo)
- Honestly, Penalty Box has one of the better sites on this list, but it still feels a little outdated.
- The desktop navigation’s fine, but mobile? Not so much. You have to go back and forth between sections. A sticky menu that follows you as you scroll would make life so much easier.
- The “Specials” section? It just lists hours, which they already have a section for. C’mon, give us the deals!
- And where are the photos? I’ve never been to the Penalty Box, and based on their website, I have no idea what the place looks like inside.
Harbour House (800+ traffic/mo)
- They’ve got some upcoming events and weekly specials right there on the homepage, which is great—if they’re up-to-date. It’s worth adding a note like “Specials run until October” or something so we know it’s current.
- I’m going to be real—none of these restaurant websites are exactly pretty, and Harbour House isn’t any different. But hey, people are hungry, not here to judge web design (too much).
- You’ve got the traffic, Harbour House! Let’s just polish it up a bit and make it more inviting for first-timers.
Vito’s (280+ traffic/mo)
- Vito’s is easily one of the best restaurants in Windsor. If you’ve ever tried to walk in without a reservation, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
- That said, their website doesn’t even come close to showing off the quality of their food or service. For their catering side (something they want to push), there’s a ton of text and two tiny pictures, which does not convert people into potential customers.
- Honestly, if they showcased their food and event services better, they’d be raking in more inquiries for catering and large events. The demand is there!
The Loose Goose (200+ traffic/mo)
- I love The Loose Goose. The food’s always good, the vibe’s fun, but their website? Not so much.
- The photos they’ve got make the place look way less inviting than it is. It looks like someone snapped a few quick pics with their phone from the corner of the room.
- Plus, there’s this weird overlay that pops up when you load the site, then disappears. It’s not the smoothest user experience, and it could turn off potential diners before they even give the place a shot.
Johnny Shotz (180+ traffic/mo)
- Navigation’s a bit of a mess too. It shouldn’t be hard to find your hours, menu, or promos—but it is.
- Two-for-one gyros every Wednesday at Johnny Shotz? Yes, please! But if I hadn’t heard about it from friends, I wouldn’t have known—because it’s nowhere on their website.
- Their specials are hidden, which is a total miss because that’s the stuff people are actively looking for! If they highlighted deals more, they’d get more people in the door.
What You Can Do About It
Here’s the thing: restaurant websites don’t have to be perfect, but they do need to work for you. Imagine if as many people walking into your restaurant saw the place looking messy, disorganized, and uninviting. Wouldn’t you want them to see your best? Well, that’s exactly what’s happening when people visit your website. Your site is the digital front door to your business, and it’s often the first impression they get. With all that traffic, don’t let a cluttered, outdated website be the reason people turn away. The traffic is there—make sure your website is as welcoming and polished as your restaurant.
We’re not here to push YQG Digital on you (though we’d love to chat if you’re interested). But as a Windsor foodie who loves discovering new spots, please—update your website. Make it easy for us to see your hours, your specials, and your menu. Whether I’m ordering takeout or dining in, I’m still going to check out your website first. Help us help you.
