We set up the booking and ordering paths on your website: which tool to use, where the buttons go, how the pages look, and what happens on a phone. If you already use a reservation platform or an ordering system, we connect it. If you do not, we explain the options so you can choose.
What this service covers
Reservations and orders are the two actions that turn a website visit into a guest. This service makes both of them obvious and reliable. It includes:
- placing a clear "Reserve a table" or "Order" button on the home page, the menu and the visit page, and in the mobile header;
- embedding or linking your reservation tool in a way that keeps your branding and works on small screens;
- linking your online ordering system, with pickup and delivery options explained in plain words;
- a page for large groups, private dining or events, with the information a planner needs before they send a request;
- checking that your Google Business Profile points at the right booking and menu pages.
Embedding versus linking
There are two common ways to put a booking or ordering tool on a site. Each has trade-offs.
| Approach | How it works | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embedded widget | The tool appears inside your page | Keeping guests on your site and your brand | Extra scripts that can slow pages, and widgets that are hard to use on small screens |
| Linked page | A button opens the tool's own page | Speed and reliability | A jump to a page that looks different from your site |
| Hybrid | A short page on your site explains options and links to the tool | Groups, events and multiple locations | One more step for the guest |
We pick the approach per page. A quick table booking works well as a button that opens the tool directly. A private dining inquiry works better as a page on your site that answers questions first.
Online ordering: your own site or the apps
If you take orders through both your own ordering system and third-party delivery apps, our guide to ordering on your own site versus apps explains the differences in plain terms. On the website side, two practical points are worth knowing:
- Google's guidelines say menu links in a Business Profile cannot link directly to third-party ordering or delivery services [1]. Your menu link should point to a menu page you control.
- In Minnesota, third-party delivery platforms must clearly display any flat fee or percentage charged for delivery, and a restaurant that makes its own deliveries is not treated as a delivery platform under the state's price transparency law [2].
Text messages and email confirmations
Ordering and reservation tools can send confirmations and reminders by text. Marketing messages are a different matter from confirmations. The FCC's 2012 TCPA order requires prior express written consent for telemarketing calls and texts made with an autodialer or a prerecorded voice [3], and the Supreme Court narrowed what counts as an autodialer in Facebook v. Duguid in 2021 [4]. In practice, we keep any marketing sign-up checkbox separate from the booking form and unchecked by default, and we suggest you ask your provider how its messages are sent. This is general information, not legal advice.
Reserve with Google
Google lets diners book from some restaurant profiles through partner platforms. Partners connect through Google's Reservations End-to-End integration, and the same integration can supply structured menu data to the restaurant's Business Profile [5]. Whether this is available to you depends on your reservation provider. We check with you and make sure the website and the profile agree on hours and booking links.
Testing before launch
We test every booking and ordering path on recent iPhone and Android browsers and on a desktop browser. For each path we check that:
- the button is easy to find on the first screen;
- the tool opens quickly and shows the right location;
- guests can complete a booking or order with a keyboard and with a screen reader's basic controls;
- confirmation messages show your restaurant's name;
- nothing breaks if a guest switches between your site and the tool.
Accessibility
The ADA covers businesses open to the public, and the Department of Justice says that includes the goods and services they offer on the web [6]. Third-party booking widgets are part of that experience, so we test them as part of your site. If a widget has problems we cannot fix, we will tell you and suggest linking to the provider's page instead.
What we need from you
The names of the tools you use or are considering, admin access or a contact at each provider, your booking rules (party sizes, deposits, cancellation policy) and your pickup and delivery details.
Frequently asked questions
Do you sell or recommend a particular reservation platform?
No. We do not resell software or take referral fees. We will outline the trade-offs of the options you are considering.
Can guests book large parties online?
That depends on your tool and your rules. We can add a group dining page that explains how large parties should book.
Can you build our own ordering system?
We connect existing ordering systems rather than writing payment software. That keeps card handling with providers built for it.
Will the booking button show on every page?
On phones we keep a booking or ordering button in the header. On larger screens it sits in the header and on the key pages.
Sources
Checked on October 29, 2026.
- Google Business Profile Help, Guidelines for representing your business on Google. Primary source
- Minnesota Attorney General's Office, Frequently Asked Questions About Minnesota's New Price Transparency Law. Revised April 2025. Primary source
- Federal Communications Commission, Report and Order FCC 12-21 (TCPA rules, 2012). Primary source
- Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, Facebook, Inc. v. Duguid, 592 U.S. ___ (2021). Primary source
- Google for Developers, Overview, Google Actions Center (Reservations End-to-End menus). Primary source
- U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA. Published March 18, 2022. Primary source
