A redesign starts with an audit of the current site: what pages exist, which ones search engines know, which tools are connected and where guests get stuck. We then rebuild the site with the same addresses where possible, set up redirects for any that change, and launch without losing your booking or ordering links.
Signs a restaurant site needs a redesign
Not every old website needs replacing. Some need a new menu page and a faster home page, and our other services cover those smaller jobs. A full redesign makes sense when several of these are true at once:
- The menu online does not match the menu in the room, because updating it is slow or needs someone outside the team.
- The menu is a PDF or a photo that is hard to read on a phone.
- The booking or ordering button is buried, or it opens a page that looks unrelated to your brand.
- The site was built before the current concept, and the photos, colors or name no longer fit.
- Pages are slow on a phone, or the layout shifts while it loads.
- Nobody on the team has the login, or the person who built it is no longer reachable.
What we keep and what we change
A redesign should not throw away what is working. Before we design anything, we list every page on the current site and note which ones search engines have indexed, which ones other sites link to, and which ones guests actually use. Pages that earn their place stay, usually at the same address. Pages that duplicate each other are merged. Old pages that have no purpose are removed and redirected to the closest useful page so that saved links and search results still land somewhere sensible.
We also keep your brand where it works. If guests know your logo and colors, the new site carries them forward and refines the layout around them.
The audit, step by step
| Step | What we check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Page inventory | Every live address, its title and its purpose | So nothing important disappears at launch |
| Search visibility | Which pages appear in search and what they show | To protect pages that already bring guests in |
| Tools and scripts | Reservation, ordering, gift card, email and analytics tools | So bookings and orders keep working on day one |
| Speed | Load and layout stability on a phone | To set a measurable target for the new site |
| Accessibility | Menus, images, contrast, forms and keyboard use | To fix barriers rather than copy them |
| Content | Menus, hours, story, photos and their dates | To decide what to rewrite and what to keep |
Moving the menu out of a PDF
One of the most useful changes in a restaurant redesign is turning a PDF or image menu into real HTML. An HTML menu reads well on a phone without zooming, works with screen readers, can be updated in minutes and gives search engines text to understand. Google can index PDFs [1], but that does not make them pleasant to read on a small screen. Our guide to HTML menus and PDFs goes into the details, including what to do if you want to keep a printable version.
Speed and stability
Older sites can carry large images, several fonts and scripts from tools nobody uses any more. We remove what is not needed, size images for the space they fill and set targets from Google's Core Web Vitals, such as the largest image or heading appearing in no more than 2.5 seconds and taps answered within 200 milliseconds [2]. You will see the before and after numbers in the handover notes.
Accessibility fixes
A redesign is the right moment to fix accessibility barriers, because many of them come from the structure of the old site rather than a single page. We build the new site against WCAG 2.2 level AA [3]. That covers text alternatives for images, readable contrast, logical headings, forms with proper labels and controls large enough to tap. Our ADA guide explains why this matters for businesses open to the public.
Launch without losing bookings
The riskiest moment in a redesign is launch day. Before we switch over, we test every booking, ordering and gift card link on the new site, set up redirects for changed addresses, and check that your Google Business Profile points at the right pages. After launch we check the site again at two weeks and at six weeks for broken links, missed redirects and search errors.
How long it takes
We plan for six to nine weeks for a single-location redesign, the same as a new site, because most of the work is the same. A redesign can be quicker when the current content is accurate and the photos are recent. The process page shows each stage.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose my search rankings if I redesign?
Rankings can move after any redesign. We reduce the risk by keeping addresses where possible, redirecting the ones that change and keeping the content that search engines already understand.
Can you keep my current domain and email?
Yes. The domain stays yours, and your email does not need to change. We coordinate the switch with whoever manages your domain settings.
Can we redesign one section at a time?
Sometimes. If the main problem is the menu or the booking flow, our menu or reservations service may be enough. We will say so on the first call.
Do you migrate old blog posts and news?
Yes, if they are still useful. Outdated specials and events can be removed and redirected.
Sources
Checked on October 29, 2026.
- Google Search Central, File types indexable by Google. Primary source
- web.dev, Web Vitals. Primary source
- W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2. Primary source
