Your Menu Looks Great, But What About Your Website Copy?
Picture this: your restaurant is buzzing, the champagne is flowing, the lighting is flattering and the Google reviews are glowing. You’ve nailed your menu, curated your playlist and trained your staff to perfection. Heck. Yes.
But online? Your website copy reads like it was pulled straight from a generic template in 2009. Ouch.
Here’s the thing: in hospitality, the experience doesn’t start when guests walk through the door. It starts the moment they land on your website to book a table or perve on your menu (and we know everyone does that). And if your words don’t match the magic you serve in-house, you’re leaving bookings on the table.
Let’s talk about why your website copy matters just as much as your food, wine and ambience.
Words Are Part of the Experience
Think about the last time you visited a restaurant’s website. You didn’t just check the opening times or look at the menu—while perusing, you were also (perhaps even subconsciously) picking up on the vibe of the venue. Was it cheeky and playful? Elegant and refined? Homey and nostalgic?
That vibe is what we in the biz call ‘Tone of Voice’, and came through the words that were so carefully chosen. This helps browsers determine if your venue is the right place for their first date, boozy birthday brunch or work lunch. By matching your venue’s real-world ambiance to your website copy, you’re giving guests a true taste of what they can expect. And this consistency is important for building trust and setting expectations.
You should think of good website copy like your maître d’: welcoming, guiding and setting the tone before anyone even sits down. Without it, your guests are left wondering, “Is this place for me?”
Copy Converts Browsers into Bookers
Menus get people hungry. Good online copy gets people booking.
Let’s say you serve handmade ravioli. You could write: “Ravioli with seasonal filling.” Or you could write: “Handmade ravioli filled with roasted pumpkin and sage—best paired with a glass of Pinot Gris.”
It’s not that hard to see the difference (one is boring, one is enticing), but it makes such a big difference to how someone will connect with your menu online.
Website copy that connects doesn’t just inform. It persuades. It takes casual browsers and gives them a reason to hit “Book Now.”
What Great Website Copy Does for Your Venue
Strong copy isn’t fluff. It’s strategy in action. Here’s what it can do for your hospitality business:
→ Communicates personality: Are you cheeky and fun, or elegant and luxe? Your words should make that clear before guests even set foot in your venue.
→ Builds trust: Clear, consistent copy reassures customers you know what you’re doing and sets their expectations.
→ Drives SEO: Keywords help you show up on Google when people are searching for “cosy wine bar Melbourne” or “best pasta Carlton.”
→ Boosts loyalty: When your copy sounds like a friend (rather than the awkward colleague they hate bumping into in the staffroom) customers come back. Why? Because they remember you. Because you made them feel something.
The Biggest Website Copywriting Mistakes We See (And How to Avoid Them)
Here’s where many venues go wrong:
- Copying competitors: Just because the wine bar down the road says “bespoke small plates” doesn’t mean you should too. (Also, what even is a bespoke plate?)
- Being too formal: Hospitality is about connection, not jargon. Most people prefer warm and welcoming to stiff and pretentious.
- Neglecting updates: That seasonal menu from 2021 still sitting on your site? Outdated copy screams “we don’t care.”
- Burying the booking button: The goal is seats filled. If guests have to scroll for an hour to find your reservation link, you’re losing money. But who are we kidding, if they can’t find it within 90 seconds, they’re gone.
Quick Wins to Uplift Your Website Copy
If you’re not ready for a full website overhaul, here are three easy fixes you can make right now:
- Rewrite your “About” section: Forget generic. Be a storyteller. Why do you do what you do? Why this neighbourhood? Why this food? Get to the heart of why you do what you do, and you’ll form a stronger connection with browsers from the outset.
- Trim the fluff: If a sentence doesn’t add value or personality, cut it. Clarity before cleverness. Always.
- Read it aloud: If you stumble, so will your guests. Great copy should sound like a real person talking.
In Summary
Your menu may be mouthwatering, but if your website copy is bland, you’re only telling half your story.
At Gather & Tell, we craft website copy that captures your venue’s personality, connects with your dream audience and drives bookings. Because words shouldn’t just fill space on a page—they should fill your tables, too.
If you’re ready for website copy that works as hard as you do? Learn more about our website copywriting and get in touch.
