What Australian cafes need on their website: a menu people can read on a phone, accurate hours and surcharges, maps and direct ordering.
Most people visit a cafe website for one of four things: the menu, the hours, the location or a way to order. If any of those is hard to find, they go back to Google Maps and pick the next place. A good cafe website is small, fast and very clear — not a big design project.
This guide covers what to include, the mistakes that frustrate customers, and how to reduce what you pay delivery platforms. WebNest builds hospitality websites remotely for Australian businesses; our Sindi Coffee demo shows the approach.
In this article
A menu people can read on a phone
PDF menus are the most common problem on cafe websites. They are slow to open on mobile data, hard to zoom, often out of date and invisible to search engines. Put the menu on a normal web page with sections, prices and dietary labels such as V, VG, GF and DF, and update it when the menu changes.
A web menu also lets Google show your dishes in search results and helps people searching 'gluten free brunch Fitzroy' find you.
Hours, public holidays and surcharges
Show opening hours on every page, in the footer, and keep them the same as your Google Business Profile. Update both before public holidays and during closures.
If you charge a weekend or public holiday surcharge, the ACCC expects it to be displayed clearly — on the menu itself, with the percentage — so customers know before they order. Put it on the web menu too.
Location, parking and access
Embed a map, list the street address with suburb and postcode, and add the details locals know but visitors don't: nearest station or tram stop, parking, whether you're dog-friendly, outdoor seating, pram and wheelchair access. These small details answer the questions that would otherwise be a phone call.
Direct ordering vs delivery apps
Delivery platforms bring reach but take a significant commission on every order. A simple direct ordering page for pick-up — through a POS-integrated system or a lightweight ordering tool — lets regulars order without that fee. Keep both: the apps for discovery, your website for repeat customers.
If you take bookings or host events, add a booking widget or a simple enquiry form for functions and catering.
- Pick-up ordering linked to your POS where possible
- Table or group booking if you take reservations
- Catering and function enquiry form
- Gift cards if your POS supports them
Photos, story and local SEO
Use your own photos of the food, coffee, space and team. A short 'about us' — who roasts the beans, where the produce comes from — gives people a reason to choose you over the chain down the road.
Match your name, address and phone number on the website and Google Business Profile, choose the right category ('Cafe' or 'Coffee shop'), add the menu link to the profile and ask regulars for reviews. Add LocalBusiness structured data with your hours.
What to gather before building your cafe site
Most cafe websites can be built in two to three weeks once the content is ready. Having these items prepared saves the most time:
- Your current menu with prices and dietary labels, and how often it changes
- Opening hours, public holiday hours and any surcharge percentages
- Ten to twenty of your own photos of food, coffee, the space and the team
- Your POS or ordering system name, so ordering can link to it
- Logins for your Google Business Profile and domain
Frequently asked questions
Should my cafe menu be a PDF?
No. A normal web page loads faster on phones, can be read by search engines and is easier to update. Keep a PDF only for printing if you need one.
Do I need to show public holiday surcharges on my website?
The ACCC expects surcharges to be clearly displayed where customers see prices. Show the percentage on your menu, including the online menu.
Can my website take orders without paying delivery commissions?
Yes. A pick-up ordering page through your POS or an ordering tool lets customers order directly. Many cafes keep delivery apps for reach and push regulars to direct ordering.
What pages does a cafe website need?
Home, menu, location and hours, about, and contact or bookings. Add catering, events or gift cards only if you offer them.
Can WebNest build a website for an Australian cafe?
Yes. We build fast, mobile-first hospitality sites remotely. See our restaurant website design page and Australia page.
Written by the WebNest Team
The designers, developers and marketers at WebNest, a website design and digital marketing studio in Durgapur, West Bengal, working with businesses across India and abroad since 2022. More about us.
