SURVEY: Nearly 70% of U.S. Diners Say A Restaurant's Website Has Discouraged Them from Visiting

And 62% of those surveyed said a website has impacted their decision to order delivery or takeout from a restaurant

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Aug 29, 2019, 11:41 ET

BALTIMORE, Aug. 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MGH, a full-service marketing communications agency, today released the results of a survey it conducted of U.S. restaurant goers, ages 18+ who dine in or have takeout or delivery at least once a month. Overall, the survey found that nearly 80% (77%) of those surveyed said they are likely to visit a restaurant's website before they dine in or order takeout or delivery. Of that group, the survey found that nearly 70% (68%) have been discouraged from visiting a restaurant because of its website and slightly less (62%) said a restaurant's website discouraged them from ordering delivery or takeout from a restaurant.

Why a restaurant's website can help make (or break) its sales.

Nearly 70% (69%) of those surveyed say the website specifically helps them decide if they want to dine in at the restaurant, while 43% visit a website to help decide if they want to order takeout or delivery from a restaurant.

While not caring for menu items is still the main reason those surveyed (65%) are discouraged from visiting a restaurant, other factors are also important. About one-third have been discouraged from visiting a restaurant because the website was difficult to navigate (33%), menus were difficult to read (30%) or websites looked old or out of date (30%).

When ordering food for takeout or delivery, those website factors become even more important for diners. 44% have been discouraged to order takeout or delivery from a restaurant because the website was difficult to navigate, 36% because the menu was difficult to read and 35% because the website looked old or out of date.

Surveyed diners also noted the importance of mobile-friendly websites when ordering food from a restaurant. In fact, 56% of surveyed diners say that mobile-friendly websites are very important and 36% say they have been discouraged from ordering food from a restaurant because the website wasn't mobile friendly.

Not surprisingly, photography also plays a key role. 45% of surveyed diners say they specifically look for photos of food when visiting a restaurant's website and 36% say the food photography is what discouraged them from visiting a restaurant.

Taking a closer look at responses from Gen Z and Millennials:

Nearly 60% of 18 to 24-year-olds (59%) and 55% of 25-34-year-olds specifically look for photos of food on a restaurant's website.
50% of 18-24-year-old diners and 44% of 25-34-year-olds who say a restaurant's website has discouraged them from visiting the restaurant say it's because the food photography was not enticing.
And 49% of 18-24-year-olds and 41% of 25-34-year-olds who order takeout or delivery say a restaurants website has discouraged them from ordering food.

"A website is the centerpiece of any business -- no matter the industry – so it's no surprise that photography places a huge role in encouraging or discouraging diners. Additionally, consumers are becoming more web savvy and have high expectations and short attention spans when it comes to the user experience," commented MGH CEO, Andy Malis. "Restauranteurs should take note of these key findings and evaluate their current website to determine if their website needs a refresh or confirm that what exists is working."

About the Survey
Results are based on a national survey of 1,101 U.S. adults age 18 or older who dine in or have takeout or delivery from a restaurant at least once a month and who are at least somewhat likely to visit a restaurant's website before they dine in or have takeout or delivery from the restaurant.

About MGH
Based in Baltimore, MGH specializes in multilocation restaurant marketing and offers advertising, public relations, media planning/buying, creative design and production, interactive (design, strategy, development and marketing), market research, direct response, relationship marketing and social media marketing. MGH was selected to the Ad Age 2019 Best Places to Work list.

MGH maintains a diverse client base spanning multiple industries. Current clients include Round Table Pizza, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Marble Slab Creamery, Pretzelmaker, Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls, Paul Fredrick, Ocean City, Md., Department of Tourism, Books-A-Million, and Mannington.

Visit http://www.mghus.com for more information on MGH and its services or connect with MGH via: Facebook at https://facebook.com/mghus; Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mghmarketing; Twitter at https://twitter.com/mghus; or YouTube at https://youtube.com/mghtv.

SOURCE MGH, Inc.