Are you planning to add online food ordering to your restaurant website?
Currently, customers want a quick and convenient way to explore the food menu, personalize their meals, and place orders online without making a call. When this option isn’t available, many customers move on to another restaurant. That’s why having a simple and smooth online Food ordering system is now essential for every restaurant website.
With WordPress, creating an online food ordering website is quick and easy. You can display online menus, collect secure payments, and manage pickup or delivery orders in one place.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to build a simple, customer-focused online food ordering system for your restaurant website using WordPress, from start to finish.
Let’s begin.
🍽️ Quick Overview
Adding online ordering to your restaurant website is essential for customers who want convenience and speed. Using WordPress with a plugin like RestroFood, you can:
- Display menus and manage orders online
- Offer delivery, pickup, and table-based ordering
- Track orders, reduce mistakes, and improve efficiency
- Boost sales while avoiding third-party app fees
Whether you run a café, single restaurant, or multi-branch restaurant, setting up an online food ordering system helps you stay competitive and satisfy customers. Start today to grow your business and provide a seamless ordering experience.
How to Create an Online Food Ordering Website using WordPress?
1. Choose a domain name
A domain name is your website’s address on the internet. Pick a name that’s easy to remember and represents your brand, for example, www.restrofood.io.
How to get your domain name:
- Choose a registrar – popular ones include Namecheap, GoDaddy, and Google Domains.
- Search availability – check if your preferred name is free.
- Register your domain – purchase it for 1–10 years.
This secures your online identity and sets the foundation for your website.
2. Select a hosting provider
After choosing your domain name, the next step is picking a hosting provider. Hosting is like your website’s home, it stores your files and makes your site accessible online.
Compare providers based on features, reliability, speed, and support to find the best fit for your restaurant website.
Popular options include HostGator, Bluehost, Namecheap, GoDaddy, and WordPress.com. You can also consider trusted local providers for better deals and personalized support.
Choosing the right host ensures your online ordering system runs smoothly and reliably.
3. Connect your domain to hosting
Once you have a domain and hosting, you need to link them so your website goes live. Here’s how to do it using Namecheap as an example (the steps are similar for other registrars):
- Sign in to your Namecheap account.
- Go to Domain List and click Manage next to your domain.
- In the Nameservers section, select Namecheap Web Hosting DNS and save.
To use a third-party hosting server, choose Custom DNS, enter your hosting nameservers, and save changes. It can take 24–48 hours for your domain to propagate.
Note: Some providers may give nameservers with IP addresses, enter them as instructed.
4. Install WordPress & WooCommerce
Once your domain is connected to hosting, it’s time to install WordPress, the platform that will power your restaurant website.
Install WordPress:
- Log in to your hosting cPanel (your hosting provider gives the login details).
- Go to Softaculous Apps Installer (or similar) and click the WordPress icon.
- Click Install, select your domain, and set the root folder.
- Configure your Site Settings and Admin Account use strong, secure passwords.
- Click Install. Once done, log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
Install WooCommerce for Online Orders:
- In the WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New.
- Search for WooCommerce, click Install Now, then Activate.
- Follow the WooCommerce setup wizard to configure your store:
- Set your location and currency
- Choose the types of products you’ll sell
- Complete all fields and click Let’s go!
Your WordPress site with WooCommerce is now ready to take online orders and manage your restaurant store efficiently.
5. Install Elementor in WordPress
If you want to design your restaurant website with drag-and-drop ease, installing Elementor is a great option. While not required, Elementor allows you to add food menu widgets, create beautiful pages, and fully customize your WordPress site without coding.
How to install Elementor:
- Go to Plugins → Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
- Search for Elementor in the search bar.
- Click Install Now, then Activate.
- Wait a few moments for the plugin to install, and it’s ready to use.
With Elementor, you can start building custom menus, pages, and layouts that make your restaurant website visually appealing and user-friendly.
6. Install Restaurant Management Plugin
If you want a reliable plugin for food ordering on WordPress, RestroFood is the perfect choice. RestroFood plugin makes online food ordering fast and simple for both restaurants and customers. With features like a same-page cart & checkout system, delivery and pickup options, and delivery date & time scheduling, customers can browse menus, customize their orders, and complete checkout without delays.
The plugin also includes Ajax quick search and category filters for smooth menu navigation, custom delivery fees, and minimum order restrictions to optimize your sales. Fully compatible with WooCommerce payment gateways and popular page builders, RestroFood helps you handle orders easily and makes ordering simple for your customers.
How to install and activate RestroFood:
- First Download the Plugin Zip File from the RestroFood site
- Log in to Your WordPress Admin Dashboard
- Navigate to the Plugin Section
- Click Add New Section
- Upload the Plugin Zip File
- Install the Plugin
- Once installed, click Activate and wait a few seconds
7. Install Food Ordering WordPress Theme
RestroFood theme is a free, WooCommerce-ready WordPress theme designed for restaurants, cafés, and food businesses. Built with Elementor, it enables easy online food ordering, delivery management, and menu customization. Fully responsive, mobile-friendly, and user-friendly, RestroFood offers one-click demo import, unlimited colors, Google Fonts, and lifetime updates for seamless restaurant website creation, step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Download the RestroFood Theme
Visit the RestroFood website and click the Download Now button to get your free theme. Once downloaded, you’ll have the theme zip file ready for installation.
Step 2: Install the Theme
- Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
- Go to Appearance → Themes → Add New.
- Click Upload Theme at the top of the page.
- Select the downloaded RestroFood theme zip file and click Install Now.
- Once installed, click Activate to make the theme live on your website.
Step 3: Install Required Plugins
After activating the theme, follow the prompts to install required plugins. These plugins are essential to ensure your RestroFood theme works smoothly and provides full functionality for your restaurant website.
8. Customize Restaurant Management Plugin
Once your WordPress restaurant website is ready, it is time to make it truly yours. RestroFood gives you full control to customize your online food ordering system, exactly the way your restaurant works. Whether you want to change how your menu looks, set delivery time slots, or manage your team roles, everything is just a few clicks away.
No coding needed. No complicated setup. Just simple, easy settings that help your restaurant run better every day.
Here Is What You Can Customize:
- Product Layouts: Choose how your food menu appears to customers. Pick from Grid, List, Tabbed, Masonry, and more, so your menu always looks clean, professional, and easy to browse.
- Product Variants & Add-Ons: Let customers customize their order. Add options like size, color, toppings, and add-ons so every customer gets exactly what they want, every time.
- Nutrition Information: Show customers what is in their food. Display important details such as calories, protein, fat, and allergens for every menu item, helping customers make healthy, informed food choices.
- Delivery & Pickup Times: Give customers the freedom to choose when they want their order delivered or picked up. Set flexible time slots for both delivery and pickup, making life easier for your customers and your kitchen team.
- Order Limits per Time Slot: Too many orders at once can slow everything down. Set a limit on how many orders your kitchen accepts per time slot so every order is prepared on time and delivered fresh.
- Minimum Order Amount: Set a minimum order amount for delivery. This helps you cover delivery costs, keeps orders profitable, and encourages customers to add a little more to their cart.
- Same-Page Checkout: Make ordering fast and simple. RestroFood’s same-page checkout lets customers place their order without leaving the page, perfect for mobile users and anyone who wants a quick, smooth checkout experience.
- Flash Sale Slider: Running a special deal? Use the flash sale slider to show limited-time offers right on your homepage. Countdown timers create excitement and push customers to order before the deal ends.
- Pre-Order System: Let customers plan their meals. With the pre-order feature, customers can pick a future date and time for their order, giving your kitchen time to prepare and reducing last-minute rush.
- User Roles: Keep your team organized. Assign roles like Branch Manager, Kitchen Manager, and Delivery Driver, each with their own tasks and access levels. This makes order management faster, smoother, and more secure.
- Tips Management: Give customers an easy way to say thank you. The built-in tips feature lets customers add a tip at checkout, a small touch that means a lot to your staff.
- In-Restaurant Digital Ordering: Upgrade your dine-in experience. Customers can scan a QR code at their table and order directly from their phone, no waiting, no confusion, just fast and accurate table service.
Step-by-Step Expert Guide to Create an Online Food Ordering Website using WordPress
Are You Ready to Take Online Orders from Your Restaurant Customers?
Customers now expect convenience, they want to order food online quickly from their phone or computer. By adding online ordering to your website, you let them browse your menu, customize dishes, and place orders without calling.
An online ordering system for your restaurant also helps you:
- Track deliveries and dine-in orders efficiently
- Reduce mistakes in the kitchen
- Serve customers faster and more accurately
Having a restaurant online ordering website ensures you reach more customers directly, without paying high fees to third-party apps.
Benefits of Setting Up an Online Ordering System
Using WordPress, you can create an online ordering website that handles everything from menu display to checkout. Features like:
- Real-time order tracking
- Delivery and pickup scheduling
- Table-based ordering for dine-in
…improve customer experience, increase sales, and streamline restaurant operations.
What is the Best Online Food Ordering Plugin for WordPress?
The best online food ordering plugin for WordPress is RestroFood. It lets restaurants display menus, manage orders, offer delivery and pickup, set preparation times, and customize checkout, all in one smooth, user-friendly system.
Final Thoughts
Adding online ordering to your restaurant website is no longer optional, it’s essential. Customers expect speed, convenience, and flexibility when ordering food, and a well-built online ordering system can deliver all of that while boosting your sales and operational efficiency.
With WordPress and a plugin like RestroFood, you can create a seamless online ordering experience, manage orders in real time, and serve your customers better than ever. Whether you run a small café, a busy single restaurant, or a multi-branch restaurant, setting up online ordering helps you stay competitive, reduce errors, and grow your business.
Take Action Today
Start now to turn your website into a powerful online food order platform. And bring your restaurant online today and give your customers the easy, reliable ordering experience they’re looking for.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need coding experience to build an online ordering website?
No, you don’t need coding. Using WordPress with plugins like RestroFood and page builders like Elementor, you can create a fully functional restaurant website, also using the RestroFood shortcode.
What is an online food ordering system for restaurants?
An online food ordering system allows customers to browse menus, customize dishes, and place orders directly from a restaurant’s website without calling. RestroFood plugin makes this process easy with WordPress and WooCommerce.
Why should my restaurant use an online ordering plugin?
Online food ordering plugin improves convenience, reduces order mistakes, allows delivery or pickup scheduling, boosts sales, and avoids high third-party app fees.
How to Create an Online Food Ordering Website using WordPress?
Choose a domain and hosting, install WordPress, WooCommerce, and Elementor, then use a restaurant plugin like RestroFood to manage menus, orders, and checkout.
What features does RestroFood offer for online ordering?
RestroFood online ordering features include online menus, product variants, extra options, same-page checkout, and delivery or pickup scheduling, etc for a seamless customer experience.
Can I manage multiple restaurant branches with RestroFood?
Yes, RestroFood supports multi-branch restaurants, user roles like branch manager or kitchen staff, and centralized order management.
How do I customize my restaurant’s online menu?
Using RestroFood, you can import demo products, change product layouts, add nutrition info, set product variants, and offer optional extras for each menu item.
Does RestroFood support pre-orders system?
Yes, the RestroFood plugin allows customers to schedule orders in advance, helping restaurants manage peak times and improve delivery efficiency.
Can I set delivery or pickup time for each order?
Yes, RestroFood allows you to define preparation times, delivery times, and available pickup/delivery slots for smooth order management.
How does the mini cart and checkout system work?
RestroFood offers same-page checkout and customizable mini cart styles, improving speed, reducing cart abandonment, and enhancing the customer experience.
What is the best online food ordering plugin for WordPress?
RestroFood is the best online food ordering plugin for wordpress and woocommerce. Thousands of restaurant owner uses these plugin.
Who provide free WordPress online food ordering plugin?
RestroFood offers a free restaurant plugin [ RestroFood Lite ] to easily manage online menus, orders, and deliveries on your WordPress restaurant website.
