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NOLA Eats Poll: Before You Dine

In the year 2000, if your business had a website, people were impressed. Ten years later, it’s a necessity. When it comes down to it, if I am trying to decide between two well-recommended businesses, but only one has a website, I will most likely patronize the business with the online presence. Why? Because I’m not made of money, to put it bluntly. I want to know that I will be comfortable and that the amenities are to my liking. Being able to see a business’ website before I visit them gives me an idea of what I am in for. What about you? Just for fun, here’s a little poll I threw together.


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March 4th, 2010 | Tags: , , | View Comments
  • Some of my most favorite places are hole in the wall ethnic types...so, no it's not super important to me as an eater. Although, when I'm splurging and going some place more expensive, then I do want to be able to look at the menu, read reviews, and plan my meal....so I guess for me it depends on the type of restaurant.
  • That is a good point that I should have elaborated upon. I don't care that Bennachin doesn't have a website, but like you said, if it's a $32/plate type of place, I better see the pictures of gleaming china on their website.
  • I voted "no" only because I've gone to restaurants based on word of mouth or online reviews, even when these places didn't have websites.

    That said, all restaurants should be online, even if it's just a Facebook page, and they should post a menu, even if it's just a sample.

    I'm most fascinated by Twitter - so easy for a restaurant/bar to tweet their specials. Everyone should be doing this!
  • I don't think I haven't gone to a restaurant only because they didn't have a website, but it has caused me to put it off until I heard several positive reviews. I've got a great example: Sara's (http://www.sarasrestaurant.com/). Their website is SO. TERRIBLE. I would wait and wait and wait for the intro Flash page to load, get tired of waiting and then just decide on another restaurant. Not only is the intro page very slow, but the site just doesn't look professional. Do they have great food? Definitely. However, their unappetizing website caused me to put off going there for a long time.
  • kindviet
    i actually did this the yesterday. i did a search to see if crabbyjacks had a website which they didnt but alot of reviews from other sites so yes im planning on going there anyhow soon.
  • Walter
    While I like to look at a menu before I go to a new restarant, it isn't a make or break thing for me. Sometimes I like to be surprised. Once when I was asked to go to a Chinese hot pot dinner, I said yes not knowing what it was or finding out until I got there. It was one of the best meals I've had.
  • Daniele
    As a vegetarian, I rely heavily on online menus when I am considering dining at new restaurants. When I don't have any way of knowing if there are vegetarian items on a restaurant's menu, I am definitely not going to choose that restaurant.

    On a slightly related note, I've always been bummed that New Orleans is not represented on http://www.menupages.com.
  • It's the fault of the owners of NOLA restaurants. They refuse to get with 2010. Only FOUR eateries utilize Foursquare. I could go on, but I won't. Not for free. It's also the fault of the local consumers. Our Yelp sucks, because we let all the tourists write the reviews. You know why? Because as New Orleans residents, all we do is tell people where to eat. We've been doing it before there was a Yelp or Urbanspoon or Internet.
  • personal pet peeve: Restaurant websites that are completely in Adobe Flash (iPhone issue) and/or have music.
  • Britt
    yes! music is annoying!
  • If you run a business, ANY business, you should have a web presence. A web presence (website/facebook/yelp/urbanspoon whatever) gives you the ability to give a first impression when someone types your company's name into google/bing etc... Everyone these days goes online to look up information about new places they would like to go eat. For a restaurant a website is a way to advertise your menu. It gives you the ability to advertise what you do beyond the copy of the menu hanging in the window for passers by. This "virtual storefront" is however a double edged sword because you have to keep it up to date, daily if necessary. There is nothing worse than seeing a site that has obviously been abandoned by the business making you wonder about how they operate the rest of their business. If you want a prime example of using the web to market your business look at how NakedPizza has grown their business centered around a web marketing strategy and how well it has worked.
  • Naked Pizza is also a great example of how re-branding can catapult a viable business into the stratosphere. It was barely making it as "World's Healthiest Pizza"

    too bad he's a Katrina-bagger opportunist and not a true local.
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