A takeaway website exists to turn a quick Google search into an order with you, ideally in less than a minute. It needs your menu with prices, a phone number customers can tap to call, today's trading hours, your delivery area, and a clear way to check allergens. Get those right before you think about anything else.
People looking for takeaway are rarely in a browsing mood. They're hungry, on their phone, and choosing between you and two other places nearby. A site built around getting that order beats a site built to look impressive.
What does a takeaway website actually need to do?
Six things, all easy to find on a phone:
- The menu, with prices. Every item, current prices, specials marked.
- A way to order. Tap-to-call at the very least, plus an ordering link if you have one.
- Trading hours. Kitchen hours and delivery hours if they differ, and public holiday changes.
- Delivery area. Suburbs or postcodes, minimum order and delivery fee.
- Allergen information. Displayed or available on request, as the Food Standards Code requires.
- Where you are. Address, a map link for pick-up and parking notes.
Test it yourself: pull out your phone, pretend you're a stranger in Footscray or Newtown, and see how many taps it takes to find each one.
Why should your menu be text, not a PDF?
PDF menus are slow on mobile data, awkward to zoom and harder for search engines to read. Squarespace's help centre says text menus are a better option than embedded PDFs, which "aren't always as SEO-friendly as text directly on the page" (as of October 2026). That's true on any platform, not only theirs.
When your menu is real text, someone searching "pad see ew Marrickville" or "gluten free pizza Geelong" has a chance of finding your page, because those words are on it. Keep dish names short, add a line of description and show the price clearly.
How should customers order from your website?
There are three sensible routes, and you can mix them.
Phone orders. Cheapest by a mile. A tap-to-call button at the top of every page lets a regular ring you in one tap. No commission, just your EFTPOS or card fees if they pay by card. You need someone who can pick up during the rush.
Your own online ordering. Some tools add ordering to your site for a monthly fee or a card fee instead of a big commission. As of October 2026, Square Online's free plan in Australia has no monthly fee and charges 2.2% per transaction, and Bopple's online ordering plan is $49 a month ex tax, with a per-order platform fee on top that the page doesn't spell out. Read the fine print on fees and terms before signing up.
The delivery apps. Since Menulog stopped taking orders in Australia on 26 November 2025, most app delivery runs through Uber Eats and DoorDash. They do find you new customers. The commission pays for that. Use them as the shop window and let your website bring people back direct.
At Pop-Up, every site has tap-to-call on every page, and we don't sell online ordering. If you want it, we'll suggest a tool that suits your kitchen.
What do Australian allergen rules mean for your website?
Under the Food Standards Code, food that doesn't need a label, such as food from a café or takeaway, must have allergen declarations displayed in connection with the food or provided to the purchaser on request, using the required allergen names (FSANZ, as of October 2026).
The law doesn't say it must be on your website. But if customers order from your site or by phone, the website is the easiest place to show it, and it saves your staff answering the same question twenty times a night. A sensible approach:
- An allergen list per dish, or a chart linked from the menu page.
- A clear line asking anyone with an allergy to call before ordering.
- Updating it the day a recipe or supplier changes.
How does your website work with Google?
Most locals find takeaway through Google Maps or Search first. Your Google Business Profile and website should link to each other and agree on hours, phone number and address.
Google lets you add one menu link and up to 10 food ordering links to your profile (as of October 2026). Point the menu link at your website's menu page. If you use your own ordering tool, add it as an ordering link and mark it as your preferred link. Double-check public holiday hours on both before each long weekend.
What are the common takeaway website mistakes?
- A buried phone number, tucked in the footer or behind a contact form.
- Old prices. Customers notice, and it costs you trust.
- No delivery area listed, so people call and get turned away.
- Heavy pages with huge photos and pop-ups that crawl on mobile data.
- No easy way to update it, so menu changes never get made.
How much does a takeaway website cost?
Anything from a DIY builder at a few dollars a month to several thousand for a custom job. We'll cover builders, freelancers, agencies and monthly plans in a separate guide. Whatever route you take, budget time or money for keeping the menu and hours right, because that's where most takeaway sites let owners down.
Frequently asked questions
Does a takeaway need a website if it's on Uber Eats and DoorDash?
Yes, if you want regulars to order direct. The apps help new customers discover you. Your own site is where you show your number, take phone orders without commission and keep the customer relationship.
Should my takeaway website take online orders?
Only if you can run it well. Phone orders cost nothing extra. An ordering tool suits busy kitchens that miss calls, but it brings a monthly fee or card fees, so compare it with what the apps cost you now.
Do I have to show allergens on my takeaway website?
The Food Standards Code requires allergen declarations to be displayed with the food or provided on request. A website isn't mandatory for this, but it's the easiest place to show allergens to people ordering by phone or online.
What pages does a takeaway website need?
A home page with tap-to-call and today's hours, a text menu page, and a find-us or delivery page. A single long page plus the menu works for many takeaways, as long as it reads well on a phone.
Is Menulog still operating in Australia?
No. Menulog stopped taking orders in Australia at midnight on 26 November 2025. Uber Eats and DoorDash are now the main delivery apps, which makes your own direct ordering route more valuable.
If you'd like a takeaway website built and kept current for you, with your Google profile looked after and your number front and centre, see what each Pop-Up plan includes.