Podcast Summary: Restaurant Strategy with Chip Klose

Episode Title: Eight Simple Website Do's and Don'ts (ENCORE)
Date: January 1, 2026
Host: Chip Klose

Episode Overview

This episode dives into eight crucial do's and don’ts to immediately upgrade independent restaurant websites. Host Chip Klose leans on industry best practices from leading restaurant groups and his own extensive consulting experience to outline a half-hour’s worth of actionable improvements that can boost online engagement, facilitate revenue growth, and streamline user experience for diners. With practical tips, clear examples, and a focus on actionable steps, Chip’s recommendations are tailored for restaurateurs looking to turn their websites into true revenue-driving assets.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Understand User Intent & Information Needs

• Chip emphasizes knowing who is coming to your website, where they came from, what they already know about your business, and what else they need to know to take action ([09:10]).
• Quote:
  “Who's coming to your website? Where do they come from? What do they already know about you? What do they still need to know about you in order to take the action you want them to take?” – Chip Klose [10:15]
• By focusing on user intent, restaurant owners can refine website content and navigation to drive decision-making.

2. Have a Clear, Singular Call to Action (CTA)

• Identify the primary action you want visitors to take:
  • Either place an online order or book a reservation ([10:50]).
• The most prominent CTA should be based on your main source of revenue.
• Placement Tips:
  • Logo: Upper left or center-top
  • Primary CTA button: Upper right
• Quote:
  “Whatever is your biggest revenue driver—if it’s online and delivery, then it’s order online. If it’s dine-in, it’s make a reservation... It’s one or the other.” – Chip Klose [12:12]

3. Reinforce the CTA Above the Fold

• Position an additional CTA (order or reserve) centered and above the fold on the homepage, following best-in-class examples like Mighty Quinn’s BBQ ([13:10]).
• Quote:
  “A clear call to action in the upper right corner, and then another… center, center. It is very simple and streamlined.” – Chip Klose [13:32]

4. Simplify Navigation – Fewer, Actionable Pages

• Avoid clutter: Only include pages that drive revenue or help people take action ([15:10]).
• Referenced navigation items: Order Online, Find a Location, Catering, Franchise, Menu.
• Integrate photos and stories throughout the site; no need for standalone gallery or press pages.
• Quote:
  “Gone are the days where a million different pages—gallery, story, press... Nobody cares. Weave all that information in throughout the website.” – Chip Klose [16:05]

5. Keep Every Page Focused on Action

• Every page must lead the user towards your goal, not away from it ([22:25]).
• Beware of “dead ends” on gallery or menu pages.
• Use repeated CTAs throughout content-heavy pages (e.g., private dining).
• Example: Gramercy Tavern’s private dining page with CTAs at every step.

6. Capture Visitor Data (Emails)

• Implement email capture in the site footer, on contact/location pages, and use a pop-up (switching between promotions and email capture as needed) ([25:20]).
• Quote:
  “You should have a capture in the footer… and a pop up… It will be all automatic.” – Chip Klose [25:55]

7. Streamline Navigation – Remove ‘Home’

• Don’t include a ‘Home’ button in the main navigation ([27:20]).
• Clicking on the logo is a universal standard to return to the homepage.
• Quote:
  “It's intuitive, it's redundant to put ‘Home’. It's just one more button for someone to press... take ‘Home’ out of the navigation bar.” – Chip Klose [27:45]

8. Never Promote Third-Party Ordering or Social Media as Exits

• Don’t direct traffic from your site to third-party delivery platforms—keep the ordering process in-house ([28:20]).
• Minimize outbound links to social profiles, only placing them in the footer if necessary.
• Quote:
  “Do not ever promote your third party websites on your own website. Only promote your own online ordering… Your website is the mothership.” – Chip Klose [29:02]

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On knowing your website’s purpose:
  “Your website is an extension of your restaurant, and for many diners it’s their first impression of your business.” – Chip Klose [08:50]

• On abandoning unnecessary complexity:
  “The website itself should be a gallery of your food, your space, your people… you don’t need a separate page to take them to where they’re just looking at beautiful pictures. It’s ridiculous.” – Chip Klose [17:20]

• On recapturing lost revenue:
  “They got to your website—don’t send them away to a platform where you’re going to pay a 30% commission. It’s absolutely ridiculous. Don’t do it.” – Chip Klose [28:44]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [08:50] – Framing the episode: Why your website is so important
• [09:10] – The critical phrase for understanding website visitors
• [10:50] – Choosing and emphasizing your primary call to action
• [13:10] – Homepage layout best practices (the ‘above the fold’ rule)
• [15:10] – Navigation: Keep it simple, focused, and revenue-driven
• [22:25] – Every page must drive towards a user action (Gramercy Tavern example)
• [25:20] – Email capture tactics: Footers, pop-ups, and data collection
• [27:20] – Why ‘Home’ is obsolete in website navigation
• [28:20] – Avoiding costly third-party promotion and outbound social links
• [29:40] – Rapid-fire recap of all eight website upgrades

Actionable Takeaways

• Audit your website’s navigation: Remove unnecessary pages and links.
• Clarify all calls to action: Ensure they are prominent and repeated where needed.
• Integrate email capture proactively.
• Make your logo the “Home” button.
• Remove all third-party delivery and social media exits from prime site locations.

Final Thoughts

This compact, insightful episode provides a blueprint for restaurant owners to supercharge their digital presence in just a half-hour of focused work. By following Chip Klose’s eight do’s and don’ts, independent restaurateurs can transform their websites into powerful, revenue-driving tools—delivering better hospitality and convenience to guests both online and in-person.