Since the introduction of technology into the everyday lives of the average person, information has been even easier to spread and find. It is more important now than ever before to have social media or a website, especially as a business. Consumers are online round-the-clock and can find out about your company in a single click. While websites used to contain only text, nowadays there are endless possibilities for layouts and design. As examples, I explored the websites of two local restaurants, Burgatory and No. 9 Park, to see how they compare.
Burgatory is a popular local food chain that is known for its “helluva burgers” and “heavenly shakes.” They pride themselves on their all-natural ingredients and huge portions. Burgatory has multiple locations in the Pittsburgh area, including the PPG Paints Arena, Heinz Field, and Cranberry Township. Burgatory was established in 2011, and their website reflects the modern feel.
When you first land on the Burgatory homepage, you are met with a simple and intuitive design. At the very top of the page, the red ‘B” that is their logo sits centered on a very dark brown navigation bar. Under the logo, there are links to the menu, locations, merchandise, and careers. Below this, there is a slideshow of colorful photos that convey the customers, food, and employees of the company in a positive, tasteful light. When looking at the site’s homepage, it is easy to see where you need to go. The items on the navigation bar attracted my attention mainly because of its light gray color against the dark title bar but also because it is centered at the top of the page, and the slideshow is large, not leaving too much else to look at.
Burgatory’s website uses many design principles, such as balance, unity, emphasis, and layout. The layout and color choices across design elements on the page give it a sense of unity. The webpage seems laid back and relaxed with the choice of typography and wording. There is also a good contrast in the dark navigation bar and the stark white-gray color of the background and text. It is clear as to what words are hyperlinks because they are either underlined or change color when you glide your cursor over them.
Overall, the usability of this website is easy for users with minimal experience with websites or the internet. Everything you could possibly want to look for is connected to a link in the navigation bar. At no point did I dwell on or think “Where should I begin”. I just instinctively knew where to click next. Its minimal color scheme and layout make the experience easy on the eye and mind.
No. 9 Park is an upscale restaurant that serves French and Italian entrees and European wines. While this restaurant only has one location, it is in an elegant townhouse in Boston’s historic Beacon Hill. The restaurant prides itself on its intilmate setting and refined cuisine.
No. 9 Park’s website is in many ways similar to Burgatory’s. The site also features a dark brown navigation bar with a large photo beneath it. The navigation bar features similar elements, with the logo in the top left corner, and the menu and other links listed beside it. The text for both the logo and the hyperlinks appear to be light cream or white in color. The picture features the storefront location in Boston’s Beacon Hill. Like Burgatory, the site is easy to navigate because of its simple design.
No. 9 Park’s website also utilizes design principles, such as balance, unity, emphasis, and layout. The layout and color choices across all of the internal pages and links have a sense of unity. Emphasis is put on the fine dining options with professional photos spread throughout the site of their divine courses. They also allow the user to navigate the website through distinctive buttons on the right side of the page. This leads to a more direct navigation of the site, landing the user on the proper panel, overall enhancing the user experience.
In Steve Krug’s book Don’t Make Me Think, he addresses five things that are necessary for a user to enjoy and understand the look and content of a site. These things are:
1. Creating a clear visual hierarchy
2. Taking advantage of naming and graphic conventions
3. Breaking pages into sections
4. Making links look clickable
5. Minimizing noise
Both of these websites do a very good job at addressing these needs. In regards to heirarchy, Burgatory definitely takes the crown. Its use of bold typography and graphics is very different from the delicate and light design of No. 9 Park’s. I believe they also do a great job in dividing the page into clear sections. Burgatory mainly does this through dashed lines and bold lettering, whereas No. 9 Park uses photographs as dividers. Both websites use underlining to define what is a hyperlink throughout the body of their sites, but must not feel it neccessary in the navigation bar. It works well in their favor and leaves behind a clean and simple design.
Overall, both Burgatory’s and No. 9 Park’s websites look very professional but are very different in terms of the overall style. Burgatory’s style is more casual and bold, and No. 9 Park’s leans toward a more polished and simple aesthetic. Personally, I am more drawn to the unique style and typography that Burgatory utilizes. Regardless of whichever restaurant website you choose, you are sure to enjoy your experience.
References
Burgatory. (n.d.). Retrieved July 22, 2019, from https://burgatorybar.com/
No. 9 Park. (n.d.). Retrieved July 22, 2019, from http://www.no9park.com/#intro