Whether it’s a business or a restaurant, there is going to be competition, and every industry needs to be able to stand out from its competitors to succeed. In terms of restaurants, there are many different ways for them to stand out. It could be providing only the best quality meals, creating a one of a kind experience, or even just giving providing customers someplace with a unique and wholesome atmosphere. The point is that every successful restaurant has something to make it stand out in the crowd. This goes beyond just the restaurant itself and into how they market themselves. A website for a restaurant also needs to be able to communicate to the viewer what they might expect before even going there.
One restaurant that I look at as a possible competitor for my own would be the Square Cafe located in South Braddock Ave. in Pittsburgh, PA. Square Cafe is a small cafe that specializes in breakfast and lunch. They enjoy using their restaurant to help show off the artworks of local artists with a style that is simple and well organized. As such, their own website is just as simple, as well as being quick and easy to navigate. For anyone first visiting the website, the overall style is what sets it apart from its competitors. The homepage is presented in a standard display with a header at the top that is present on all pages, a brief summary with images telling about the cafe, and additional information at the bottom. The design of not just the homepage but the entire restaurant is shown with a bright, flowing, colors. The whole website is displayed with a colorful backyard picket fence and blue sky that I would imagine is inspired by Van Gogh. The colors and style give off a fun, welcoming experience that the cafe wants to provide to its guests. From there, the menu is the third option in the header. It is quick and easy to find, and the layout is a simple display that shows off their seasonal menu and the drink menu. Both the website and its menus are visually fluid and smooth, providing a stylized version of the artwork they display to the overall design. I feel that the impression they’re trying to make is a fun, inviting atmosphere for anyone new or old.
The restaurant that my group and I created is called EYEPOP, it is a breakfast dinner/cafe with an overall theme that draws inspiration from the pop art movement. The website we’ve created greatly reflects this inspiration, with an overall display, designs, and colors drawn from different artists and their artworks. The layout is simple but eye catching, all while being easy to navigate. From the homepage, there is a single display in the style of pop art by Andy Warhol. Each individual panel leads to another page of the site. Each page is unique and has a style influenced by various artists. The menu is a simple click away from any page, from the header at the top of each page but the homepage where it is the first option displayed. With a more distinct theme to tie both the restaurant and website together, I feel our website has a little more to offer compared to Square Cafe’s. While Square Cafe’s design & layout provide a unique identity, in its entirety, it seems like multiple ideas just arbitrarily put together. With my group’s restaurant, I feel our website has a better unifying theme and overall concept. While Square Cafe shows off local artists in their restaurant, they would have to update their website to match the current display of the restaurant. This in turn results in more work overall for them. Whereas, EYEPOP is influenced definitely by the pop-art movement, it allows for enough influence from various artists and styles when it comes to designing the website, without being too limiting or restricting. Of course I don’t believe out website by any means perfect, and if anything I’d say we might have “too much of a good thing”. While each page provides various information along with graphics and drastic color palettes, it might be a little too chaotic for someone first visiting the website. However, aside from the little things, I’m proud of the site my group and I have created.
It’s not until you begin to create your own site that you start to understand how much thought, time, and effort is put into creating something as “simple” as a website. Both Square Cafe and EYEPOP are great websites that compliment their restaurant. Square Cafe isn’t only good competitor for our website, but it is also a good source of inspiration for EYEPOP. They both strongly serve the purpose of providing a early look at what each restaurant has to offer in terms of food, design, layout, and atmosphere. It never hurts to study the work of others for the chance to discover a new perspective, understanding, or idea that can help you develop your own creations.