Case study · Restaurant
The Library Restaurant
The Library Restaurant is a French-inspired fine-dining restaurant on the Grand Strand, with the 88 Keys piano bar under the same roof. Its old website was a dark, text-heavy page that didn't show off the food or the room. Axiom rebuilt it to look like the restaurant feels and to turn browsing into reservations, gift card sales and private events.
Before & after
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Left: the site before the rebuild (archived August 2020). Right: the site today.
Before image: Internet Archive Wayback Machine capture.
Problem → solution
A Myrtle Beach fine-dining classic, ready to book online
The problem · 01
Getting diners from browsing to booking
Like most restaurants, The Library gets a lot of visitors who are deciding where to eat tonight. If the reservation option is buried, they call around or book somewhere else.
The solution
Reservations one click from every page
Axiom added a boxed Reservations button to the top navigation on every page, over a full-screen hero of the dining room. It leads to a reservations page with an OpenTable booking widget, plus the phone number and hours for people who'd rather call.
The problem · 02
PDF menus frustrate phone users
Many restaurants post their menu as a PDF or a photo, which is slow to open and hard to read on a phone. It's also invisible to search engines, so people searching for a dish never find it.
The solution
A real, readable web menu
The full menu lives on the site as styled web text, organized into hors d'oeuvres, soups, salads, entrées, chef's selections and sides, with descriptions and prices. It loads fast, reads well on any screen, and is easy for the restaurant to update. A separate wine list page follows the same approach.
The problem · 03
Weeknight specials nobody hears about
Happy hour and weeknight deals are a common way for restaurants to fill slower nights, but they only work if people know about them. Specials that live on a chalkboard by the bar don't reach anyone at home.
The solution
A happy hour page for each night
Axiom built a Happy Hour page that gives each special its own photo card: half-price wine Tuesday, Speakeasy Wednesday, and App Thursday. It's linked from the homepage, so regulars and visitors can plan a midweek visit.
The problem · 04
Two venues under one roof
A piano bar inside a restaurant is easy to overlook if it's a single line on the homepage. It needs its own space to reach people looking for nightlife rather than dinner.
The solution
A dedicated 88 Keys piano bar page
88 Keys has its own page with a bold hero, cover-charge details, an embedded video and its hours and address. It links to the piano bar's own website and back to the restaurant's menu, so each venue sends guests to the other.
The problem · 05
Gift cards and events need a storefront
Gift cards and private parties can be a big source of revenue for a restaurant, but customers often don't know they're offered. Asking at the host stand isn't something most people think to do.
The solution
Homepage tiles for gift cards and events
The homepage features an E-Gift Cards tile with a Buy Gift Cards button that goes to the restaurant's online gift card shop, and a Private Events @ 88 Keys tile with contact details. Both sit right next to the menu and happy hour tiles.
The problem · 06
Diners want to see it first
For a special-occasion dinner, people want to see the room and the plates before they commit. Words alone don't sell a fine-dining experience.
The solution
A photo and video gallery
Axiom built a gallery page with a video section of featured TV segments and a photo gallery of the dining room, bar, wine and dishes. Guests get a real feel for the place before they book.
Your business
Same problem? Same fix.
If you own a restaurant, bar, café or event venue, your website should get people to the table, not just show your address. Axiom can build you a site with online reservations, a real web menu, specials, gift card sales and galleries that show what you do best.
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