How to design a restaurant website (or things not to do rant)

I’ve recently noticed that a lot of restaurant websites are awful. The
main culprit seems to be that the people making the websites are using
the opportunity to show off the fact that they know how to use Flash,
while ignoring what a well designed site should be. So I’ll go to a
website and have to wait while the splash page (The page that shows off
some sort of animation, little movie, a moving graphic) loads, and I
get to see an animated logo. Sometimes there is music. Wow. Your logo
moves. Why? The most successful websites don’t have splash pages. You
shouldn’t either. Use the background and font colors, your logo, to
show off your restaurant’s style instead of forcing me to watch what is
basically your PowerPoint presentation. A no music on websites rule is
a pretty good one.

Think of each visitor to your website as a
customer showing up at your restaurant. Why are you forcing them to
wait in the lobby while they stare at a "Please Wait To Be Seated" sign? Have the basic important information that will help the customer find their way to your place on the first page. Most people go to a restaurant website to find information, not to be entertained. And I want it  quick! Chances are I’m bringing up your site just as I’m headed out the door for dinner. For entertainment on the web I’ll go to YouTube and watch the hamster eating the grape.

Here’s a few things I like to find right away on a site, preferably in a sidebar, on the upper left hand side:

1) Address, telephone, email address.
Make sure the info is not a graphic. If it’s a graphic element, you
can’t copy paste the information. Sometimes I like to do that so I can
copy past the information into an email or instant message. Also,
actual text helps Google and other search engines index your site
correctly.
2) Add a link that maps it to google maps. It’s easy and free.
3) Your hours. It’s surprising how many websites make you hunt for that simple information.
4) Menu. Add a link to a separate page.
5)
Link to photos of your food and interiors. I think a lot of people try
to do this first with the splash page. But really, it’s something you
can take care of by putting in the body of the website or on a separate
page after you have made sure the above 1, 2, 3, and 4 have been taken
care of. I’d recommend using a photo hosting site like Flickr.com.