Guide
How to use a custom domain for a restaurant website
What changes, what to prepare, and why a branded restaurant URL is usually worth the setup step.
A custom domain does not just look nicer. It gives the restaurant a stable public address that works across search, social profiles, printed QR codes, and word of mouth.
The practical goal is simple: guests should land on the restaurant’s site at a URL that feels trustworthy and belongs to the brand.
Why a custom domain matters for restaurants
A custom domain makes the website feel like part of the restaurant, not a temporary tool living on someone else’s URL. That matters for trust, especially when guests are deciding quickly from search, Instagram, or a QR code.
It also gives the restaurant a stable address they can use on printed materials, Google Business Profile, social bios, and signage without tying the brand too tightly to a platform subdomain.
The simplest pattern is usually a subdomain
For most restaurants, a subdomain like `menu.yourrestaurant.com` or `www.yourrestaurant.com` is the cleanest place to start. It is easier to point correctly and easier to verify than trying to move the root domain on day one.
In Menu Builder today, the supported custom-domain path is customer subdomains. Apex or root domains are not the primary setup path right now.
What the setup actually involves
Custom domain setup is mostly a DNS task. The restaurant or whoever manages their DNS creates the record, the hostname is verified, and then traffic is routed to the correct restaurant site.
From the restaurant side, the practical questions are simple: which hostname should be used, who controls the DNS, and whether this should become the main public URL.
Why it is worth doing even if setup is manual
A manual setup step is not ideal, but it can still be worth it. Once the domain is live, the restaurant gets a cleaner public URL for guests and a stronger branded presence across the rest of its marketing.
The important thing is to make the final address stable so menus, homepage links, and QR codes do not need to change again later.
What to prepare before you switch the public URL
Choose the hostname first, decide whether it should become the primary domain, and make sure someone has access to the DNS provider. Those three things remove most setup delays.
If the restaurant already uses printed QR codes, review where those codes currently point and decide whether they need replacing or whether the old URL should continue redirecting safely.
How custom domains fit with Menu Builder today
Custom domains are supported on Pro, but setup is still handled during setup rather than through a finished self-serve flow. That means the capability exists, but the management experience is intentionally conservative for now.
That is often a good tradeoff early on: safer setup, fewer broken guest links, and less chance of a restaurant pointing traffic to the wrong place.
Publish on a restaurant URL that feels like part of the brand.
Use your own domain, keep menus and homepage content in one place, and make the guest-facing link something you can confidently print, share, and keep long term.