HN Explorer

Ask HN: Do you like fancy flash restaurant websites?

7 points by palidanx ↗ HN
Does anyone out there like fancy flash restaurants with sound and pictures that almost make it seem like you are in the restaurant?

Or is it painful for you and you would rather have a boring website with their info?

18 comments

[ 3.5 ms ] story [ 31.0 ms ] thread
dragonbonheur
It will not be good for your SEO. With a normal website every asset like images, video, text, links and even audio can be used for SEO promotion.
jstanley
It is painful and pointless.

All you need is a photo of the outside of the restaurant so I know what I'm looking for, maybe a photo of the inside so I get an idea of the general ambience, the menu (or, if it changes regularly, a representative sample) so I know what I'm going to eat, a map so I know where I've got to go, and contact details so I know who I've got to call.

You really don't need any fancy crap that gets in the way.

pgrote
It is painful.

Why would you consider non-flash sites "boring?"

What I want to know when I go to a restaurant site:

1) Hours. 2) Location with google maps link. 3) Menu with prices.

When I get to the menu I may want to see a pic of the food, nutritional info, etc.

Splendor
And please don't make me download a pdf to see the menu.
palidanx
Amazingly some of my friends like the flash animations and called the ones without them boring eye twitch.
orangethirty
1. Flash sites for restaurants don't really work anymore (conversion rate wise).

2. Use javascript, and or .mp4 video if you need to have any dynamic content.

bmelton
I feel like the question is so stacked as to be misleading, and it reminds me of the old Mitch Hedberg joke, "Have you ever tried sugar, or PCP?"

There's a very large middle ground between flash and non-flash sites, in the midst of which are many non-boring options.

My preferred sites are not boring, and are also not flash, but that also do a good job of clearly illustrating what their info actually is.

The way you phrased the question makes me wonder if it wasn't actually asked 15 years ago and somehow got stuck in a queue.

palidanx
My apologies. I'll rephrase the question slightly.
palidanx
Whoops. I can't edit it. But thanks for the note.
larrydavid
Websites built entirely in Flash are horrible in most cases.

You also cut out a massive section of mobile users that can't use your site when on the go.

Check here for some tips specific to a restaurant site: http://www.better-restaurant-websites.com/

dubfan
Mobile compatibility can be extremely important depending on the type of restaurant and where it's located. On a website I did for a restaurant located in a tourist destination, mobile and tablet devices account for about 55% of all visits.
DanBC
I hate fancy flash websites. Watch manufacturers are also guilty of this.

I just want to know when they're open; where they are; a number for me to make reservations; and the menu.

veesahni
Just remember the audience of HN is a not representative of the general audience those websites are probably built for
cafard
No. I'd like the menu, the hours, the directions, and a way to make reservations.
poppysan
I think only devs think negatively about the sites, as users are routinely impressed by bells and whistles (as pointless as they are). This is not flashes fault -- think of all the useless motion we are seeing in html5 pages. Its just a matter of non-techs seeing a fancy moving thing and wanting to have it.

Oftentimes usability can be terrible, but it is up to us as service/product providers to inform the client, and not force our bias on their business processes.

factorialboy
No.

I prefer simple clean websites which make it easy for me to accomplish my goals.

staunch
Your Yelp profile is your restaurant's web site.