Types of Restaurant Photos

Great photography helps showcase your restaurant, attract new customers, and create a professional first impression. The photos you use throughout your website, online ordering, and social media should tell the story of your restaurant and highlight what makes it unique.

Essential Photos to Capture

Exterior Photos

Recommended: At least 3 photos

Exterior photos help customers recognize your restaurant and make it easier to find.

• Photograph the front entrance.
• Capture the building from the direction customers typically approach.
• Include daytime and evening photos if your restaurant is open at night.
• Make sure your signage is clearly visible.

Interior and Patio Photos

Recommended: At least 3 photos

Interior and patio photos show guests what they can expect when they visit your restaurant.

• Capture the overall dining atmosphere.
• Include seating areas, décor, bar areas, or patios.
• Take photos both with and without customers when possible.
• Keep tables clean and well arranged.

Food and Drink Photos

Recommended: At least 10 photos

Food photography is often the most important part of your website. High-quality food and drink photos can encourage customers to visit your restaurant or place an online order.

• Showcase your most popular menu items.
• Include appetizers, entrées, desserts, and beverages.
• Use natural or even lighting whenever possible.
• Avoid harsh shadows and heavy photo filters.
• Photograph dishes before they begin to cool, melt, or lose their presentation.

Team Photos

Recommended: At least 3 photos

Team photos help customers connect with your restaurant and build trust.

• Include the owner, chef, bartenders, and other staff members.
• Capture genuine moments instead of overly posed photos.
• Show your team interacting with guests or preparing food.
• Make sure uniforms and work areas look clean and professional.

Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Recommended: 2 to 5 photos

Behind-the-scenes photos give customers a look at your kitchen, preparation process, and daily operations.

• Chefs preparing signature dishes.
• Fresh ingredients being prepared.
• Baking, grilling, or plating food.
• Specialty drinks being made.

Technical Photo Guidelines

For the best appearance across your website, use photos that meet the following recommendations:

• File Format: JPG or PNG
• Homepage Images: At least 2000 pixels wide
• Other Website Images: Use the highest-resolution original available
• Orientation: Landscape photos are best for homepage banners and slideshows
• Lighting: Use bright, even lighting with natural-looking colors
• Focus: Photos should be sharp and clear
• Editing: Minor color correction is fine, but avoid excessive filters or alterations

Video Guidelines

Short videos can add personality to your website and social media while helping customers experience your restaurant before they visit.

• Maximum Length: 30 seconds
• Maximum File Size: 100 MB
• Recommended Resolution: 1080p or lower
• Keep videos steady and well lit.
• Avoid excessive camera movement or background noise.
• Highlight your restaurant, food, staff, or customer experience.

Photo Best Practices

• Use recent photos that accurately represent your restaurant.
• Keep lighting and editing consistent across your images.
• Feature your signature dishes and most popular menu items.
• Update photos seasonally or whenever your menu, décor, or branding changes.
• Avoid screenshots, blurry photos, watermarks, and heavily filtered images.
• Remove unnecessary background clutter before taking a photo.
• Use landscape photos for homepage banners and slideshows whenever possible.

Before Submitting Your Photos

Review each photo and confirm that it is clear, well lit, properly oriented, and representative of your restaurant. Send the original image files whenever possible, since photos saved from social media, screenshots, or text messages may have reduced quality.

For more information about selecting images for your homepage, see our Homepage Photo Guidelines article.