Over the years, Young & Hungry has seen plenty of abysmal restaurant websites. A number of Web developers have made a killing creating graphically offensive and otherwise garish online portals. Other restaurant websites seem to be the result of creatively stubborn restaurateurs who have tried to translate their gastronomic vision in a digital form for potential (or current) customers.
While some restaurants have certainly found a good balance, this McSweeney’s article, without photos, images, nor music, perfectly captures what can go wrong when you look up some restaurants on the Internet:
Welcome! LOOK! Pictures of our wall-sized aquarium!! Check out how all the links spin when you scroll the page!!!!!! DANCE MUSIC! See the bowl of noodles in the corner??? Mouse over it! WHHHHOA! Customer testimonials popped out!!!! Follow us on Twitter!!!!!
You want to see our menu??? Just click “About Us!” No, not the actual words, on the stylized elephant next to the words. Yes! DANCE MUSIC!!!
Any nominations for D.C. area restaurants that abuse the eyes online? Who gets online presentation right? Are restaurants smartening up? (Compared to a few years ago, fewer places are using Flash animation, which is a step in the right direction.)