ChatGPT answers, unedited

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Web Action LLC - 350 N Orleans St #9000n, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SIX4 Creative - Chicago, IL 60639
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• ColorJar - 1000 W Fulton Market #213, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• The Digital Restaurant - 1444 N Farnsworth Ave Suite #100, Aurora, IL 60505, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Alebrije Agency - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• KTGY | Chicago - 225 W Randolph St #1700, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alias Creative - 1806 W Cuyler Ave Ste 3D, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Kingdom Branding - 8014 Lincoln Ave #1, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a Chicago restaurant group with multiple downtown locations, I’d focus on agencies that have actually handled multi-location restaurant architecture—not just agencies that build attractive single-location sites.

Shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — strongest fit for a sophisticated multi-site rollout.

Orbit is Chicago-based and has a particularly relevant case study: it redesigned the management-group site and five cohesive restaurant sites for Bottleneck Management, including shared navigation, SEO, video, and a scalable site architecture. Orbit explicitly lists multi-location SEO, restaurant integrations, and a single CMS among its capabilities. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
Best for: a centralized template/system where each restaurant retains its own identity.

• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — best if this is a larger enterprise replatform.

Their Chicago team has handled the redesign/replatform of Lou Malnati's, a multi-location Chicago restaurant brand, using WordPress and modular content blocks. Their capabilities extend into web applications, integrations, analytics, hosting and ongoing support. Americaneagle.com
Best for: a sizable group that needs a robust technical platform and long-term governance.

• Web Action LLC — restaurant-specific local option.

Web Action has a dedicated restaurant offering spanning website design, branding, photography/video, SEO and digital marketing.
Best for: a more hands-on Chicago agency if the redesign also involves content and marketing.

• SIX4 Creative — worth considering if brand consistency is as important as the websites.

They're particularly hospitality/lifestyle oriented and combine branding, web, content, photography/video, social and PR under one roof.
Best for: groups where several restaurants need a unified visual/content system rather than merely cloned websites.

• Design In Chicago — integrated brand + digital partner.

The West Loop agency combines brand strategy, design, development, marketing and content production, which can be useful if the redesign involves standardizing several restaurant brands simultaneously.
Best for: a group doing a broader brand/digital refresh.

One smaller specialist I'd also put on the RFP list

Infinite Designs is unusually directly relevant: it says it recently built six restaurant websites for Chicago-based Roanoke Hospitality Group, across The Loop and River North, and now handles ongoing updates, maintenance and new launches across the properties. It also explicitly supports additional locations. Infinite Designs

That makes it a particularly interesting option if your project is structurally similar to “one restaurant group → several location sites → one reusable system.”

How I'd structure the RFP

I'd ask each agency to propose one design system rather than six independent redesigns:

• Master component/template library
• Shared CMS and centralized administration
• Individual location pages with unique hours, menus, photos, contact info and reservations
• Location-specific SEO/Google Business Profile landing pages
• Shared header/footer/navigation conventions
• Ability for each concept to retain its own branding where necessary
• Menu, reservation, ordering, gift-card and loyalty integrations
• Staged rollout so the existing sites remain live during development
• Redirect/SEO migration plan
• Governance: who can change global components vs. individual-location content
• Ongoing maintenance and new-location launch process

My practical RFP shortlist would be Orbit, Infinite Designs, and Americaneagle.com, then add SIX4 or Design In Chicago if the project includes significant brand work. The first three give you substantially different agency scales and approaches, which should make the proposals easier to compare.

If you tell me roughly how many restaurants/sites you have and whether they're separate brands or one brand with multiple locations, I can narrow this to 3–5 agencies and give you a side-by-side comparison of their relevant restaurant work, likely project scale, CMS approach, and contact links.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Marcel Digital - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1285, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• The Digital Restaurant - 1444 N Farnsworth Ave Suite #100, Aurora, IL 60505, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Alebrije Agency - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a downtown Chicago restaurant group needing multiple redesigns on one consistent template, I’d shortlist:

• Orbit Media Studios — Particularly strong fit: they have a documented multi-site restaurant-group redesign for Bottleneck Management and handle location SEO, reservations, and integrations. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — Better suited to larger/complex groups; their Lou Malnati’s work involved a multi-location WordPress replatform and redesign. Americaneagle.com
• Design In Chicago — West Loop agency combining brand, design, development, and content; worth considering if visual consistency across concepts is a major priority.
• Marcel Digital — Downtown option with strong technical, SEO, CRO, and web-development capabilities.
• Infinite Designs — Especially relevant: it explicitly documents building six Chicago restaurant websites for Roanoke Hospitality Group with a coordinated multi-location approach. infinitedesigns.io

For your specific brief, I’d start conversations with Orbit Media and Infinite Designs, then use Americaneagle.com if the group needs a more enterprise-grade platform.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Dupuis Group - 62 W Huron St #2A, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Alebrije Agency - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Web Action LLC - 350 N Orleans St #9000n, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• The Digital Restaurant - 1444 N Farnsworth Ave Suite #100, Aurora, IL 60505, United States
• Variant Collaborative - 2145 W Grand Ave Ste. 202, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• slick+designusa - 2256 W Walnut St, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• Adrienne Weiss Corporation - 875 N Michigan Ave #2717, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

For a multi-location restaurant group, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-site restaurant systems—not just agencies that build attractive single-location sites.

Chicago agencies I’d put on the shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — Chicago

• Probably the clearest fit for your brief. Orbit specifically cites a project for Bottleneck Management involving a management-group site plus five cohesive restaurant sites, and says its restaurant work accounts for multiple locations, ongoing rebranding, local SEO, reservations, and centralized CMS management. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
• Particularly relevant if you want one design system/template with location-specific content rather than five completely separate builds.
• They also have experience with restaurant integrations including reservations, loyalty and CRM platforms. Orbit Media Studios
• orbitmedia.com
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — Chicago

• Better suited if this is a larger, technically complex rollout. Their Lou Malnati's case study involved a full redesign/replatform of a multi-state restaurant brand, with modular content blocks, location/menu functionality, SEO, accessibility and a WordPress foundation. Americaneagle.com
• I'd consider them if you're looking for a scalable platform that could eventually support locations beyond downtown Chicago.
• americaneagle.com
• Design In Chicago — West Loop

• Interesting option if the project is brand + website redesign, rather than simply rebuilding the existing sites. They combine brand strategy, design, development, marketing and content production under one Chicago team.
• This could make sense if the individual restaurants currently feel inconsistent and you want to establish a stronger shared visual system first.
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — Downtown

• A smaller Chicago option combining branding, web design/development and SEO. Their local business profile specifically includes experience bringing inconsistent restaurant-location branding into a more unified system.
• Worth including if you want a more hands-on boutique agency rather than a large digital shop.
• Infinite Designs

• Particularly worth a conversation because they explicitly document a Chicago hospitality project involving six restaurant websites across the Loop and River North, with each site retaining its own brand while sharing a scalable approach to SEO, Google Business Profiles and ongoing maintenance. Infinite Designs
• infinitedesigns.io

How I'd structure the RFP

Your requirement is slightly different from "redesign our restaurant website." I'd describe it as:

Multi-location restaurant website redesign and design-system rollout

I'd ask each agency to propose:

1. One master design system — typography, navigation, components, menus, CTAs, photography treatment, etc.
2. Location-level flexibility — each restaurant can have its own concept, menu, hours, photos, events and reservation/order links.
3. Centralized CMS — your team can update common elements once and propagate them across locations.
4. Location SEO architecture — dedicated pages/URLs and structured data for every restaurant.
5. Shared integrations — OpenTable/Resy/Toast/Tock, Google Business Profiles, ordering, gift cards, etc.
6. Phased rollout — design one representative location first, establish the template, then migrate the remaining sites.
7. Analytics across the portfolio — so corporate can compare traffic, reservations/orders and conversions by location.
8. Clear ownership — source code, CMS, design files, hosting and analytics accounts should remain under your group's control.

My initial RFP shortlist would be Orbit Media, Infinite Designs, and Americaneagle.com, with Design In Chicago as a fourth bid if the visual/brand-system component is substantial. Orbit is the one I'd investigate first specifically because its published case study is unusually close to your multi-location restaurant + cohesive-site requirement. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios Infinite Designs Americaneagle.com

If you tell me roughly how many restaurant concepts/sites you have and whether each concept needs a distinct look, I can narrow this to 3–5 agencies and compare their likely fit, project scale, restaurant experience, and pricing tier.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Olive Street Design - 264 E Kenilworth Ave, Villa Park, IL 60181, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Marcel Digital - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1285, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Partners by Design - 363 W Erie St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Digital Primates Inc - 8420 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 750, Chicago, IL 60631
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Digital Third Coast - 2540 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Digital Authority Partners - 420 W Huron St Fl 1, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

For a downtown Chicago restaurant group, I’d prioritize agencies that understand multi-location architecture: one shared design system/template, location-level flexibility, local SEO, menus, reservations/ordering integrations, and centralized CMS governance.

Here are Chicago agencies I’d shortlist:

Strongest fits for multi-location restaurant redesigns

Orbit Media Studios

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 773-348-4581)

Best overall fit for a restaurant group.

• Has direct restaurant-group experience, including redesigning a management company site plus multiple venue sites under a cohesive system. Orbit Media Studios
• Strong with: - Multi-location SEO
• WordPress/CMS governance
• Reservation and ordering integrations (OpenTable, Resy, Toast, Tock, SevenRooms, etc.) Orbit Media Studios
• Location pages and conversion optimization
• Good choice if you want a master template + customized location storytelling approach.

Orbit Media Studios

Americaneagle.com, Inc.

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-291-5970)

Best for a larger restaurant group needing enterprise-level infrastructure.

• Has experience rebuilding large restaurant brands, including multi-location food businesses such as Lou Malnati's. Americaneagle.com
• Better suited if you need: - Complex CMS permissions
• Multiple brands under one organization
• Integrations and replatforming
• Long-term technical support

Americaneagle.com

Olive Street Design

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 630-366-6440)

Good option if your priority is rolling out many location sites efficiently.

• Has experience with multi-location restaurant websites, including a build for Schoop's Hamburgers featuring multiple locations, menus, and ordering flows. Olive Street Design
• Strengths: - Repeatable templates
• Faster deployment across locations
• Easy internal updates

Olive Street Design

Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-741-0303)

Best if the restaurant group needs a stronger brand system, not just web redesign.

• Has worked with Chicago hospitality groups and rebuilt multiple restaurant websites using a shared theme while allowing each location to retain its own personality. The Branding Shop
• Good fit for: - Multiple concepts
• Brand consistency
• Visual identity refresh
• Photography/content direction

The Branding Shop

Other Chicago firms worth considering

Marcel Digital

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-255-8044)

A stronger fit if SEO, analytics, and digital marketing are as important as design. They position themselves around technical web development, SEO, CRO, and measurement.

Partners by Design

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-649-1111)

Good if the redesign includes brand strategy, creative direction, photography/content, and a broader hospitality refresh.

Digital Primates Inc

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+18472982190)

A smaller technical partner option if you want custom development, performance, and integrations rather than a large agency engagement. Prismatics Digital

How I’d structure the RFP for your situation

For a downtown Chicago restaurant group, I’d ask agencies to propose:

1. Design system

• One shared component library
• Shared navigation/footer
• Brand-consistent typography, photography rules, menus, location modules
• Location scalability

• Add a new restaurant in days, not months
• Separate location managers can update hours, menus, events, photos
• Restaurant integrations

• Reservations (OpenTable/Resy/Tock/SevenRooms)
• Online ordering
• Gift cards
• Loyalty
• Private dining inquiries
• Local SEO

• Individual location landing pages
• Google Business Profile alignment
• Schema markup
• Neighborhood targeting (River North, West Loop, Loop, Fulton Market, etc.)
• Migration plan

• Preserve rankings
• Redirect strategy
• Analytics continuity

My first calls would probably be Orbit Media, Americaneagle.com, Olive Street Design, and The Branding Shop—they map most closely to the “one restaurant group, many locations, consistent template” requirement. Orbit Media Studios Americaneagle.com Olive Street Design The Branding Shop

I’d also recommend asking each agency for a sample architecture showing a parent restaurant-group site + 5–10 individual location sites, because that will reveal quickly whether they truly understand multi-unit hospitality.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• The Digital Restaurant - 1444 N Farnsworth Ave Suite #100, Aurora, IL 60505, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Vis-A-Vis Creative Concepts, Inc - 180 N Michigan Ave #1410, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Hello Mainland LLC - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 100, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alebrije Agency - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Joel Berman Architecture & Design, Ltd. - 5212 N Clark St #3, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

Yes. For a restaurant group with several downtown Chicago locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually built a shared design system / CMS architecture across multiple restaurant sites, rather than a general web shop that happens to have restaurant clients.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit

• Chicago-based and specifically focused on restaurant websites.
• They have a particularly relevant case study with Bottleneck Management, where they redesigned the management group's site plus five cohesive venue sites.
• They explicitly handle multi-location SEO, centralized CMS management, reservations, and ongoing support. The Bottleneck work reportedly produced a 400% increase in online conversions. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
• Best for: A sophisticated master template that can be adapted to each restaurant without creating a maintenance nightmare.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — best for a larger/complex rollout

• They redesigned Lou Malnati's, including its location architecture, SEO-friendly individual location pages, menus, ordering, reservations and broader content structure.
• This is the option I'd investigate if your group has a substantial number of locations, complicated integrations, or expects the platform to support significant future expansion. Americaneagle.com
• Best for: Enterprise-grade CMS, integrations, SEO and scalability.
• Design In Chicago — best local brand + digital combination

• West Loop agency combining brand strategy, identity systems, web development, marketing and content.
• Worth considering if the redesign is partly about creating the common visual system first, then rolling it across your restaurants.
• Best for: A more design-led project where the template needs to feel unified but still give each concept its own personality.
• The Branding Shop — unusually relevant multi-site precedent

• Their work for Chicago hospitality group One of a Kind Hospitality is almost exactly the model you're describing: they rebuilt nine restaurant websites, established one overarching theme, and then customized each restaurant within that shared system. The Branding Shop
• Best for: Multiple distinct restaurant brands that need to look related without looking identical.
• The Digital Restaurant — restaurant-specialist alternative

• Restaurant-focused agency that explicitly targets emerging multi-location brands and website rebuilds.
• Their positioning emphasizes multi-location governance and restaurant-specific digital marketing rather than generic corporate web design.
• Best for: A smaller/midsize group that wants a restaurant specialist without going all the way to an enterprise agency.
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — branding-heavy option

• Chicago-based branding/web agency with experience creating unified brand systems for businesses with multiple restaurant locations.
• Best for: If your sites currently feel inconsistent and you need to establish stronger brand governance before rolling out the redesign.

One non-Chicago agency I'd also put on the RFP list

Logicbomb Media is worth a look despite not being Chicago-based. Their restaurant-group offering is specifically designed around one brand / multiple addresses, centralized menus and hours, individual location pages, reservations, online ordering, private dining and loyalty. Logicbomb Media

Who I'd invite to the RFP

I'd narrow it to Orbit, Americaneagle.com, The Branding Shop, and Design In Chicago.

The important thing is to not brief this as "redesign 6–10 restaurant websites." I'd brief it as:

Create one scalable restaurant-group digital design system and CMS, then deploy it across multiple restaurant concepts/locations.

Ask each agency to demonstrate:

• A shared component library for navigation, menus, location pages, CTAs, reservations, events, etc.
• How much each restaurant can customize without breaking the master system.
• Whether all locations can be managed from one CMS.
• How menus, hours, photos and promotions are updated across locations.
• Location-specific local SEO and Google Business Profile considerations.
• Integrations with OpenTable/Resy/SevenRooms, Toast, BentoBox, etc.
• A process for adding a new restaurant/location without starting a new web project.
• Governance: who controls the master template and who can make location-level edits.
• Performance/accessibility/mobile standards.
• Whether they provide ongoing optimization after launch.

If I had to pick one starting point, I'd call Orbit first. Their Bottleneck Management work is unusually close to your requirement: a Chicago restaurant management group, multiple venue sites, a cohesive design approach, and ongoing redesign/optimization. Orbit Media Studios

orbitmedia.com
americaneagle.com

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• The Digital Restaurant - 1444 N Farnsworth Ave Suite #100, Aurora, IL 60505, United States
• Alias Creative - 1806 W Cuyler Ave Ste 3D, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Web Action LLC - 350 N Orleans St #9000n, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr, Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Envisionit - 130 E Randolph St #1600, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Next/Now - 1200 W Lake St #2, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

For a Chicago restaurant group with multiple downtown locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-site restaurant architecture—not just agencies that happen to build restaurant websites.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit

• Chicago-based and deeply experienced in restaurant/hospitality websites.
• Most importantly, they have a directly relevant case study: they redesigned the management-group site plus five cohesive restaurant sites for Bottleneck Management. Their work produced a reported 400% increase in online conversions. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
• They specifically discuss multi-location SEO, centralized CMS management, reservations, loyalty programs, and ongoing support. Orbit Media Studios
• Best for: a sophisticated master template/design system with location-specific content layered on top.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — best for a larger enterprise-scale rollout

• Their Chicago office is downtown at 200 W Jackson Blvd.
• They have a particularly relevant project with Lou Malnati's, involving a full visual redesign/replatform to WordPress for a restaurant chain with locations across multiple states. Americaneagle.com
• Strong choice if you anticipate complicated integrations, multiple business lines, substantial SEO requirements, or a long-term enterprise platform.
• Best for: larger restaurant groups where the website needs to function as a scalable digital platform, not just a collection of marketing sites.
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — particularly interesting for your “one template, different locations” requirement

• Their published case study for Chicago hospitality group One of a Kind Hospitality is almost exactly your scenario: they rebuilt nine restaurant websites using one common theme, while allowing each restaurant to retain a distinct look and personality. The Branding Shop
• That's a very strong signal that they understand the balance between brand consistency and location-level differentiation.
• Best for: groups where the individual concepts need to feel different but clearly belong to the same parent organization.
• The Digital Restaurant — restaurant-specialist alternative

• Restaurant-focused rather than a generalist web agency.
• Their positioning explicitly includes multi-location brands, restaurant website rebuilds, local SEO, and digital marketing. NXTDIGITAL
• They're based in the Chicago area rather than downtown proper.
• Best for: a more restaurant-specific, performance/marketing-oriented engagement.
• Alias Creative — consider if brand/creative is as important as the technology

• Chicago agency with a strong hospitality, restaurant, bar, and lifestyle focus.
• I'd put them on the RFP list if you're contemplating a broader brand refresh + website system, rather than simply rebuilding the existing sites.

Who I'd contact first

I'd probably issue the RFP to Orbit, The Branding Shop, and Americaneagle.com.

They give you three substantially different approaches:

The key question I'd put in the RFP: “Can you build one reusable restaurant-location template/design system with centralized governance, while allowing each location to control menus, hours, photography, reservations, promotions, and location-specific SEO?”

That will separate agencies experienced with multi-location architecture from firms that simply build five separate websites.

For your particular requirement, Orbit is the first agency I'd interview because there is unusually direct evidence of them doing essentially this exact multi-restaurant problem in Chicago. Orbit Media Studios

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr, Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• The Digital Restaurant - 1444 N Farnsworth Ave Suite #100, Aurora, IL 60505, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a downtown Chicago restaurant group with multiple locations that need a unified template system, I’d prioritize agencies that understand:

• multi-location CMS architecture (one backend, many locations)
• location-level SEO pages
• menus, reservations, ordering, gift cards, and integrations
• maintaining brand consistency while allowing each restaurant to feel distinct
• rollout processes (pilot one site → clone/adapt across locations)

Here are Chicago-area agencies I’d shortlist:

Best fits for a restaurant group redesign

Orbit Media Studios — Strongest restaurant-group fit

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 773-348-4581)

Best for: A polished multi-site redesign with strategy, UX, SEO, and ongoing optimization.

Orbit has specific restaurant experience, including a multi-site redesign for Bottleneck Management where they created cohesive websites across multiple venues. They also highlight experience with restaurant integrations such as reservations, loyalty, CRM, and online ordering platforms. Orbit Media Studios

Why they fit your project:

• Proven restaurant vertical experience
• Strong CMS and content governance approach
• Good choice if you need corporate oversight + location flexibility
• Likely comfortable building a reusable design system

orbitmedia.com

Clique Studios — Best for a premium digital transformation

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+13123799329)

Best for: Larger restaurant groups that want a strategic redesign, not just a website refresh.

Clique is a Chicago digital strategy, UX, and engineering agency. They are better suited when the project involves deeper architecture decisions, custom experiences, integrations, or a more sophisticated brand system.

Good fit if you need:

• custom design system
• complex CMS setup
• analytics and conversion optimization
• long-term digital partner

cliquestudios.com

Americaneagle.com, Inc. — Best for enterprise-scale rollout

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-291-5970)

Best for: Larger restaurant groups with many locations, complex integrations, or internal marketing teams.

Americaneagle.com has a Chicago office and specializes in larger website builds, integrations, hosting, and ongoing support.

Consider them if you have:

• 10+ locations
• multiple brands under one parent company
• franchise-like requirements
• complex ordering/reservation ecosystems

americaneagle.com

Design In Chicago — Best for brand consistency + creative direction

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-535-3088)

Best for: Hospitality groups where visual identity and storytelling matter.

They combine branding, design, development, and content production, which can help if your restaurants have distinct personalities but need a shared visual system.

Good fit for:

• upscale dining groups
• neighborhood concepts
• hospitality brands with strong photography/storytelling needs

designinchicago.com

The Digital Restaurant — Best restaurant-specialist option

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 877-461-0422)

Best for: Operators who want an agency focused specifically on restaurants.

They position themselves around restaurant website redesigns, digital marketing, ordering, and performance.

Good fit if you want:

• restaurant-specific workflows
• menu/reservation experience expertise
• marketing support after launch

thedigitalrestaurant.com

Also worth considering

YourPortal

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 847-592-6376)

Good for WordPress-based redesigns, ongoing updates, and businesses that want a partner for maintenance after launch.

Flamingo Agency

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-967-7044)

More boutique; better suited if the group is smaller and the project is less enterprise-oriented.

How I’d structure the RFP for your restaurant group

Ask agencies to propose:

1. Master template system

• parent brand site
• individual restaurant pages/sites
• shared components (menus, reservations, events, careers)
• CMS governance

• Can corporate update all locations?
• Can individual managers update hours/events/photos?
• Approval workflows?
• Location SEO

• dedicated pages for each restaurant
• Google Business Profile alignment
• schema markup
• neighborhood search strategy
• Restaurant integrations

• OpenTable / Resy / Tock
• Toast or other ordering platforms
• gift cards
• loyalty programs
• catering/private dining
• Rollout plan

• design one flagship location first
• validate template
• migrate remaining restaurants in phases

For a downtown Chicago group, my first calls would be Orbit Media, Clique Studios, and Americaneagle.com depending on whether you prioritize restaurant expertise, premium UX, or enterprise scale. Orbit Media Studios

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Web Action LLC - 350 N Orleans St #9000n, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• The Digital Restaurant - 1444 N Farnsworth Ave Suite #100, Aurora, IL 60505, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Alebrije Agency - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

For a restaurant group with multiple downtown Chicago locations and a need for a consistent redesign system rather than a collection of unrelated sites, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-venue builds, location SEO, shared CMS infrastructure, and restaurant integrations.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — Best overall fit

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 773-348-4581)

This would be my first call.

Orbit is unusually well matched to your brief: they have a dedicated restaurant practice and have already built cohesive websites for a Chicago restaurant management group with five venues. Their Bottleneck Management project involved a shared approach across the management company and multiple restaurants, with streamlined navigation, expanded architecture, SEO and conversion work; Orbit reports a 400% increase in conversions from that engagement. Orbit Media Studios

They also specifically support:

• Multi-location SEO
• A shared CMS
• OpenTable, Resy, Toast, Tock and SevenRooms integrations
• Loyalty/CRM integrations
• Ongoing optimization and support Orbit Media Studios

Why I'd shortlist them: They understand the difference between "redesign six websites" and build one scalable design system that powers six restaurant experiences.

orbitmedia.com

2. Americaneagle.com, Inc. — Best for a larger/complex platform

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-291-5970)

If your group is substantial, has sophisticated integrations, or wants a more enterprise-grade CMS architecture, I'd put Americaneagle.com in the RFP.

They handled the redesign/replatform for Lou Malnati's, including a flexible WordPress foundation, modular content blocks, location-oriented content, ordering and reservations, SEO, accessibility and a complete visual redesign. Americaneagle.com

Best for: a larger group where the website needs to become a serious digital platform rather than simply a marketing refresh.

americaneagle.com

3. Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — Best if brand consistency is the biggest issue

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-741-0303)

I'd consider Brand Vision if your different restaurants currently feel inconsistent online and you need brand architecture + web redesign, not just development.

Their Chicago operation combines brand strategy, visual identity, web design/development and SEO. Their local-business profile also specifically notes experience unifying inconsistent branding across multiple restaurant locations.

Best for: groups where each concept has its own personality but you want a consistent underlying digital system.

4. Design In Chicago — Best creative/brand-led option

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-535-3088)

Design In Chicago is worth including if the project has a substantial creative component. They combine brand strategy, design, development, marketing and content production under one team.

Best for: a restaurant group that wants to rethink the visual identity and digital experience simultaneously—not simply port an existing brand into a new template.

5. Web Action LLC — Restaurant-focused alternative

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 855-468-6932)

Web Action has a dedicated restaurant offering spanning website design, branding, photography/video, SEO and digital marketing. That's potentially useful if you want the redesign accompanied by new food/interior photography and ongoing marketing.

Best for: a smaller/midsize group looking for a more hands-on restaurant-specialist partner.

One particularly interesting option

The Digital Restaurant is based in Aurora rather than downtown Chicago, but I'd still consider them because they're specifically restaurant-focused and cover website rebuilds, local SEO, ordering and digital marketing.

There's also Infinite Designs, which is particularly relevant to your exact scenario: it says it recently completed six restaurant websites for Chicago-based Roanoke Hospitality Group across the Loop and River North, with each location receiving a custom site while maintaining a common approach to mobile UX and local SEO. Infinite Designs

That's close enough to your situation that I'd definitely put them on the interview list.

How I'd structure the RFP

I'd avoid asking agencies simply for "six website redesigns." Instead, describe the project as:

Multi-location restaurant digital design system + website redesign

Then require the agency to propose:

• One shared design system — typography, components, navigation, menus, CTAs, location modules, etc.
• One CMS/backend where possible, rather than six independently maintained sites.
• Location-level flexibility so each restaurant can have its own photography, menu, hours, events and brand personality.
• Reusable templates for Home, Menu, Location, Private Dining, Events, About, Careers and Contact.
• Centralized/global components for things like reservations, ordering, gift cards and group-level promotions.
• Local SEO architecture for each downtown location.
• Reservation/POS integrations — especially whatever you're currently using (Resy, OpenTable, Toast, Tock, SevenRooms, etc.).
• A migration plan that preserves existing SEO equity.
• A simple workflow for your internal team to update hours, menus, photos and promotions across locations.
• Analytics/conversion tracking at both group and individual-location levels.

My recommended first three calls

1. Orbit Media — strongest evidence for exactly this type of multi-restaurant project.
2. Infinite Designs — especially compelling because of the recent six-site Chicago restaurant-group example.
3. Americaneagle.com — best if you're looking for a more sophisticated enterprise platform.

I would make Orbit demonstrate how they would architect the shared template/CMS before talking aesthetics. That's the piece most likely to determine whether managing 6–10 locations feels easy or becomes a nightmare.

If you tell me roughly how many restaurants you have, whether they're separate brands, and what you're using for reservations/POS today, I can narrow this to 3–5 agencies and give you a suggested RFP scope and questions to use in the pitches.

One particularly interesting option

The Digital Restaurant is based in Aurora rather than downtown Chicago, but I'd still consider them because they're specifically restaurant-focused and cover website rebuilds, local SEO, ordering and digital marketing.

There's also Infinite Designs, which is particularly relevant to your exact scenario: it says it recently completed six restaurant websites for Chicago-based Roanoke Hospitality Group across the Loop and River North, with each location receiving a custom site while maintaining a common approach to mobile UX and local SEO.

That's close enough to your situation that I'd definitely put them on the interview list.

How I'd structure the RFP

I'd avoid asking agencies simply for "six website redesigns." Instead, describe the project as:

Multi-location restaurant digital design system + website redesign

Then require the agency to propose:

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Hello Mainland LLC - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 100, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• The Digital Restaurant - 1444 N Farnsworth Ave Suite #100, Aurora, IL 60505, United States
• Alebrije Agency - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Kingdom Branding - 8014 Lincoln Ave #1, Skokie, IL 60077, United States

For a Chicago restaurant group with multiple downtown locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-site restaurant systems—not just agencies that build attractive single-location sites.

My shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — Best overall fit.

This would be my first call. Orbit is Chicago-based and specifically markets restaurant web design, including multiple-location SEO, reservation/ordering integrations, ongoing support, and cohesive sites for restaurant groups. Most importantly, they have a published Bottleneck Management case study where they redesigned the management-group site plus five venue sites, producing a reported 400% increase in online conversions. Orbit Media Studios
orbitmedia.com

• Design In Chicago — Best if brand consistency is the priority.

Their strength is combining brand strategy, visual identity, design systems, web development, and content under one team. I'd consider them if your different restaurant concepts need to feel related while retaining individual personality.

• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — Worth considering for a brand-system-heavy rollout.

They're downtown and combine branding, web design/development and SEO. Their local-business profile specifically references helping a restaurant group resolve inconsistent branding across locations while accommodating individual location needs.

• Hello Mainland LLC — Stronger if this is part of a broader multi-location marketing program.

Mainland positions itself around franchisors and multi-location concepts, with strategy, content, digital marketing, analytics and web capabilities. I'd put them higher if you also want the redesign tied into a larger marketing/brand rollout.

• ArtVersion® Creative Agency — Design-led enterprise option.

A downtown Chicago agency with brand strategy, UI/UX, web development and ongoing support. I'd investigate them if you're looking for a more sophisticated design-system approach rather than a restaurant-specific production shop.

One particularly relevant model

There's also SiteMe, which isn't in the same traditional-agency category but has an unusually relevant example: it built a multi-location restaurant site with a centralized menu and dynamic local SEO. That is essentially the architecture I'd want you to ask every agency about. SiteMe Chicago

What I'd ask agencies to propose

Rather than commissioning five or ten independent redesigns, I'd brief them around a single scalable design system:

1. One master template/design system — typography, navigation, components, menus, location pages, events, reservations, etc.
2. Individual location instances — unique photography, menus, hours, neighborhood copy, Google/SEO information.
3. Centralized CMS — corporate team can manage all locations without touching code.
4. Location-level SEO — each restaurant has its own optimized URL/page and structured data.
5. Shared integrations — OpenTable/Resy, Toast, SevenRooms, gift cards, loyalty, etc.
6. Controlled flexibility — each concept/location can have some personality without breaking the overall system.
7. Rollout methodology — build one flagship site first, validate it, then rapidly migrate the remaining locations.

If I were sending an RFP to only three agencies, I'd start with Orbit, Design In Chicago, and Brand Vision. Orbit is the clearest match because they've already documented essentially the exact multi-location restaurant scenario you're describing. Orbit Media Studios

If you tell me roughly how many restaurant concepts and locations you have (e.g. 3 concepts / 12 locations), I can also narrow this to 3–5 agencies and compare their likely fit, portfolio, capabilities, and pricing tier.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• The Digital Restaurant - 1444 N Farnsworth Ave Suite #100, Aurora, IL 60505, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Hello Mainland LLC - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 100, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Next/Now - 1200 W Lake St #2, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

Yes. For a restaurant group with several downtown Chicago locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-site restaurant/hospitality builds—not just agencies that happen to offer restaurant web design.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit

Orbit is probably the first agency I’d put on your RFP list. They’re Chicago-based and explicitly specialize in restaurant websites, multi-location SEO, reservations, loyalty integrations, and CMS systems. More importantly, they have a directly relevant case study: they redesigned a management-group site plus five cohesive restaurant sites for Bottleneck Management, using a shared approach while keeping the individual venues distinct. Orbit reports a 400% increase in conversions from that work. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

Best for: A sophisticated group-wide template + strong SEO/CRO + centralized content management.

2. The Branding Shop — strongest precedent for exactly your template model

This is particularly interesting because they rebuilt nine restaurant websites for One of a Kind Hospitality. They created one common theme across all nine sites, while giving each restaurant its own visual expression. That's almost exactly the "consistent template, individual location personality" model you're describing. The Branding Shop

Best for: Brand consistency across multiple concepts while avoiding nine cookie-cutter websites.

3. Design In Chicago — good brand + digital partner

Their West Loop team combines brand strategy, visual identity, web development, marketing, and content production. I'd consider them if the redesign is partly a brand-system project—e.g., you want common typography, photography rules, UI components, menus, location pages, and design guidelines across the group.

Best for: Building the underlying design system before rolling it out to multiple restaurant sites.

4. ArtVersion® Creative Agency — premium design/UX option

ArtVersion is downtown and combines brand strategy, UX/UI, visual design and web development under one roof. I'd put them on the list if the restaurants are higher-end and the redesign needs to feel particularly polished rather than primarily performance/SEO-driven.

5. Clique Studios — best if the project is technically complex

Clique is more of a digital-transformation shop than a restaurant specialist. That makes them interesting if you have many locations, complicated integrations, a large CMS, loyalty/customer data requirements, or plans to scale beyond Chicago. They're downtown on Wacker and handle strategy, UX, engineering and ongoing optimization.

One more I'd investigate

Infinite Designs has an unusually direct recent example: it says it built six restaurant websites for Chicago-based Roanoke Hospitality Group, covering locations in the Loop and River North, with local SEO and mobile-first implementation. It also explicitly offers discounts when adding locations. Infinite Designs

That makes it worth getting a proposal from if you want a more restaurant-specialized, potentially leaner alternative to Orbit.

How I'd rank them for your project

orbitmedia.com
thebranding.shop

What I'd put in your RFP

The key is not to ask each agency to quote "X websites." I'd frame it as:

One restaurant-group digital design system + X location implementations

Ask them to propose:

• One shared design system/component library
• One CMS/admin experience where practical
• Reusable location, menu, events, private dining and careers templates
• Location-specific content and photography without breaking the system
• Individual SEO landing pages for every restaurant
• Resy/OpenTable/Toast/SevenRooms integrations as applicable
• Google Business Profile/local SEO strategy for every location
• Mobile-first menus and reservation CTAs
• A governance system so your team can change hours, menus and promotions centrally
• Analytics across the entire group, with location-level reporting
• A process for adding the next restaurant without starting from scratch

If I were running the selection, I'd invite Orbit, The Branding Shop, and Infinite Designs to pitch, then use Design In Chicago as the fourth proposal if brand work is a significant part of the brief. The first three have the clearest evidence that they understand the unusual challenge here: many restaurant identities sitting on top of a repeatable digital system.

orbitmedia.com
thebranding.shop

What I'd put in your RFP

The key is not to ask each agency to quote "X websites." I'd frame it as:

One restaurant-group digital design system + X location implementations

Ask them to propose:

• One shared design system/component library
• One CMS/admin experience where practical
• Reusable location, menu, events, private dining and careers templates
• Location-specific content and photography without breaking the system
• Individual SEO landing pages for every restaurant
• Resy/OpenTable/Toast/SevenRooms integrations as applicable
• Google Business Profile/local SEO strategy for every location
• Mobile-first menus and reservation CTAs
• A governance system so your team can change hours, menus and promotions centrally
• Analytics across the entire group, with location-level reporting
• A process for adding the next restaurant without starting from scratch

If I were running the selection, I'd invite Orbit, The Branding Shop, and Infinite Designs to pitch, then use Design In Chicago as the fourth proposal if brand work is a significant part of the brief. The first three have the clearest evidence that they understand the unusual challenge here: many restaurant identities sitting on top of a repeatable digital system.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr, Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States

For a Chicago restaurant group doing several sites at once, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually solved the “one design system, many locations” problem—not just agencies that build nice individual restaurant sites.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit

• Chicago-based and deeply experienced with restaurants/hospitality.
• Their Bottleneck Management work is particularly relevant: they redesigned the management-group site plus five venue sites, creating cohesive sites while preserving individual restaurant identities. Bottleneck has 14+ locations, and Orbit reports a 400% conversion increase from the work. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
• They specifically address multi-location SEO, reservations, ordering, loyalty, CRM and other restaurant integrations. Orbit Media Studios
• Best for: a sophisticated group that wants a reusable design/CMS architecture with strong SEO and integrations.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — best for a larger/complex rollout

• They have a Chicago office and substantial enterprise web-development capabilities.
• Their Lou Malnati’s project is highly relevant: they replatformed and redesigned the Chicago chain's site, with modular content blocks, location/menu/order functionality, SEO, accessibility and room for future expansion. American Eagle
• Best for: a larger restaurant group where the redesign involves significant CMS/replatforming, integrations, governance or future expansion.
• The Branding Shop — most directly analogous multi-site example

• This one deserves a serious look because they have a very close precedent: they rebuilt nine Chicago restaurant websites for One of a Kind Hospitality.
• They created one overarching theme for all nine sites, while allowing each restaurant to have its own visual personality. The Branding Shop
• Best for: your exact “consistent template, individual restaurant expression” requirement.
• Design In Chicago — good West Loop creative option

• Full-service Chicago agency combining brand strategy, design, development, marketing and content production.
• I'd consider them if the redesign needs a stronger brand/creative component, rather than being primarily a technical multi-location CMS project.
• 1010 Media — boutique, hospitality-focused option

• Chicago studio focused specifically on restaurants, hospitality and breweries, with web design/development, branding, content and ongoing support. 1010 Media
• Best for: a smaller/mid-sized group where creative quality and brand consistency matter more than enterprise-scale infrastructure.

How I'd rank them for your project

One important distinction: I would not brief this as “redesign 8–10 restaurant websites.” I'd brief it as “design and build one restaurant-group digital system that produces multiple branded location sites.”

That should include:

• one shared design system/component library
• shared CMS and centralized content governance
• reusable location-page architecture
• per-location menus, hours, reservations, ordering and events
• local SEO/schema for every location
• ability to launch a new restaurant from the template
• controlled brand variations for each concept
• centralized analytics and conversion tracking

That framing will get you much better proposals—and makes Orbit, The Branding Shop, and Americaneagle.com particularly compelling.

If you want, I can also put together a Chicago agency RFP shortlist of 5–7 firms, including estimated project-size tier, relevant restaurant case studies, and the questions I'd ask each agency before inviting them to pitch.

If you want, I can also put together a Chicago agency RFP shortlist of 5–7 firms, including estimated project-size tier, relevant restaurant case studies, and the questions I'd ask each agency before inviting them to pitch.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SIX4 Creative - Chicago, IL 60639
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Web Action LLC - 350 N Orleans St #9000n, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• The Digital Restaurant - 1444 N Farnsworth Ave Suite #100, Aurora, IL 60505, United States
• KTGY | Chicago - 225 W Randolph St #1700, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Artversion - 205 N Michigan Ave 8th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr, Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a restaurant group with multiple downtown Chicago locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually solved the “one design system, many restaurant sites” problem—not just agencies that build attractive single-location restaurant websites.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit

This is the first agency I’d talk to. Orbit has a particularly relevant Chicago restaurant-group case study: it redesigned the management site plus five cohesive restaurant sites for Bottleneck Management, a 14+ location restaurant group. Orbit says the project produced a 400% increase in online conversions. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

They also explicitly support a single CMS approach, location-specific content, SEO, reservations, ordering, loyalty, CRM integrations, and ongoing optimization. Orbit Media Studios

Best for: A sophisticated group that wants a reusable template/design system without making every restaurant look identical.

2. Americaneagle.com, Inc. — best for a larger/complex digital operation

They have a Chicago office and substantial enterprise web-development capabilities. Their Lou Malnati's project involved replatforming and redesigning a multi-location restaurant chain on WordPress, with modular content blocks, location information, SEO, accessibility and mobile UX as key considerations. Americaneagle.com

Best for: A larger restaurant group where integrations, CMS architecture, SEO, ordering and long-term scalability matter as much as visual design.

3. SIX4 Creative — best for hospitality + creative/content

SIX4 is Chicago-based and specifically oriented toward hospitality and lifestyle brands, combining web design with branding, photography/video, PR and marketing.

Best for: A group that wants the redesign to come with a broader brand/content refresh rather than treating the website as a purely technical project.

4. Design In Chicago — best for brand consistency

Their West Loop team combines brand strategy, design, development, marketing and content production.

Best for: A restaurant group whose locations currently feel inconsistent and needs a stronger overarching visual system before rolling it across multiple sites.

5. Clique Studios — best for a sophisticated design system

Clique is more of a digital-transformation shop than a restaurant specialist, with capabilities across UX, design, engineering and ongoing optimization.

Best for: A group wanting to build a genuinely scalable platform/design system that could accommodate new concepts and locations over several years.

One specialist worth a look

The Branding Shop has perhaps the most literal match to your requirement. They documented a Chicago restaurant-group project for One of a Kind Hospitality where they rebuilt nine restaurant websites using one overarching theme, while still giving each restaurant its own identity. The Branding Shop

That's very close to the model you're describing: shared architecture + shared components + location-level differentiation.

How I'd rank them for your project

If this were my RFP, I'd invite Orbit, The Branding Shop, and Americaneagle.com to pitch. I'd also consider SIX4 if photography/content/brand work is part of the scope.

The key thing I'd ask each agency to propose is not nine separate redesigns. Ask for a master restaurant design system with reusable components—location page, menu, reservations, private dining, events, contact, galleries, etc.—plus a controlled set of brand/location overrides. That should substantially reduce both launch cost and ongoing maintenance.

If you tell me roughly how many restaurant locations/sites you have and whether they're separate brands or one brand with multiple locations, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and outline the RFP I'd send them.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• The Digital Restaurant - 1444 N Farnsworth Ave Suite #100, Aurora, IL 60505, United States
• Alebrije Agency - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Wuhoo Digital Group - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Digital Marketers Chicago - 2835 N Sheffield Ave #209, Chicago, IL 60657, United States

For a Chicago restaurant group with several downtown locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually solved the “one brand / multiple sites” problem—not just agencies that build attractive restaurant websites.

My shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — Best overall fit. Orbit is unusually well aligned with your brief: it has a documented case study where it redesigned a management group plus five cohesive restaurant sites, using a common design system while handling local SEO, navigation, integrations, and ongoing maintenance. It also specifically advertises multi-location restaurant SEO and integrations with OpenTable, Resy, Toast, Tock, SevenRooms, loyalty platforms, etc. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

orbitmedia.com

• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — Best for a larger/more complex group. Their work for Lou Malnati’s is particularly relevant: they rebuilt a multi-location restaurant platform with a modular design system, location finder, SEO-friendly individual location pages, menus, ordering, and other business lines. This would be a strong choice if your group needs a scalable CMS and sophisticated integrations rather than several relatively simple brochure sites. Americaneagle.com

americaneagle.com

• Clique Studios — Best for a sophisticated digital redesign. They're downtown and specialize in strategy, UX, design, engineering and ongoing optimization. I'd consider them if you're looking to establish a more substantial design system and digital platform that can accommodate new restaurant concepts over time.

clique.is

• Design In Chicago — Good brand + web option. They're in the West Loop and combine brand strategy, identity systems, web development, marketing and content production. I'd put them on the list if the redesign also needs to tighten the visual identity across your restaurant concepts.
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — Worth interviewing for a smaller/mid-sized engagement. Their Chicago team combines branding, web design/development and SEO, and their local-business profile specifically mentions work bringing consistency to restaurant brands with multiple locations.

One particularly relevant precedent

There's another Chicago project I'd look at before making the decision: The Branding Shop's work for One of a Kind Hospitality. They replaced the group's outdated websites with nine new restaurant sites, built around one shared theme while allowing each restaurant to retain its own personality. That's almost exactly the architecture you're describing. The Branding Shop

thebranding.shop

How I'd rank them for your situation

If this were my RFP, I'd start with Orbit, Americaneagle.com, and Design In Chicago, and use the One of a Kind/Branding Shop project as a benchmark for the specific “shared template, differentiated location” model you're after.

One important thing I'd put into the RFP: don't ask for “multiple websites.” Ask for a multi-location website system. Ideally you want one design system/CMS, reusable page components, centralized global content, location-specific content where necessary, individual SEO landing pages for every restaurant, and the ability to launch another concept/location without starting from zero.

If you tell me roughly how many restaurants/sites you have and whether they're separate brands or one restaurant brand with multiple locations, I can narrow this to the 3 agencies I'd actually invite to pitch and give you a suggested RFP scope.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• The Digital Restaurant - 1444 N Farnsworth Ave Suite #100, Aurora, IL 60505, United States
• Infinite Dezigns - 332 S Michigan Ave, Ste 1032, Chicago, IL 60604
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr, Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606
• Artversion - 205 N Michigan Ave 8th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a downtown Chicago restaurant group with multiple locations that need redesigns under one consistent template, I’d prioritize agencies that understand:

• multi-location architecture (one CMS, many restaurant pages)
• location-level SEO (“near me” searches)
• reservation/order integrations (OpenTable, Tock, Toast, SevenRooms, etc.)
• brand consistency without making every restaurant feel identical
• easy internal updates for menus, hours, events, and promotions

Here are Chicago-area agencies I’d shortlist:

Strongest fits for restaurant groups

Orbit Media Studios

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 773-348-4581)

Best overall fit for a multi-location restaurant group

Orbit has specific restaurant-group experience, including redesigning a management company site plus multiple venue sites for Bottleneck Management. Their approach included cohesive designs across locations, improved navigation, SEO, and conversion optimization. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

Good fit if you need:

• one reusable design system across many restaurants
• location-specific pages
• CMS governance
• reservation/loyalty integrations
• ongoing optimization

Orbit Media Studios

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 773-348-4581)

Chicago office: 4043 N Ravenswood Ave, Suite 316, Chicago, IL 60613

Olive Street Design

Best for templated multi-location rollouts

Olive Street has experience building multi-location restaurant websites, including an 18-location website project for Schoop's Hamburgers with location menus and ordering flows. Olive Street Design

Good fit if your goal is:

• a master restaurant template
• rapid rollout to additional locations
• centralized control with location-level flexibility

Clique Studios

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-379-9329)

Best for a premium digital platform approach

Clique is more of a digital transformation partner than a restaurant-only shop. They are a fit if your restaurant group wants a larger redesign involving UX strategy, custom development, integrations, and a scalable platform.

Good fit for:

• larger restaurant groups
• custom CMS needs
• sophisticated customer journeys
• loyalty, CRM, analytics integrations

Restaurant-specialist options

The Digital Restaurant

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 877-461-0422)

Best if you want restaurant-focused marketing + web

They focus specifically on restaurant digital services, including website rebuilds, marketing, and multi-location management.

Good fit for:

• independent-to-mid-size groups
• restaurants needing both redesign and ongoing digital marketing

Infinite Dezigns

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+17735993703)

Best for a straightforward multi-location refresh

Infinite Designs highlights restaurant website work involving multiple locations, local SEO, menus, and ordering/reservation connections. Infinite Designs

Good fit if you need:

• several sites refreshed quickly
• practical functionality over a large agency process

Broader agencies worth considering

Americaneagle.com, Inc.

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-291-5970)

Best for enterprise-scale operations

A stronger candidate if your group has:

• many locations
• complex integrations
• franchise-style governance
• heavier technical requirements

My recommended shortlist for your use case

For a downtown Chicago restaurant group, I would probably run an RFP with:

1. Orbit Media — strongest restaurant-group proof point
2. Olive Street Design — strongest “build one template, deploy everywhere” model
3. Clique Studios — strongest premium/custom platform option
4. The Digital Restaurant — strongest restaurant-specialist marketing partner

For the agency brief, I’d ask each one to propose:

• a single design system with restaurant-specific variations
• a central CMS with location permissions
• migration plan from current sites
• menu/reservation/order integrations
• local SEO strategy for each downtown location
• estimated cost per location after the first build

A key question to ask them: “If we open our 8th or 12th restaurant, how much of the website work is already solved?” The best agencies should have a clear answer.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Infinite Dezigns - 332 S Michigan Ave, Ste 1032, Chicago, IL 60604
• Envisionit - 130 E Randolph St #1600, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Wuhoo Digital Group - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Alebrije Agency - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• SIX4 Creative - Chicago, IL 60639
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Audio Visual | Marketing - 3872 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60641, United States
• Digital Authority Partners - 420 W Huron St Fl 1, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

For a Chicago restaurant group doing several site redesigns under one consistent system, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-location hospitality—not just generic web design.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit

• Chicago-based and specifically experienced with restaurant groups.
• Their Bottleneck Management project involved a management-group site plus five cohesive restaurant sites, with shared navigation/design principles, local SEO, and conversion optimization. Orbit reports a 400% increase in online conversions from that work. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
• They also handle reservation, ordering, loyalty and CRM integrations.
• Best for: a sophisticated multi-site platform where every concept feels distinct but belongs to the same group.
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — particularly relevant to your exact template idea

• Their One of a Kind Hospitality case is almost exactly your use case: they rebuilt nine restaurant websites and created one overarching theme while allowing each restaurant to retain its own personality. The Branding Shop
• Stronger choice if the challenge is as much brand architecture/design consistency as technology.
• Best for: “one design system, multiple restaurant identities.”
• Infinite Dezigns — strong multi-location/local-SEO option

• They specifically cite a project for Roanoke Hospitality Group involving six restaurant websites across the Loop and River North, with separate location sites, Google Business optimization and local SEO. Infinite Designs
• Their model is oriented toward mobile restaurant sites, menus, ordering/reservations and location SEO.
• Best for: a pragmatic rollout where every location needs strong Google/local-search performance.
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — branding + web

• Downtown Chicago agency combining branding, visual identity, website design/development and SEO.
• Particularly worth interviewing if your restaurants currently have inconsistent branding across locations and you want to establish the template/design system before rebuilding the sites.
• Envisionit — larger integrated agency

• Full-service Chicago digital agency with web design/development, redesigns, integrations and ongoing support.
• Better suited if this is a substantial corporate-level digital transformation rather than a straightforward restaurant website refresh.

Who I'd contact first

I'd put Orbit Media + The Branding Shop + Infinite Designs into the first round.

The interesting distinction is:

What I'd put in the RFP

Don't simply ask for “multiple website redesigns.” I'd frame it as:

Design and development of a reusable restaurant-group digital system supporting multiple concepts and locations, with a shared component library, centralized location/menu management, individual brand expression, local SEO, reservations/ordering integrations, and a scalable process for launching future locations.

That wording should help you distinguish agencies capable of building a real multi-site system from agencies that would essentially make the same website several times.

I'd also specifically ask each agency to show you one prior project where they launched 5+ restaurant/location sites from a shared design/development system and explain how the CMS handles a menu or hours change across all locations. That's probably the most revealing qualification question for your project. Logicbomb Media Orbit Media Studios

If you give me roughly how many restaurant concepts/sites you have and your approximate budget ($50k, $100k, $250k+, etc.), I can narrow this to 3 agencies and give you a recommended RFP/selection strategy.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SIX4 Creative - Chicago, IL 60639
• Alebrije Agency - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• Point B Communications Inc - 600 W Fulton St #710, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• Wuhoo Digital Group - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr, Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• Doejo - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Wizerunek w Sieci. WWS - Web Development + SEO - 636 S River Rd #218, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States

Yes. For a restaurant group with multiple downtown Chicago locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled a shared design system across several restaurant sites—not just agencies that build individual restaurant websites.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — Best overall fit

• Chicago-based and particularly strong in restaurant/hospitality.
• They have a highly relevant case study: Bottleneck Management, where they redesigned the management-group site plus five cohesive venue websites. The work produced a reported 400% increase in online conversions. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
• They explicitly handle multi-location SEO, reservations, loyalty programs, and restaurant integrations. Orbit Media Studios
• Why I'd call them first: they understand the exact architecture you're describing—one underlying system/design language with individual restaurant identities layered on top.

orbitmedia.com

2. Design In Chicago — Good local creative/full-service option

• West Loop agency combining branding, web design/development, marketing, photography/video and ongoing creative.
• Potentially attractive if the redesign needs to include brand refreshes and photography/content, not just the websites.
• I would specifically ask them to show a multi-location hospitality project with a reusable design system rather than assuming their general web portfolio translates to your use case.
• SIX4 Creative — Strong hospitality/brand-content angle

• Chicago agency focused heavily on hospitality and lifestyle brands.
• Combines web design with PR, social, photography/video and branding, which could be useful if the sites need a coordinated launch across the restaurant portfolio.
• Better fit if you want digital + ongoing brand/marketing support, rather than a pure web-development engagement.
• Alebrije Agency — Hospitality-focused boutique

• Chicago-based and specifically oriented toward restaurant marketing.
• Offers restaurant website design/redesign, branding, content and integrations such as OpenTable.
• Worth considering if you want a smaller, more hospitality-specialized partner.
• ColorJar — Best if the design system/brand architecture is the priority

• Chicago branding agency with a particularly relevant project for Lettuce Entertain You, one of the country's largest restaurant groups. Its hospitality portfolio also includes Chicago restaurant concepts. ColorJar
• I'd consider them if you're effectively saying: "We need to rethink how all of our restaurant brands relate visually, then turn that into a scalable web system."

colorjar.com

One particularly relevant wildcard

The Branding Shop has perhaps the closest case study to your stated requirement. They rebuilt nine Chicago restaurant websites for One of a Kind Hospitality, using one common theme while allowing each restaurant to remain visually distinct. That's almost exactly the template-versus-individual-brand problem you're describing. The Branding Shop

thebranding.shop

How I'd rank them for your project

My first three calls would be Orbit, The Branding Shop, and ColorJar. Orbit is the safest choice if performance, SEO, reservations and centralized management matter as much as aesthetics. The Branding Shop is especially compelling if the core brief is "build one scalable template, but don't make every restaurant look identical."

For your RFP, I'd explicitly ask each agency to propose a master design system + location-level content model + centralized CMS, rather than treating each restaurant as a separate website project. That distinction can make a huge difference in cost and maintenance once you're managing 5, 10, or 20+ locations.

Yes. For a restaurant group with several downtown Chicago locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually solved the “one design system, many restaurant sites” problem—not just agencies that build attractive single-location restaurant websites.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit
   • Chicago-based and unusually well matched to your use case.
   • They redesigned Bottleneck Management’s management-group site plus cohesive sites for five venues, with shared navigation, architecture, SEO, and design elements. The project reportedly produced a 400% increase in online conversions. www.orbitmedia.comwww.orbitmedia.com
   • They specifically advertise multi-location restaurant SEO, reservation/rewards integrations, ongoing rebranding, and centralized web strategy. www.orbitmedia.comwww.orbitmedia.com
   • Best for: a serious group-wide redesign where you want one reusable system rather than five disconnected builds.

2. Infinite Designs — particularly relevant to downtown Chicago
   • Their restaurant work includes Roanoke Hospitality, with six restaurant websites across the Loop and River North, and a multi-location site for La Bella that keeps the brand consistent while differentiating locations. www.infinitedesigns.io
   • They also emphasize local SEO, menus, Google Business Profiles, reservations and ordering.
   • Best for: a relatively leaner agency engagement focused specifically on restaurant sites and local search.

3. Clique Studios — best if this is really a digital-platform project
   • Chicago-based digital strategy/design/engineering firm.
   • More appropriate if you want to build a design system + reusable CMS architecture + sophisticated UX, rather than simply refresh the visual design.
   • Best for: larger restaurant groups with complex integrations, multiple stakeholders, or plans for substantial future growth.

4. DesignScout — best for brand consistency
   • Chicago design agency combining branding, digital, web design, messaging and strategy; its specialties include restaurant branding and strategy-first design.
   • Best for: groups where the bigger problem is that individual concepts currently feel inconsistent and you need a strong overarching visual system.

5. Brand Vision Marketing — practical local option
   • Chicago agency offering brand strategy, identity, web design/development and SEO.
   • Its local-business profile specifically indicates experience bringing consistency to multi-location restaurant branding.
   • Best for: a conventional redesign/branding engagement rather than a highly bespoke digital platform.

One I would put at the top of the RFP

Orbit Media. The Bottleneck Management case study is almost exactly your brief: a Chicago restaurant management group, multiple venue sites, a need for cohesion, local SEO, maintainability and better conversion. www.orbitmedia.com

I'd structure the project as one master design system + one CMS architecture + location-specific content, rather than commissioning separate redesigns. That gives you:

• Shared header/footer/navigation
• Reusable restaurant/location templates
• Centralized menus and hours
• Individual SEO landing pages for every location
• Location-specific photography, copy and brand accents
• Centralized promotions/events
• Shared reservation/ordering integrations
• One backend for your marketing team
• A system that makes opening location #N much cheaper

That distinction is important: you're really buying a multi-location digital platform, not five websites.

If you tell me roughly how many restaurants/sites you have and whether they're all under one parent brand or several distinct concepts, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare likely budget, strengths, portfolio evidence, and what I'd ask each one in the RFP.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Idea Marketing Group - 46 Saravanos Dr, Ste F, Yorkville, IL 60560
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Wuhoo Digital Group - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SIX4 Creative - Chicago, IL 60639
• Alebrije Agency - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Wizerunek w Sieci. WWS - Web Development + SEO - 636 S River Rd #218, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States
• Point B Communications Inc - 600 W Fulton St #710, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• dev11 Creative Agency - 1136 S Delano Ct W Suite, Chicago, IL 60605, United States

Yes. For a Chicago restaurant group with multiple downtown locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually solved the “one brand system + multiple location sites” problem—not just generic web-design shops.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 773-348-4581)

orbitmedia.com

This is the first agency I’d interview. Orbit specifically markets multi-location restaurant web design, and its Bottleneck Management case study is almost exactly your situation: the agency redesigned the management group's site plus five restaurant sites, creating cohesive sites with shared architecture while retaining individual venue identities. Orbit reports a 400% increase in conversions from that work. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

Why I'd shortlist them:

• Proven multi-site restaurant-group experience
• Strong SEO/local-search capabilities
• Shared CMS and scalable site architecture
• Integrations with OpenTable, Resy, Toast, Tock, SevenRooms, loyalty platforms, etc.
• Chicago-based
• Particularly good if you want one underlying template/system that can be replicated across locations

Best for: A serious group-wide digital overhaul where scalability, SEO and operations matter as much as aesthetics.

2. The Branding Shop — particularly interesting for a brand/template system

thebranding.shop

They have a highly relevant Chicago restaurant case study for One of a Kind Hospitality. The agency rebuilt nine restaurant websites, using one common theme across all nine while giving each restaurant its own visual expression. The Branding Shop

That's remarkably close to the model you're describing:

Shared design system → location-specific expression → multiple sites

Best for: A group where brand consistency and making each concept still feel distinctive are the primary concerns.

3. WeCreate — worth considering if the portfolio has a hospitality/brand component

wecreate.one

Their River North Hotel Collection project is especially relevant geographically and structurally: they unified six hotels and six restaurants across 12 downtown Chicago blocks into a cohesive brand, including branding, photography/video and website development. WeCreate

That's a good signal if your project isn't simply “redesign some websites,” but rather create a digital identity that works across a collection of properties.

Best for: A more brand/creative-heavy project where photography, content and overall guest experience are part of the brief.

4. DesignScout — brand-system oriented

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 773-270-2724)

DesignScout is a Chicago branding/design shop with restaurant and food-and-beverage work, and its positioning is explicitly strategy-first branding.

I'd put them on the list if you're thinking beyond websites and want to establish a master visual system—typography, colors, photography direction, UI components, messaging, etc.—that then gets rolled out to each restaurant.

Best for: Brand architecture + design system first, websites second.

5. Design In Chicago — boutique, design-forward option

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-535-3088)

1010-media.com

1010 Media is Chicago-based and focuses specifically on hospitality, restaurants, breweries and independent labels, combining web design, brand direction and content. 1010 Media

I'd consider them if your restaurants are design/experience driven and you want something more editorial and visually distinctive than a conventional restaurant-group template.

Best for: Smaller/mid-sized groups prioritizing high-end creative execution.

6. Idea Marketing Group — pragmatic restaurant experience

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+13123006841)

ideamktg.com

Idea Marketing has Chicago restaurant-group experience, including work for Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants and The Patio. Idea Marketing Group

I'd put them into the RFP if you want an agency that can combine web redesign with broader digital marketing rather than hiring a pure creative studio.

How I'd rank them for your specific project

What I'd put in the RFP

I wouldn't ask agencies simply for “X redesigned websites.” I'd frame the project as:

Master restaurant digital design system + scalable multi-location implementation

Then require them to demonstrate:

• One master component/design system
• Shared CMS/backend where appropriate
• Location-level menus, hours, reservations, events and promotions
• Individual SEO landing pages for every location
• Ability to launch a new restaurant using the same system
• Location-specific branding without breaking the parent system
• OpenTable/Resy/Toast/Tock/SevenRooms integrations as applicable
• Centralized analytics
• Google Business Profile/local SEO considerations
• Mobile-first UX
• A practical content-management workflow for your restaurant/marketing team
• Clear rules for what is globally controlled vs. location-controlled

The most important question to ask: “Show us a previous project where you created one digital system and rolled it out across multiple restaurants while keeping each concept distinctive.”

On the evidence I found, Orbit and The Branding Shop are the two I'd contact first. Orbit has the strongest combination of restaurant-group scale, technical infrastructure and measurable results; The Branding Shop has perhaps the closest creative precedent for nine distinct restaurant sites sharing one underlying theme. Orbit Media Studios The Branding Shop

That's a good signal if your project isn't simply “redesign some websites,” but rather create a digital identity that works across a collection of properties.

Best for: A more brand/creative-heavy project where photography, content and overall guest experience are part of the brief.

4. DesignScout — brand-system oriented

DesignScout is a Chicago branding/design shop with restaurant and food-and-beverage work, and its positioning is explicitly strategy-first branding.

I'd put them on the list if you're thinking beyond websites and want to establish a master visual system—typography, colors, photography direction, UI components, messaging, etc.—that then gets rolled out to each restaurant.

Best for: Brand architecture + design system first, websites second.

5. Design In Chicago — boutique, design-forward option

1010-media.com

1010 Media is Chicago-based and focuses specifically on hospitality, restaurants, breweries and independent labels, combining web design, brand direction and content. 1010 Media

I'd consider them if your restaurants are design/experience driven and you want something more editorial and visually distinctive than a conventional restaurant-group template.

Best for: Smaller/mid-sized groups prioritizing high-end creative execution.

6. Idea Marketing Group — pragmatic restaurant experience

ideamktg.com

Idea Marketing has Chicago restaurant-group experience, including work for Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants and The Patio. Idea Marketing Group

I'd put them into the RFP if you want an agency that can combine web redesign with broader digital marketing rather than hiring a pure creative studio.

How I'd rank them for your specific project

What I'd put in the RFP

I wouldn't ask agencies simply for “X redesigned websites.” I'd frame the project as:

Master restaurant digital design system + scalable multi-location implementation

Then require them to demonstrate:

• One master component/design system
• Shared CMS/backend where appropriate
• Location-level menus, hours, reservations, events and promotions
• Individual SEO landing pages for every location
• Ability to launch a new restaurant using the same system
• Location-specific branding without breaking the parent system
• OpenTable/Resy/Toast/Tock/SevenRooms integrations as applicable
• Centralized analytics
• Google Business Profile/local SEO considerations
• Mobile-first UX
• A practical content-management workflow for your restaurant/marketing team
• Clear rules for what is globally controlled vs. location-controlled

The most important question to ask: “Show us a previous project where you created one digital system and rolled it out across multiple restaurants while keeping each concept distinctive.”

• Schoop's Hamburgers - 695 Torrence Ave, Calumet City, IL 60409, United States

For a Chicago restaurant group doing multiple site redesigns under one consistent system, I’d prioritize agencies that have already solved the “one brand + many locations” problem—not just agencies that build attractive restaurant websites.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit

Orbit is probably the first agency I’d interview. They’re Chicago-based and have a particularly relevant case study with Bottleneck Management: they redesigned the management company's site plus five venue websites as a cohesive family of sites. Orbit reports a 400% increase in conversions from the project. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

They also explicitly handle multi-location SEO, rebranding, reservations, loyalty programs and integrations with OpenTable, Resy, Toast, Tock and SevenRooms. Orbit Media Studios

Best for: a sophisticated restaurant group wanting a scalable design system, strong UX/SEO, and ongoing support.

orbitmedia.com

2. Olive Street Design — excellent for a true multi-location template

This is especially interesting if you want one underlying platform/template with location-specific content. Olive Street says it has launched 3,500+ Duda sites, and its work for Schoop's Hamburgers involved a website representing 18 locations, including multi-location menus and ordering. Olive Street Design

Best for: lots of locations where centralized management and consistency matter more than building every site completely bespoke.

olivestreetdesign.com

3. Logicbomb Media — worth a serious look for restaurant-specific infrastructure

Their restaurant-group offering is unusually aligned with your brief: individual location pages, centralized menus/hours, reservations, ordering, private dining, loyalty and email, all managed through structured content. They specifically position it as one brand across every address without copy/paste drift. Logicbomb Media

Best for: a group where menus, hours, events and location information change frequently and you want corporate control without making local managers dependent on developers.

lbm.co

4. Infinite Designs — compelling if local SEO is a major objective

They report a recent project for Chicago-based Roanoke Hospitality Group involving six restaurant websites across the Loop and River North, with individual branding, Google Business Profile optimization and local SEO for each location. Infinite Designs

Best for: a downtown-heavy group where getting each restaurant to rank independently in Google is a major KPI.

infinitedesigns.io

5. Prismatics Digital — smaller, more technical option

Chicago-based and focused on custom-coded sites, redesigns, restaurant systems, SEO and integrations. They emphasize reusable digital systems rather than template-builder sites. Prismatics Digital Prismatics Digital

Best for: a smaller group that wants a technically strong custom platform and direct access to the development team.

prismaticsdigital.com

How I'd rank them for your project

What I'd put in the RFP

The key is not to ask for “six new restaurant websites.” I'd frame it as:

One scalable restaurant-group design system, deployed across multiple Chicago locations, with centralized content management and location-level customization.

I'd require the agencies to demonstrate:

• One shared design system/component library across all locations
• Central management of menus, hours, addresses, events and promotions
• Location-specific pages, metadata, schema and Google Business Profile alignment
• Ability to launch a new restaurant from the same system without starting from scratch
• Individual brand expression where concepts differ
• Reservation/ordering integrations
• Mobile-first menu UX
• Redirect/SEO migration strategy for the existing sites
• Analytics at both group and individual-location levels
• Clear governance: what corporate marketing controls vs. what individual GMs can edit
• A realistic process for migrating all sites without disrupting reservations or organic traffic

If it were my project, I'd invite Orbit, Olive Street, and Logicbomb to pitch against the same RFP. Orbit has the strongest directly comparable multi-site restaurant case study; Olive Street looks particularly attractive for a centralized multi-location platform; and Logicbomb is compelling if your operational problem is keeping menus/hours/location content synchronized. Orbit Media Studios Olive Street Design Logicbomb Media

If you tell me roughly how many restaurant concepts and locations you have, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their likely budget range, CMS/platform approach, relevant Chicago restaurant clients, and what I'd ask each one in the pitch.

• One shared design system/component library across all locations
• Central management of menus, hours, addresses, events and promotions
• Location-specific pages, metadata, schema and Google Business Profile alignment
• Ability to launch a new restaurant from the same system without starting from scratch
• Individual brand expression where concepts differ
• Reservation/ordering integrations
• Mobile-first menu UX
• Redirect/SEO migration strategy for the existing sites
• Analytics at both group and individual-location levels
• Clear governance: what corporate marketing controls vs. what individual GMs can edit
• A realistic process for migrating all sites without disrupting reservations or organic traffic

If it were my project, I'd invite Orbit, Olive Street, and Logicbomb to pitch against the same RFP. Orbit has the strongest directly comparable multi-site restaurant case study; Olive Street looks particularly attractive for a centralized multi-location platform; and Logicbomb is compelling if your operational problem is keeping menus/hours/location content synchronized.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr, Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Alpha Digital Marketing - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Wuhoo Digital Group - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Wizerunek w Sieci. WWS - Web Development + SEO - 636 S River Rd #218, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States

For a Chicago restaurant group doing several site redesigns at once, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually solved the “one system, many locations” problem—not just agencies that build nice restaurant websites.

My shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit.

This is the first agency I’d talk to. Orbit specifically has restaurant-group experience: it redesigned the management site plus five cohesive venue sites for Bottleneck Management, and says it has worked with the group since 2012. The project emphasized shared architecture, local SEO, easy maintenance and consistent design; Orbit reports a 400% increase in conversions. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
orbitmedia.com

• The Branding Shop — particularly interesting if brand consistency is the priority.

Their Chicago restaurant-group case study for One of a Kind Hospitality is almost exactly your brief: they rebuilt nine restaurant websites using one overarching theme, while allowing each restaurant to retain its own identity. That's a very good precedent for a group with multiple downtown concepts. The Branding Shop
thebranding.shop

• Infinite Designs — good fit if local SEO and location management matter heavily.

They cite a Chicago hospitality project involving six restaurant websites across the Loop and River North, with location-specific SEO, Google Business Profile optimization and mobile-first builds. Their restaurant package also explicitly supports adding additional locations. Infinite Designs
infinitedesigns.io

• Idea Marketing Group — worth including if you want a broader marketing partner.

They specifically showcase work with Chicago restaurant groups including Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants and The Patio, alongside food-and-beverage web design and marketing. Idea Marketing Group
ideamktg.com

• 1010 Media — best candidate for a more design-forward/boutique approach.

They're Chicago-based and focus specifically on hospitality, restaurants and breweries, combining web design, branding, photography/video and ongoing creative support. I'd consider them if the objective is a noticeably more elevated visual system rather than primarily an SEO/conversion rebuild. 1010 Media

How I'd rank them for your project

What I'd put in the RFP

The key is not to ask them to “redesign X websites.” I'd frame it as:

Develop one scalable restaurant-group digital design system, CMS architecture and component library, then deploy it across X individual restaurant brands/locations.

I'd require the agency to demonstrate:

• One shared design system/component library
• Centralized templates for menus, hours, reservations, private dining, events, careers, etc.
• Individual location pages with unique content and SEO
• Ability for your team to update all locations from one CMS/workflow
• Location-specific schema and Google Business Profile integration
• Shared integrations for Toast/OpenTable/Resy/Tock/SevenRooms, as applicable
• A migration strategy so the redesign doesn't destroy existing organic rankings
• Clear governance for what is global vs. location-specific
• A rollout process that lets you launch locations in waves rather than taking every site offline simultaneously

If it were my project, I'd invite Orbit, The Branding Shop and Infinite Designs to pitch. Those three give you a useful spread: enterprise-grade web/SEO, brand-led multi-site design, and location-focused restaurant web development.

Develop one scalable restaurant-group digital design system, CMS architecture and component library, then deploy it across X individual restaurant brands/locations.

I'd require the agency to demonstrate:

• One shared design system/component library
• Centralized templates for menus, hours, reservations, private dining, events, careers, etc.
• Individual location pages with unique content and SEO
• Ability for your team to update all locations from one CMS/workflow
• Location-specific schema and Google Business Profile integration
• Shared integrations for Toast/OpenTable/Resy/Tock/SevenRooms, as applicable
• A migration strategy so the redesign doesn't destroy existing organic rankings
• Clear governance for what is global vs. location-specific
• A rollout process that lets you launch locations in waves rather than taking every site offline simultaneously

If it were my project, I'd invite Orbit, The Branding Shop and Infinite Designs to pitch. Those three give you a useful spread: enterprise-grade web/SEO, brand-led multi-site design, and location-focused restaurant web development.

• Comrade Digital Marketing Agency - 332 S Michigan Ave #900, Chicago, IL 60604
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613
• Multiple Inc. - 845 W Washington Blvd Fifth Floor, Chicago, IL 60607
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611
• Kingdom Branding - 8014 Lincoln Ave #1, Skokie, IL 60077
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606
• Osmo Web Agency, LLC - 7427 S South Shore Dr #4K, Chicago, IL 60649
• Bright Ideas Company - 100 S State St, Chicago, IL 60603
• 10com Web Development - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601
• Plan B - The Agency Alternative for the AI Economy® - 10 W Hubbard St #5w, Chicago, IL 60654
• The N Brand Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601

For a Chicago restaurant group with multiple downtown locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-site restaurant systems—not just agencies that build attractive single-location sites.

My shortlist

1. orbitmedia.com — strongest overall fit

• This is the agency I’d put at the top of your RFP.
• They specifically cite a project for Chicago-based Bottleneck Management involving the management company plus five cohesive restaurant sites, and they describe experience with multi-location SEO, rebranding, reservations, loyalty, and CRM integrations. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
• They also have substantial Chicago restaurant experience, including Lou Malnati’s. Orbit Media Studios
• Best for: a sophisticated shared design system/CMS where each restaurant retains its own personality.
• thebranding.shop — particularly relevant to your “one template, multiple identities” requirement

• They rebuilt nine Chicago restaurant websites for One of a Kind Hospitality, using one overarching theme while allowing each location to have its own visual expression. That's unusually close to what you're describing. The Branding Shop
• Best for: restaurant groups where brand consistency + differentiated concepts are equally important.
• ideamktg.com — strong restaurant-group/marketing option

• Their food-and-beverage practice specifically references a complete website overhaul for Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants, as well as work for The Patio restaurant group. Idea Marketing
• Best for: redesign + ongoing digital marketing/SEO rather than purely a web-design engagement.
• infinitedesigns.io — worth considering if local SEO is a major objective

• They cite a project for Roanoke Hospitality Group involving six restaurant websites across Chicago’s Loop and River North, with individual sites, Google Business optimization and local-search structures. Infinite Designs
• Best for: location-by-location SEO and relatively standardized restaurant websites.
• Comrade Digital Marketing Agency — broader digital agency option

• Chicago-based and positioned around web/digital marketing rather than solely hospitality.
• Best for: if the redesign needs to roll into paid search, SEO, CRO and broader acquisition work.

How I'd rank them for your project

If I were issuing the RFP, I'd invite Orbit, The Branding Shop, and Idea Marketing first. Orbit has the strongest documented combination of restaurant-group web architecture and integrations; The Branding Shop has perhaps the closest example of the exact “one theme → nine distinct restaurant sites” model you're describing. Orbit Media Studios The Branding Shop

For your RFP, I'd specifically ask each agency to propose a single design system + reusable location template + centralized CMS, with configurable fields for menu, hours, reservations, private dining, events, photos, SEO/location data, and brand-specific modules. That will prevent you from ending up maintaining a dozen essentially separate websites.

If you tell me roughly how many locations/sites you have and whether they're separate restaurant brands or one brand with multiple locations, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their likely fit, pricing tier, CMS approach, and relevant Chicago restaurant work.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SIX4 Creative - Chicago, IL 60639
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr, Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606
• Envisionit - 130 E Randolph St #1600, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Point B Communications Inc - 600 W Fulton St #710, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• Wizerunek w Sieci. WWS - Web Development + SEO - 636 S River Rd #218, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• KTGY | Chicago - 225 W Randolph St #1700, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• Wuhoo Digital Group - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Artversion - 205 N Michigan Ave 8th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

For a Chicago restaurant group with multiple downtown locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled a multi-site architecture—not just agencies that build attractive restaurant websites.

My shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit.

This would be my first call. Orbit is Chicago-based and explicitly specializes in restaurant websites, multi-location SEO, reservations, loyalty integrations, and ongoing optimization. More importantly, they have a directly relevant case study: they redesigned the management-group site for Bottleneck Management plus five venue sites, using cohesive design/navigation and location-specific SEO; Orbit reports a 400% increase in conversions. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
orbitmedia.com

• The Branding Shop — particularly interesting for your “one template, multiple personalities” requirement.

They have a remarkably close precedent: for Chicago restaurant group One of a Kind Hospitality, they rebuilt nine restaurant websites and created one shared theme/brand system while allowing each location to retain its own identity. That's almost exactly the model you're describing. The Branding Shop
thebranding.shop

• SIX4 Creative — good if brand/content is as important as the technology.

They're a Chicago creative agency with a particular hospitality/lifestyle orientation and combine branding, content, photography/video, web design and ongoing marketing. I'd consider them if you want the redesign to establish a stronger group-wide visual identity, rather than simply modernizing the existing sites.

• Clique Studios — worth considering for a larger, more technically sophisticated rebuild.

Clique is more of a digital-transformation/web-platform shop than a restaurant specialist. Its Chicago team handles UX, design systems, custom development, accessibility and performance. I'd put them higher if you're envisioning a centralized CMS/design system powering many restaurant sites rather than nine relatively independent sites.

• Envisionit — good larger-agency alternative.

They're downtown Chicago and offer strategy, web design/development, integrations and ongoing support. They're less specifically restaurant-focused than Orbit, but potentially useful if the project also involves broader brand, marketing or digital strategy.

How I'd rank them for your project

What I'd ask for in the RFP

Don't frame this as “redesign 6–10 restaurant websites.” I'd ask for a shared restaurant-group design system + multi-location CMS architecture, with:

• one core design system/template
• reusable components for menus, hours, reservations, events, private dining, etc.
• individual location pages/sites that can flex typography, imagery, colors and content
• centralized management of common content
• location-specific SEO/schema and Google Business Profile alignment
• shared analytics with location-level reporting
• integrations with whatever you're using for reservations/ordering
• ability to launch a new restaurant from the system without starting from scratch
• a clear governance model for what corporate controls vs. what each location can edit

If this were my project, I'd invite Orbit and The Branding Shop first. Orbit has the strongest documented combination of multi-location restaurant web work, SEO, integrations and measurable performance; The Branding Shop has the unusually direct example of taking a Chicago restaurant group with nine venues and putting all nine onto a common design system. Orbit Media Studios The Branding Shop

I can also narrow this to 5 agencies with estimated project-size fit, likely budget tier, relevant Chicago restaurant clients, and who I'd contact first if you're preparing an RFP.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Wizerunek w Sieci. WWS - Web Development + SEO - 636 S River Rd #218, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States
• TappedIn - 2944 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr, Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606
• Digital Authority Partners - 420 W Huron St Fl 1, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Wuhoo Digital Group - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States

For a restaurant group with multiple downtown Chicago locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually built a shared design system across locations—not just agencies that happen to build restaurant websites.

My shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit.

This would be my first call. Orbit is Chicago-based and has unusually relevant restaurant-group experience: it redesigned the Bottleneck Management group site plus five cohesive venue sites, with shared navigation, design, SEO and content architecture. Orbit reports that the project produced a 400% increase in online conversions. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
They also have restaurant experience with brands such as Lou Malnati's, including scalable location/store-locator architecture and integrations. Orbit Media Studios
orbitmedia.com

• Logicbomb Media — particularly compelling for a centralized multi-location CMS.

Their restaurant-group offering is explicitly built around “one brand, every address”, with individual location pages, centralized menus/hours, reservations, ordering, private dining and loyalty. Their approach treats menus, hours and locations as structured content, which is exactly what you want if your group needs a consistent template but frequent location-level updates. Logicbomb Media
lbm.co

• Infinite Designs — worth considering if you want a restaurant-specialist shop.

They specifically cite a Chicago hospitality project involving six restaurant websites across the Loop and River North, with local SEO, Google Business Profiles and mobile-first design. They also advertise discounts for additional locations. Infinite Designs
infinitedesigns.io

• SiteMe Chicago — interesting smaller/local option.

They have a demonstrated multi-location restaurant project for Maria's Tamales & Champurrado, including a multi-location menu and dynamic SEO. I'd consider them if you want a more boutique team rather than a larger strategic agency. SiteMe Chicago
sitemechicago.com

• True Mtn — good creative option if brand expression matters heavily.

Their Paisans Pizzeria work involved a seven-location Chicagoland chain and a location-selection experience that gets customers to the correct menu, hours and ordering quickly. True Mtn

How I'd rank them for your project

I'd send RFPs to Orbit, Logicbomb and Infinite Designs first.

For your particular situation, I wouldn't frame the project as “redesign X restaurant websites.” I'd ask agencies to propose a single modular restaurant-group design system: one master template, shared components, centralized content management, location-specific fields, reusable menu/location/reservation modules, and the ability to launch additional restaurants without starting from scratch.

That's important because the best architecture is usually one platform with many location experiences, rather than literally maintaining separate websites that happen to look alike.

If you tell me roughly how many restaurants/brands you have and whether they're all under one parent brand or several concepts, I can narrow this to the 3 best agencies and give you a suggested RFP scope + questions to ask each one.

For a downtown Chicago restaurant group with multiple concepts/locations that need redesigns under a shared template system, I’d prioritize agencies that have experience with:

• multi-location architecture (one CMS, many restaurant sites)
• reusable design systems/components
• location-level SEO pages
• menus, reservations, ordering, gift cards, events
• centralized brand control with local flexibility

These Chicago agencies are worth shortlisting:

My shortlist for your specific use case

For a restaurant group with several downtown Chicago locations, I’d start conversations with:

1. Orbit Media Studios — best evidence of restaurant-group / multi-site execution. www.orbitmedia.com
2. Alebrije Agency — strongest hospitality specialization.
3. Design In Chicago — good if you need brand system + websites together.
4. Americaneagle.com — best if you have many locations, complex integrations, or enterprise requirements.

What I’d ask agencies during evaluation

• “Can you build a single component library/template where every restaurant gets its own branded site instance?”
• “Can location managers update menus, hours, events, and photos without developer help?”
• “How will you handle local SEO for each downtown location?”
• “Can we launch phase one with 2–3 flagship restaurants and roll the system out to the rest?”
• “Do you support Toast, OpenTable, SevenRooms, BentoBox, Resy, gift cards, and reservation integrations?”

For a restaurant group, I would avoid agencies that primarily build one-off brochure sites; the key deliverable is a digital operating system for the whole portfolio, not just redesigned pages.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Alebrije Agency - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• LOWERCASE - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• GAZ - 328 N Albany Ave, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• Wuhoo Digital Group - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• DesignScout - 1801 W Belle Plaine Ave #201, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SIX4 Creative - Chicago, IL 60639
• Point B Communications Inc - 600 W Fulton St #710, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• Audio Visual | Marketing - 3872 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60641, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Ideation Studio Inc. - 1000 N Halsted St #205, Chicago, IL 60642, United States
• Envisionit - 130 E Randolph St #1600, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• 555 International - 4501 S Western Blvd, Chicago, IL 60609, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States

Yes. For a Chicago restaurant group doing multiple site redesigns around one consistent system, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-location restaurant/hospitality builds—not just agencies that happen to design restaurant websites.

My shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit. Chicago-based and unusually well aligned with your brief. Orbit redesigned the management-group site plus five cohesive restaurant sites for Bottleneck Management, with shared architecture, SEO/local-search work, and conversion optimization. That project reportedly produced a 400% increase in online conversions. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

Best for: a sophisticated parent/restaurant-group architecture, reusable templates, SEO, reservations, and ongoing optimization.

• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — worth considering if you want a downtown agency. It's located on Michigan Avenue and combines web design, branding, and marketing; its local-business profile specifically describes work with multi-location businesses needing unified brand presentation.

Best for: a more hands-on branding + website engagement where consistency across locations is as important as the technology.

• Alebrije Agency — good hospitality/restaurant specialist. Based in the Loop and focused heavily on restaurant marketing, with Webflow website design and reservation integrations.

Best for: a restaurant-forward creative approach rather than a large enterprise web engagement.

• LOWERCASE — interesting choice for brand/design sophistication. Their Chicago portfolio includes hospitality work for Lettuce Entertain You, including multiple concepts, and they combine brand experience with digital design.

Best for: a group with several distinct concepts that need to feel related without looking like cloned websites.

• GAZ — boutique creative option. Chicago-based, with branding, content and web development; its hospitality work includes the KOMO restaurant concept.

Best for: a more design-led redesign where photography, storytelling, and brand expression matter heavily.

One agency I would specifically interview

Infinite Designs isn't necessarily the biggest Chicago agency, but its relevant experience is almost exactly your use case: it says it recently completed six restaurant websites for Chicago-based Roanoke Hospitality Group across the Loop and River North, including local SEO and Google Business Profile optimization for each location. It also explicitly offers additional-location discounts. Infinite Designs

The standout case study

There's an especially close precedent from The Branding Shop: it rebuilt nine websites for One of a Kind Hospitality using one common theme, while giving each restaurant its own visual expression. That's essentially the model you're describing—central consistency without making every location look identical. The Branding Shop

How I'd rank them for your project

My first three calls would be Orbit, Infinite Designs, and The Branding Shop. The key thing I'd ask each to demonstrate is not "show us restaurant websites," but "show us the CMS/design system behind 5–10 restaurant sites and explain how one change—hours, menu, reservation CTA, location data, photography—gets managed across the entire group."

That distinction will matter enormously for a downtown Chicago group: you want one scalable platform with location-level flexibility, rather than commissioning several individually designed sites that happen to look similar. Orbit's Bottleneck project and The Branding Shop's nine-site hospitality project are particularly strong evidence of that capability. Orbit Media Studios The Branding Shop

For a restaurant group with multiple downtown Chicago concepts, I’d prioritize agencies that have experience with multi-site architecture (one CMS, shared components, location templates), restaurant integrations (reservations, menus, ordering, loyalty), and local SEO (each venue ranking independently). These are Chicago agencies I’d put on a shortlist:

Strongest fits for a restaurant group

Orbit Media Studios

Best overall fit for a multi-location restaurant group.

• Has direct restaurant-group experience: Orbit rebuilt the management site and multiple venue sites for Bottleneck Management using a cohesive multi-site approach. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
• Strong at: - shared design systems across locations
• WordPress/CMS architecture
• reservation and loyalty integrations
• SEO and conversion optimization
• ongoing optimization after launch Orbit Media Studios
• Good choice if you have 5–20+ concepts and want a long-term digital partner.

The Branding Shop

Best if the redesign is also a brand refresh.

• Has a relevant hospitality example: they rebuilt multiple restaurant websites for One of a Kind Hospitality, creating a shared theme while allowing each restaurant to maintain its own personality. The Branding Shop
• Good fit if your group wants: - a unified visual language
• location-specific storytelling
• updated photography/content strategy
• brand consistency across concepts

Americaneagle.com

Best for larger, more complex operations.

• Better fit if you need enterprise-level capabilities: - multiple brands under one umbrella
• complex CMS permissions
• integrations
• hosting/support
• scalable architecture

Other Chicago agencies worth considering

Idea Marketing Group

• Has food-and-beverage experience, including work with Chicago restaurant groups such as Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants and The Patio Restaurant Group. Idea Marketing Group
• Good option if you need web + marketing support.

Marcel Digital

• Stronger on analytics, SEO, CRO, and digital growth strategy than restaurant-specific creative.
• Worth considering if your priority is increasing reservations, discovery traffic, and measurable performance.

Olive Street Design

• Has multi-location website experience, including a site system for Schoop's Hamburgers with 18 locations. Olive Street Design
• Potential fit if you want a repeatable location template model.

My recommended shortlist for your specific use case

For a downtown Chicago restaurant group, I’d probably invite:

1. Orbit Media Studios — best balance of restaurant experience + scalable multi-location execution.
2. The Branding Shop — best if brand consistency across concepts is the priority.
3. Americaneagle.com — best if you’re building a large platform for many locations.
4. Idea Marketing Group — good hybrid creative/marketing partner.

When you send an RFP, I’d ask each agency to specifically show:

• examples of 3+ restaurant sites launched from one template system
• how they handle menus, locations, hours, events, and promotions
• CMS workflow for non-technical restaurant teams
• reservation/ordering integrations (OpenTable, Resy, Toast, SevenRooms, etc.)
• local SEO strategy for each downtown neighborhood/location

That will separate true multi-location partners from agencies that mainly build one-off restaurant websites.

For a Chicago restaurant group doing several site redesigns under one consistent system, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-location architecture—not just agencies that make attractive restaurant websites.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit

This would be my first call. Orbit specifically documents a project for Chicago-based Bottleneck Management where it redesigned the management-group site plus five venue sites, using cohesive navigation, design, SEO and CRO. Orbit says the project produced a 400% increase in online conversions. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

They also explicitly address multiple-location SEO, restaurant integrations, reservations, loyalty programs and ongoing rebranding. That's unusually aligned with your requirements. Orbit Media Studios

orbitmedia.com

2. The Branding Shop — strongest proof of the exact “one template, many restaurants” model

Their One of a Kind Hospitality case study is almost exactly what you're describing: they rebuilt nine restaurant websites, created one shared theme, and then customized each site so every restaurant retained its own personality. The Branding Shop

I'd particularly consider them if the redesign is as much about brand consistency and visual identity as technical web performance.

3. 1010 Media — best boutique/design-forward option

1010 is Chicago-based and focuses specifically on boutique hospitality, restaurants and breweries, combining web design/development, brand direction, content and ongoing digital support. 1010 Media

This looks particularly interesting if your group has upscale or design-conscious concepts and you want the template to feel sophisticated rather than corporate.

4. Idea Marketing Group — good restaurant-group incumbent

They have explicit food-and-beverage web-design experience and testimonials/case material from Chicago restaurant groups including Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants and The Patio. Idea Marketing Group

I'd put them on the RFP list if you want website redesign plus SEO/content/marketing support rather than a pure design-and-development shop.

5. DesignScout — best if the brand system comes first

DesignScout does restaurant branding from fast-casual through fine dining, alongside website design and broader brand systems. DesignScout

I'd look at them if you're trying to establish a master design language—typography, photography, color, UI components, voice, menus, location pages—and then roll that system across the portfolio.

One I would add as a wildcard

WeCreate has unusually relevant multi-property experience. Its River North Hotel Collection project unified six hotels and six restaurants across 12 city blocks, including branding, photography/video and website development. WeCreate

That's not identical to a restaurant-group website rollout, but the “many distinct properties, one coherent system” problem is very similar.

wecreate.one

How I'd rank them for your project

For a downtown Chicago group, I'd probably send the initial brief to Orbit, The Branding Shop, and 1010. That gives you three meaningfully different approaches: performance/scalability, restaurant-group branding, and boutique creative.

One important thing I'd specify in the RFP: don't ask for “multiple websites.” Ask for a reusable restaurant-site design system and CMS architecture that can generate multiple branded location sites. That distinction should materially affect the proposals, cost, and long-term maintenance model.

Yes. For a Chicago restaurant group with multiple downtown locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-site rollouts—not just agencies that build attractive single-restaurant sites.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media — best overall fit
   • Chicago-based and deeply experienced in restaurant/hospitality websites.
   • Their Bottleneck Management case study is almost exactly your use case: they redesigned the management-group site plus multiple restaurant sites into a cohesive system, with streamlined navigation, local SEO and conversion optimization. Orbit reports a 400% increase in online conversions from that work. www.orbitmedia.comwww.orbitmedia.com
   • They also support integrations with OpenTable, Resy, Toast, Tock, SevenRooms, loyalty platforms and CRMs, which is important for a restaurant group. www.orbitmedia.comwww.orbitmedia.com
   • Clique Studios is another downtown agency worth considering, but Orbit has much stronger restaurant-specific evidence.

Why I'd call them first: they understand the difference between "nine websites" and one scalable web system with nine branded expressions.

2. The Branding Shop — best precedent for a true template rollout
   • They have a particularly relevant Chicago case study for One of a Kind Hospitality: they rebuilt 9 restaurant websites using one overarching theme, while allowing each restaurant to retain its own identity. thebranding.shopwww.orbitmedia.com
   • That's very close to your stated requirement: shared UX/components/content architecture, but enough flexibility for each concept.

Why I'd shortlist them: if your priority is brand consistency across locations without making every restaurant look identical, this is compelling precedent.

3. Idea Marketing Group — strong restaurant-group specialist
   • Their Chicago portfolio specifically cites work for Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants involving a complete website overhaul, as well as work with The Patio, another Chicago restaurant group. www.ideamktg.com
   • Good candidate if you want the redesign tied closely to broader branding, hosting, marketing and content.

4. Infinite Designs — good if local SEO/location management is a major priority
   • Their restaurant offering explicitly supports multiple locations, menus, reservations/ordering and local SEO.
   • More importantly, they cite a Chicago hospitality project involving six restaurant websites across the Loop and River North. www.infinitedesigns.iowww.orbitmedia.com
   • This could be attractive if your downtown footprint requires each location to compete independently in Google while maintaining a unified group presence.

5. Tower Digital Systems — practical/local option
   • Chicago-focused restaurant web work, with explicit support for multi-location restaurants, reservation systems, online ordering, POS integrations and location-level SEO. www.towerdigital.org
   • I'd put them below Orbit/The Branding Shop for a sophisticated multi-brand redesign, but they're worth including in an RFP.

How I'd rank them for your project

One important thing I'd put in the RFP

Don't ask agencies to quote "X website redesigns." Ask them to design and build a multi-location design system:

• One shared CMS/backend
• One component/design library
• Centralized menus, hours, events and promotions
• Individual location pages/sites
• Controlled brand-level customization
• Location-specific SEO/schema + Google Business Profile strategy
• Shared reservation/ordering integrations
• Reusable photography/content modules
• Central analytics
• Ability to add a new restaurant without starting another website project

That distinction should dramatically improve the proposals you get.

If I were choosing three agencies to pitch: Orbit Media, The Branding Shop, and Infinite Designs. Orbit has the strongest combination of enterprise-quality web work, restaurant integrations and a directly comparable multi-location case study; The Branding Shop has the clearest precedent for the one template / many distinct restaurants model. www.orbitmedia.com

I can also put together a Chicago restaurant-agency RFP shortlist with estimated project-size tiers, relevant case studies, and questions to ask each agency if you're preparing to solicit proposals.

For a Chicago restaurant group with multiple downtown locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-location restaurant architecture—not just generic website redesigns. The key is to build one reusable design system/CMS structure while allowing each location to have its own menu, hours, reservations, photos, events, and local SEO.

My shortlist

For local Chicago options, Clique Studios and Envisionit are also worth considering if the project is larger and more enterprise/digital-experience oriented, although I'd put the restaurant-specialist agencies above them first.

Who I'd contact first

1. Orbit Media — This would be my first call. Their Bottleneck Management project is unusually close to what you're describing: one restaurant group + multiple cohesive sites + local SEO + conversion optimization. Their experience with restaurant reservation/POS/loyalty integrations is another major advantage. www.orbitmedia.com

Orbit Media restaurant web design

2. Olive Street Design — I'd put them into the pitch if you want a single underlying template/system that can support many locations. The Schoop's project is particularly relevant because it demonstrates the location-selection and ordering problem at 18 locations. www.olivestreetdesign.com

Olive Street Design

3. True Mtn — I'd invite them if the redesign is as much about elevating the restaurant group's visual identity and digital experience as it is about technical consolidation. Their seven-location Paisans work demonstrates they understand the UX problems that come with a chain. www.truemtn.com

True Mtn

4. The Digital Restaurant — Especially compelling if you want the redesign to be tied directly to location-level SEO, Google visibility, orders and revenue, rather than treating the website as a standalone creative project. marketingltb.comthedigitalrestaurant.com

The Digital Restaurant

What I'd put in your RFP

I'd avoid asking agencies to simply "redesign X number of websites." Instead, frame it as:

Design and develop a scalable digital design system for a multi-concept restaurant group, with a shared CMS/template architecture and location-specific content and functionality.

Then require:

• One master design system — typography, components, navigation, menus, CTAs, photography treatments, etc.
• Reusable location template — address, hours, map, reservations, ordering, menu, private dining, events.
• Concept-level flexibility — each restaurant can retain its own personality without creating completely separate sites.
• Centralized CMS — ideally one admin environment rather than maintaining every location independently.
• Location SEO — unique URLs, metadata, schema, local content and Google Business Profile alignment.
• Reservation/ordering integrations — whatever you're currently using (Resy, OpenTable, Toast, SevenRooms, etc.).
• Migration/redirect strategy — especially important if the existing sites have accumulated organic rankings.
• Analytics at both group and location level.
• Phased rollout — establish the master template on one flagship concept/location, then roll it out across the rest.

I'd also ask each agency to show you the actual CMS/editor experience and their proposed architecture, not just pretty portfolio screens. For a group with multiple downtown locations, that operational piece can matter more than the visual redesign.

If I were narrowing this to three pitches: Orbit + Olive Street + True Mtn. That gives you three credible approaches: performance/integrations, scalable multi-location implementation, and premium brand/UX.

Yes. For a downtown Chicago restaurant group doing several redesigns from one shared design system, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-location restaurant/hospitality sites—not just general web designers.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit
   • Their Bottleneck Management case study is almost exactly your scenario: they redesigned the management group's site plus five cohesive restaurant sites, with shared architecture, navigation, SEO and design elements. www.orbitmedia.comwww.orbitmedia.com
   • They specifically advertise multi-location restaurant SEO, reservation/loyalty integrations and ongoing site management. www.orbitmedia.comwww.orbitmedia.com
   • Best for: a sophisticated reusable template/system where each restaurant still gets its own identity.
   • Orbit Media Studios

2. The Branding Shop — best precedent for a restaurant-group template
   • Their One of a Kind Hospitality project involved rebuilding nine restaurant websites. They created one underlying theme/design system while allowing each restaurant to have its own expression. thebranding.shop
   • That's particularly relevant if your goal is “consistent architecture, different restaurant personalities.”
   • Best for: brand/design-led groups that want the sites to feel related without looking cloned.
   • The Branding Shop

3. Idea Marketing Group — good established Chicago hospitality option
   • They specifically cite work for Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants involving a complete website overhaul, as well as website work for The Patio restaurant group. www.ideamktg.com
   • Best for: a broader agency relationship encompassing web, marketing, hosting and ongoing support.
   • Idea Marketing Group

4. Infinite Designs — particularly interesting for a location-heavy rollout
   • They explicitly market restaurant-group work and describe a project for Chicago-based Roanoke Hospitality Group involving six restaurant websites across the Loop and River North. www.infinitedesigns.io
   • Their offering includes local SEO, menus, reservations/ordering integrations and discounts for additional locations. www.infinitedesigns.io
   • Best for: getting multiple sites launched efficiently with location-level SEO baked in.
   • Infinite Designs

5. 1010 Media — best boutique/design-forward option
   • Chicago studio focused specifically on hospitality, restaurants and breweries, with web design, brand direction, content and ongoing support. www.1010-media.com
   • Best for: a smaller, high-touch team if the restaurants are design/brand driven and you don't need a large agency machine.
   • 1010 Media

One more I'd investigate

The Digital Restaurant is worth an RFP if you're particularly concerned with centralized multi-location marketing and local search. Its positioning is explicitly around restaurant groups, centralized brand control and local performance across locations. thedigitalrestaurant.com

How I'd rank them for your project

My first three calls would be Orbit, The Branding Shop, and Infinite Designs. Orbit has the strongest directly comparable case study; The Branding Shop has perhaps the clearest “one system / nine distinct restaurants” precedent; and Infinite looks particularly geared toward efficiently rolling out multiple restaurant locations.

For the RFP, I'd specifically ask each agency to demonstrate how they'd build one master component/template system with location-level overrides—menus, hours, reservations, photography, private dining, events, promotions and SEO—rather than proposing nine independent websites. That distinction will have a big impact on both cost and long-term maintenance.

For a downtown Chicago restaurant group with multiple locations needing a shared design system/template, I’d prioritize agencies that have experience with multi-location architecture, location-level SEO, reservation/order integrations, CMS governance, and keeping each concept distinct while maintaining a parent brand system.

Here are the Chicago-area agencies I’d shortlist:

My top 3 for your specific use case

1. Orbit Media — probably the closest match if you mean:

• 5–20 restaurant locations
• one design system
• individual location pages
• reservations, menus, events, private dining
• strong organic search performance

Their Bottleneck Management work is almost exactly the model you described. www.orbitmedia.com

2. Olive Street Design — strong if you want:

• a templated rollout process
• fast deployment across locations
• easier internal management after launch

www.olivestreetdesign.com

3. Americaneagle.com — consider if your group is larger or has:

• multiple brands
• loyalty integrations
• custom backend requirements
• enterprise CMS needs

What I’d ask agencies during the RFP

For a restaurant group, I’d specifically ask:

• “Have you launched one CMS powering multiple restaurant websites?”
• “Can each location have unique menus, photos, events, and SEO pages while sharing a core template?”
• “How do you handle OpenTable/Resy/Tock/Toast integrations?”
• “Can our marketing team update all locations without developer support?”
• “How do you structure local SEO for each restaurant address?”
• “Can you migrate existing reviews, backlinks, and Google Business Profile signals?”

A good deliverable is usually:

1. parent restaurant group site
2. reusable location template
3. concept-specific visual variations
4. centralized CMS/content governance
5. location SEO framework
6. analytics dashboard across all restaurants

For a downtown Chicago group, I’d put Orbit, Olive Street, Idea Marketing, and Americaneagle on the first outreach list.

For a multi-location Chicago restaurant group, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled a shared design system across multiple restaurant sites—not just agencies that build one-off restaurant websites.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit

Orbit is the clearest match I found. They specifically have a Chicago restaurant-group case study for Bottleneck Management, where they redesigned the management company's site plus five venue sites with a cohesive architecture. The project reportedly produced a 400% increase in conversions. www.orbitmedia.comwww.infinitedesigns.io

Their approach also covers SEO, CMS, UX, and integrations with restaurant technology, which matters if you're trying to create one reusable system rather than five unrelated websites.

Orbit Media Studios

2. The Branding Shop — best precedent for exactly your template model

This is particularly interesting because they rebuilt nine Chicago restaurant websites for One of a Kind Hospitality, using one overarching theme while allowing each location to have its own expression. That's almost exactly the model you're describing: centralized consistency + location-level differentiation. thebranding.shopwww.infinitedesigns.io

I'd put them high on the list if the project includes brand system + web design, not just development.

The Branding Shop

3. Infinite Designs — best operational/multi-location option

Infinite explicitly markets restaurant-group websites and says its system supports multiple locations, centralized management, local SEO, menus, reservations, and ordering. They also cite a Chicago project involving six restaurant websites across the Loop and River North. www.infinitedesigns.io

This could be attractive if your priority is getting a repeatable platform deployed across locations efficiently rather than creating a highly bespoke digital experience for every restaurant.

Infinite Designs

4. Idea Marketing Group — strong full-service alternative

Idea has specific Chicago hospitality experience, including work for Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants on a complete website overhaul and The Patio, another Chicago restaurant group. www.ideamktg.com

I'd consider them if you want the redesign to connect closely with broader marketing, hosting, SEO, and ongoing content.

Idea Marketing Group

5. ColorJar — best for a higher-end brand/design system

ColorJar has worked with Lettuce Entertain You, one of the largest restaurant groups in the country, on a digital brand redesign. Their hospitality portfolio also includes Chicago restaurant/hospitality brands. www.colorjar.com

I'd look here if you're trying to establish a sophisticated master design system that can be rolled out across different concepts while preserving individual restaurant personalities.

ColorJar

How I'd narrow it down

If this were my RFP, I'd invite Orbit, The Branding Shop, and Infinite Designs to pitch. The key question I'd give all three is: “Show us a previous project where you created one reusable website/design system across multiple restaurant locations, and explain how you handled location-specific menus, hours, reservations, photography, SEO, Google Business Profiles, and content governance.”

That will quickly separate agencies that can genuinely manage a restaurant-group platform from agencies that simply make attractive restaurant websites. www.infinitedesigns.io

For a Chicago restaurant group with multiple downtown locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-site restaurant systems—not just agencies that build attractive restaurant websites.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit
   • They have a particularly relevant Chicago case study: Bottleneck Management, where Orbit redesigned the management-group site plus five cohesive restaurant sites.
   • Their work included shared navigation/design systems, local SEO, reservations, and ongoing content management; the case study reports a 400% increase in conversions. www.orbitmedia.com
   • Best for: a sophisticated restaurant group that wants one scalable design system with location-specific content.
   • Orbit Media restaurant web design

2. The Branding Shop — best precedent for your exact template model
   • They rebuilt nine restaurant websites for One of a Kind Hospitality, using one underlying theme/template while allowing each restaurant to retain its own personality. That's almost exactly the model you're describing. thebranding.shopwww.orbitmedia.com
   • Best for: brand consistency across distinct concepts, where you don't want every location to look identical.

3. Logicbomb Media — best for operational scalability
   • Their restaurant-group offering is explicitly built around multi-location platforms, centralized menus/hours, location-specific pages, reservations, ordering, private dining and loyalty.
   • Their philosophy is essentially "one brand, every address" with structured content so restaurant teams can update locations without developer intervention. lbm.co
   • Best for: groups where the bigger problem is managing 5–20+ locations after launch, not just redesigning them.

4. Idea Marketing Group — good restaurant-specific alternative
   • They have Chicago restaurant-group experience, including a complete website overhaul for Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants, and work with hospitality/food-and-beverage brands. www.ideamktg.com
   • Best for: redesign + broader marketing/SEO support rather than pure web development.

5. Infinite Designs — worth a conversation for a smaller/mid-size rollout
   • They specifically advertise restaurant websites and document a project involving six Chicago restaurant websites across the Loop and River North, including local SEO and Google Business Profile work. www.infinitedesigns.io
   • Best for: a relatively standardized rollout where speed and local SEO matter.

How I'd rank them for your project

For your specific brief, I'd put Orbit, The Branding Shop, and Logicbomb on the RFP. The key distinction is that you shouldn't really be commissioning "multiple website redesigns." You want an agency to build one reusable restaurant-group design system + CMS architecture, then deploy it across each concept/location.

In the RFP, I'd specifically ask for:

• A shared component/design system across all sites
• Location-level pages that can be independently edited
• Centralized menus, hours, addresses and reservation links
• Individual SEO/schema for each location
• A CMS that lets your internal team update multiple locations efficiently
• A process for preserving each restaurant's unique photography, voice and identity
• Shared integrations for OpenTable/Resy/SevenRooms, ordering, gift cards and private dining
• A rollout plan where the first site becomes the master template, followed by faster deployments of the remaining sites
• Clear ownership of the design system, CMS, code and content after launch

One particularly useful benchmark: Orbit's Bottleneck project and The Branding Shop's nine-site One of a Kind project demonstrate that this exact multi-location/template approach has already been done in Chicago, rather than you having to convince a generic web agency how to structure it. thebranding.shopwww.orbitmedia.com

If you tell me roughly how many restaurant concepts/locations you have and whether each concept needs its own standalone domain, I can narrow this to the 3 best agencies and compare likely project scope, strengths, and questions to ask in the RFP.

For a Chicago restaurant group with several downtown locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-site systems—not just agencies that happen to build restaurant websites.

My shortlist

The three I'd interview first

1. Orbit Media — best overall choice

This is the one I'd put at the top of the RFP list. Their Bottleneck case study is unusually close to your situation: one restaurant group, multiple venues, cohesive sites, local search, complicated navigation and ongoing content management. They also have experience integrating OpenTable, Resy, Toast, Tock, SevenRooms and other restaurant systems. www.orbitmedia.com

Orbit Media restaurant web design

2. The Branding Shop — best for a true template/design-system approach

Their One of a Kind Hospitality project is almost a direct precedent: nine restaurant websites built around one common theme, with enough flexibility for each restaurant to retain its own identity. That's exactly the tension I'd want an agency to solve for a restaurant group. thebranding.shop

The Branding Shop — One of a Kind Hospitality case study

3. Infinite Designs — best restaurant-specialist alternative

They have very recent evidence of doing the exact multi-location model in Chicago: six restaurant websites for Roanoke Hospitality Group across the Loop and River North. Their offering also emphasizes centralized/local SEO, menus, reservations and mobile performance. www.infinitedesigns.io

Infinite Designs restaurant websites

One important distinction for your RFP

I'd not ask agencies simply for "six website redesigns." I'd frame the project as:

One scalable restaurant-group digital system + multiple location experiences.

That means you want a shared component/design system, centralized CMS, reusable location templates, and structured fields for each restaurant's menu/hours/address/reservations/events—while still allowing each concept to have its own imagery, colors, typography or personality.

That's materially different from commissioning six independent websites.

I'd also make agencies demonstrate how they'd handle adding location #7 or #8 without rebuilding the site. The MINA Group's recent rebuild, for example, used a custom location-management system and templated location pages specifically so the hospitality team could add locations without developer involvement. omnistreak.com

For a downtown Chicago group, my RFP order would be Orbit → The Branding Shop → Infinite Designs → Olive Street.

If you tell me roughly how many restaurant concepts/locations you have and what platforms you're currently using (WordPress, Toast, SevenRooms, OpenTable, etc.), I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their likely strengths, project approach, and estimated budget tier.

Yes. For a Chicago restaurant group doing several site redesigns under one consistent system, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-location restaurant architecture—not just generic web design.

My shortlist

One agency I would put at the top of the RFP

Orbit Media is the clearest match to your specific requirement. Their Bottleneck Management case study is unusually close to what you're describing: a Chicago restaurant management company with numerous venues needed a group site plus multiple restaurant sites, and Orbit created cohesive sites while handling local SEO, navigation, content management and integrations. They report a 400% increase in conversions from that work. www.orbitmedia.comwww.orbitmedia.com

Orbit Media's restaurant web design work

Also worth a look: a specialist model

There are smaller agencies explicitly building one underlying system for many restaurant locations. For example, The 215 Guys positions its restaurant-group offering around one centralized backend, location-specific pages and multi-location SEO. www.the215guys.com

The 215 Guys — restaurant group website design

And Infinite Designs says it recently built six restaurant websites for Chicago-based Roanoke Hospitality Group, covering locations in the Loop and River North with individual branding and local SEO. www.infinitedesigns.io

What I'd put in your RFP

Don't simply ask agencies to "redesign X websites." I'd ask them to propose a design system + multi-site architecture, specifically:

• One shared component/design system across all restaurants
• Centralized CMS where appropriate
• Individual location pages and local SEO
• Ability for each concept to retain its own visual personality
• Shared integrations for reservations, ordering, menus and gift cards
• A repeatable process for launching future locations
• Clear distinction between group-level content and location-level content
• Analytics/conversion tracking consistently implemented across every site
• Migration strategy that avoids losing existing organic traffic
• Post-launch governance so your internal team can make updates without developers

For a downtown Chicago group, I'd invite Orbit, DesignScout, Alebrije, and one of the smaller restaurant specialists to the first round. That gives you a useful spread between enterprise-grade web architecture, brand/design expertise, hospitality specialization, and a more nimble implementation partner.

For a multi-location Chicago restaurant group, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually handled multi-site architecture—not just agencies that build attractive restaurant websites. The key is a shared design system + centralized CMS + location-specific content/SEO.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit
   • Chicago-based and specifically experienced with restaurant groups.
   • Their Bottleneck Management case is almost exactly your use case: a management-group site plus five cohesive restaurant sites, resulting in a reported 400% increase in online conversions. www.orbitmedia.com
   • They also handle restaurant-specific integrations including OpenTable, Resy, Toast, Tock and SevenRooms, plus local SEO and ongoing optimization. www.orbitmedia.com
   • Best for: a serious redesign where the template, SEO, reservations, analytics and ongoing optimization all need to work together.

2. Alias Creative — strongest hospitality/brand option
   • Chicago-area agency with a pronounced focus on hospitality, food & beverage, restaurants and lifestyle brands.
   • I'd consider them if the bigger challenge is making several concepts feel like part of one sophisticated restaurant group while still giving each venue personality.
   • Best for: brand-forward groups where photography, content, visual identity and the guest experience matter as much as the underlying CMS.

3. Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — good downtown option
   • Actually located in the Loop and combines web design, branding and digital marketing.
   • Their local-business profile specifically notes experience with multi-location businesses, including restaurant groups, needing a unified brand system and clear presentation of multiple locations.
   • Best for: a group wanting branding + web redesign from one Chicago-based team.

4. SIX4 Creative — boutique hospitality specialist
   • Chicago-based and heavily focused on hospitality/lifestyle.
   • Particularly interesting if you want a smaller, hands-on partner; the agency emphasizes restaurant operational experience in addition to PR, marketing, web design and SEO.
   • Best for: a more boutique engagement where the agency gets deeply involved in the restaurant operation and brand.

5. Solid Digital — strong technical/system option
   • Downtown Chicago office, with capabilities across UX, design systems, WordPress, integrations and ongoing website support.
   • Less restaurant-specialized than Orbit, but potentially attractive if you're managing a larger portfolio of sites and need a disciplined reusable design/development system.
   • Best for: groups prioritizing scalable infrastructure, governance and long-term technical support.

One additional agency worth interviewing

Olive Street Design is particularly relevant if your goal is one repeatable template across many locations. Their portfolio includes Schoop's Hamburgers, an 18-location restaurant, with multi-location menus and online ordering built into the experience. www.olivestreetdesign.com

How I'd rank them for your project

If I were running the RFP, I'd invite Orbit, Alias, and Olive Street to pitch. I'd give all three the same brief: redesign the flagship/group experience, establish a reusable component system, migrate 5–10 locations as the initial wave, and demonstrate how adding location #11 should work without starting a new web project.

One important thing to specify in the RFP: don't ask for "multiple websites." Ask for a scalable digital platform with multiple restaurant/location experiences. That distinction will produce much better proposals and pricing.

If you tell me roughly how many restaurant concepts and total locations you have, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their likely approach, strengths, and fit for your specific group.

For a downtown Chicago restaurant group with multiple locations that need redesigns under one consistent template, I’d prioritize agencies that understand multi-location architecture, CMS governance, location-level SEO, reservation/menu integrations, and brand consistency—not just single restaurant brochure sites.

Here are the Chicago-area agencies I’d put on a shortlist:

Best fits for multi-location restaurant redesigns

Orbit Media Studios

Orbit Media Studios
Web
Address: 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
Phone: +1 773-348-4581
Best fit: restaurant groups needing a scalable template system + strong digital strategy

Orbit is one of the strongest matches for your use case. They have a documented restaurant-group project with Bottleneck Management where they redesigned the management company site plus multiple venue sites using a cohesive approach, with shared architecture and location-specific content. www.orbitmedia.com

Why they fit:

• Multi-site restaurant experience
• Strong UX and content strategy
• WordPress/CMS expertise
• SEO considerations for multiple locations
• Integrations with reservation, loyalty, CRM, and ordering platforms www.orbitmedia.com

Good choice if you want:

• One master design system
• Repeatable location templates
• Central marketing control with local flexibility

Solid Digital

Solid Digital
Web
Address: 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
Phone: +1 877-899-9981
Best fit: larger restaurant groups wanting enterprise-style project management

Solid Digital is a Chicago agency focused on scalable website redesigns, digital systems, and ongoing optimization.

Why they fit:

• Strong discovery and UX process
• Good for organizations with multiple stakeholders
• Experience building maintainable CMS platforms
• Better suited if your group has marketing teams, approvals, analytics requirements, or future expansion plans

Good choice if you need:

• Governance across many locations
• A long-term digital partner
• A more structured enterprise workflow

Idea Marketing Group

Idea Marketing Group
Web
Address: 46 Saravanos Dr, Ste F, Yorkville, IL 60560
Phone: +13123006841
Best fit: Chicago hospitality groups wanting branding + web together

Idea Marketing Group has restaurant/hospitality experience, including work cited with Chicago restaurant groups such as Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants and The Patio. www.ideamktg.com

Why they fit:

• Restaurant-industry familiarity
• Branding and marketing capabilities
• Can help align multiple concepts under a broader group identity

Good choice if your redesign involves:

• Brand refreshes
• Photography/content direction
• Marketing campaigns alongside the website work

Infinite Designs

Best fit: restaurant-focused multi-location builds

Infinite Designs specifically markets restaurant website work and highlights a Chicago hospitality project involving multiple restaurant websites for a group. www.infinitedesigns.io

Why they fit:

• Restaurant-specific workflows
• Local SEO focus
• Menu/reservation considerations
• Faster implementation approach

Good choice if you want:

• Restaurant expertise over broad corporate web services
• A practical multi-location rollout

The 215 Guys

Best fit: restaurant groups prioritizing operational simplicity

They position their work around restaurant groups with multiple locations, emphasizing centralized management, location pages, menus, promotions, and local SEO. www.the215guys.com

Good choice if your priority is:

• Easy updates by internal teams
• Location-by-location scalability
• Restaurant operational needs

How I would structure the agency brief

For your situation, I would ask agencies to propose:

Template system

• One shared design system
• Location page templates
• Concept-specific branding controls
• Reusable components

CMS requirements

• Central admin dashboard
• Ability to update menus/hours/events across locations
• Location managers able to edit limited fields

Restaurant integrations

• Reservation platforms (OpenTable, Resy, Tock, SevenRooms, etc.)
• Online ordering
• Gift cards
• Loyalty programs
• Private dining/event inquiries

SEO

• Individual location landing pages
• Downtown Chicago neighborhood targeting
• Google Business Profile alignment
• Structured data/schema

Migration

• Preserve rankings from current sites
• Redirect strategy
• Analytics migration

My shortlist for a downtown Chicago restaurant group

1. Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall match for multi-location restaurant websites
2. Solid Digital — strongest for a larger, process-heavy redesign program
3. Idea Marketing Group — strongest if branding/creative is part of the project
4. Infinite Designs — strongest restaurant-specialist option
5. The 215 Guys — strongest operational multi-location model

For a group with, say, 5–20 downtown concepts, I would likely start conversations with Orbit, Solid Digital, and Infinite Designs and compare their proposed template architecture rather than just their visual portfolios.

For a Chicago restaurant group with multiple downtown locations, I’d prioritize agencies that have actually solved the “one design system, many restaurant sites” problem—not just agencies that happen to build restaurant websites.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media — strongest overall fit
   • This would be my first call.
   • Orbit has a particularly relevant Chicago case study: it redesigned a management group's corporate site plus five cohesive restaurant sites, with shared architecture/design while addressing each venue's local SEO and content needs. The case study reports a 400% increase in conversions. www.orbitmedia.com
   • They explicitly handle multi-location SEO, reservations, loyalty programs, CMS training, integrations and ongoing support. www.orbitmedia.com
   • Best for: a serious group-wide platform where you want a reusable template, centralized governance, and strong SEO/CRO.

Orbit Media

2. SIX4 Creative — hospitality-first boutique option
   • Chicago-based and focused heavily on hospitality/lifestyle, with web design, SEO, photography and marketing under one roof.
   • The restaurant-industry operational experience is a differentiator: the agency emphasizes firsthand restaurant operating experience.
   • Best for: a group that wants the redesign to feel highly hospitality/brand-driven rather than like a conventional corporate web project.

3. The Branding Shop — particularly relevant for your template approach
   • They have an unusually direct Chicago precedent: they rebuilt nine restaurant websites for One of a Kind Hospitality.
   • More importantly, they created one shared theme across all nine sites, while allowing each restaurant to retain its own personality. That's almost exactly the model you're describing. thebranding.shop
   • Best for: “one design system, distinct restaurant identities.”

The Branding Shop

4. Idea Marketing Group — good established Chicago option
   • Their food-and-beverage practice specifically cites a complete website overhaul for Chicago restaurant group Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants, as well as work for The Patio. www.ideamktg.com
   • Best for: a broader marketing partner that can take on web plus branding/content/marketing.

Idea Marketing Group

5. Infinite Designs — compelling if local SEO is a major objective
   • They specifically describe a project for Roanoke Hospitality Group involving six restaurant websites across The Loop and River North, with mobile-first design, Google Business Profile optimization and location-level SEO. www.infinitedesigns.io
   • Best for: multiple downtown locations where Google Maps/local search performance is as important as the visual redesign.

Infinite Designs

One other agency worth putting on the RFP list

Logicbomb Media is worth a look if your bigger problem is ongoing management of all the locations rather than simply the visual redesign. Their restaurant-group offering is built around centralized menus/hours, individual location pages, reservations, ordering, events and loyalty—with structured content so updates don't have to be duplicated across sites. lbm.co

Logicbomb Media

How I'd rank them for your specific project

My recommendation: put Orbit, The Branding Shop, and Infinite Designs into the first RFP round. They give you three useful approaches: enterprise-grade web/CRO, brand/template architecture, and multi-location SEO/operations.

For the RFP, I would specifically ask each agency to demonstrate how they'd build one master template + location-specific content modules, rather than proposing six or ten individually designed websites. That's the architectural decision that will determine whether your group can add a new restaurant in a day or needs an agency every time.

For a downtown Chicago restaurant group with multiple concepts/locations that need redesigns under a shared template system, I’d prioritize agencies that have experience with:

• multi-location architecture (one CMS, many restaurant sites)
• location-level SEO pages
• reservation/ordering integrations (OpenTable, Toast, Tock, SevenRooms, etc.)
• reusable design systems with brand-specific customization
• centralized marketing team workflows

These Chicago agencies are worth shortlisting:

Strongest fits for restaurant groups

Orbit Media Studios

Orbit Media Studios
Web
Address: 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
Phone: +1 773-348-4581
Best fit: established restaurant groups needing a scalable website system

Orbit is one of the strongest matches for your use case. They have a published case study for Bottleneck Management, where they redesigned a management-group site plus multiple venue sites with a cohesive structure, improved navigation, SEO, and conversion performance. www.orbitmedia.com

Good for:

• parent brand + individual restaurant sites
• WordPress-based multi-site systems
• ongoing SEO/CRO support
• teams that want a strategic partner, not just a designer

Orbit Media Studios

Idea Marketing Group

Idea Marketing Group
Web
Address: 46 Saravanos Dr, Ste F, Yorkville, IL 60560
Phone: +13123006841
Best fit: hospitality-focused redesigns

Idea Marketing specifically highlights food and beverage web work and has restaurant-group examples, including work with Chicago restaurant operators. www.ideamktg.com

Good for:

• restaurant branding + web redesign
• hospitality storytelling
• coordinating multiple concepts under one visual system

Doejo

Doejo
Web
Address: 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
Phone: +1 312-888-6473
Best fit: custom digital systems and more technical builds

Doejo is a Chicago digital product studio with website redesign and development capabilities.

Good for:

• custom CMS workflows
• integrations
• more complex digital platforms
• restaurant groups that want flexibility beyond standard templates

Doejo

Other Chicago agencies to consider

Brand Vision Marketing

Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding
Web
Address: 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
Phone: +1 312-741-0303
Good if the redesign is tied closely to brand refreshes across several restaurant concepts.

Marcel Digital

Marcel Digital
Web
Address: 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1285, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
Phone: +1 312-255-8044
Good for groups that care heavily about analytics, SEO, and measurable acquisition performance alongside the redesign.

YourPortal

YourPortal
Web
Address: 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
Phone: +1 847-592-6376
A Chicago web/digital agency option for businesses looking for design, development, and ongoing optimization support.

A few questions I’d use when interviewing agencies

For your specific project, I’d ask:

1. “Have you built a restaurant group system where one template supports multiple locations?”
2. “Can each restaurant have its own personality while sharing a design system?”
3. “How will menu, hours, events, reservations, and location pages be managed?”
4. “Will our marketing team be able to update every location without developers?”
5. “How will you preserve SEO rankings during migration?”
6. “Can you integrate our reservation, ordering, gift card, and loyalty platforms?”

My shortlist for a downtown Chicago restaurant group would be:

1. Orbit Media — strongest multi-location restaurant fit
2. Idea Marketing Group — strongest hospitality/brand fit
3. Doejo — strongest custom technology fit

I’d request proposals from those three first and compare their proposed CMS architecture, not just their visual portfolios.