Don't let them dazzle you with jargon. You need to grill them. Here are the questions that will reveal if a food and beverage web development agency in the USA is legit or just blowing smoke.
1. "How do you handle data privacy for European tourists?"
Why: This traps them. If they don't immediately bring up GDPR and their protocols for data retention, run. It shows they aren't thinking globally.
2. "Show me your stress test results for high-traffic events."
Why: Everyone claims they can scale. You want to see the proof.
3. "What is your philosophy on AI in web design regarding user experience?"
Why: You want to know if they use AI to actually help the user (like smart search) or just to cut corners on design costs.
4. "How do you stay updated with shifting web development trends specifically for mobile users?"
Why: Mobile traffic is king in food. If they are talking about desktop-first strategies, they are dinosaurs.
5. "Who owns the code after we launch?"
Why: Never get held hostage. You need full intellectual property rights.
6. "How do you vet your third-party APIs?"
Why: A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
7. "Can you explain your experience with other web development companies in terms of collaboration?"
Why: Sometimes you need multi-vendor environments. Can they play nicely with others?
8. "How do you utilize AI in web development to improve site speed?"
Why: Speed kills the bounce rate. AI can optimize code on the fly.
9. "What is your disaster recovery time objective?"
Why: When the server dies (and it will), how many minutes until you are back up?
10. "Do you have a dedicated security officer?"
Why: accountability matters.
