Published: 17.10.2026
The .food extension is a generic top-level zone, and its ending is the English word for the things we eat and drink. Recipe writers, restaurants, bakeries, farms and food producers use it when they want an address that shows at once what their site offers. Because the zone is not linked to any country, a food project with readers abroad can use the same name in every market. Use the availability form just below this text to see whether your name in .food is still free.
Check if a .food domain is available .food Check
A short history
The .food zone was created as one of the generic extensions that opened the naming system to words for particular subjects. Such zones attracted people who wanted a short address for one field, and food was an obvious choice, since cooking, eating out and food production touch almost everyone. Today the ending is used for recipe sites, restaurant pages and small food brands. Visitors who meet it for the first time on a menu or a package may need a moment to recognise it, but the meaning is immediate once they do.
Who runs it
The .food registry is operated by a registry company under a contract with ICANN, which coordinates the global domain name system. The operator maintains the database of names and sets the policies of the zone, while registrars sell names to customers and pass the orders to the registry. Policies can be updated, so the rules published when you order are the ones to follow, particularly those on acceptable use of the site.
Rules in practice
- Open use: generic zones are normally open to any applicant, although the operator may set rules on acceptable content.
- Contact data: registrant details must be accurate, and they may need confirming when the registrar asks for it.
- Characters and length: names use letters, digits and hyphens, and the DNS limit for a single label is 63 characters.
- Renewal: a food brand that depends on its name should set renewal reminders well ahead of the expiry date.
Who uses .food
- Home cooks and food bloggers who publish recipes, meal plans and kitchen notes.
- Restaurants, cafes, caterers and food trucks that want their menus and bookings online.
- Bakeries, farms, producers and small food brands with products to sell.
- Cookery schools, food festivals and culinary tour operators.
Strengths
- The word tells visitors what the site offers, which is useful when you share a recipe or a menu link.
- The name is easy to remember and easy to repeat, which suits a food brand that wants to be recalled by its products.
- The zone is not tied to one country, so a recipe site with readers in several places can use a single address.
Things to keep in mind
- If you sell food, labelling, allergen information and selling rules depend on the country where you operate, so check local requirements first.
- A site about something other than food may confuse visitors who arrive expecting recipes or menus.
- Many people still type .com out of habit, so decide whether you need both addresses.
- Written text and photographs are usually protected by copyright, so use your own words and images, or credit the source and ask for permission where needed.
Tips before you register
- Check the name in .com and on the platforms where your audience already follows you.
- Check trademark registers in the countries where you sell, since food brands often compete for similar names.
- Show your business name, address and contact details clearly, because food businesses are often expected to publish them.
- Keep photographs at a sensible file size so that recipe and menu pages load quickly on phones.
- Enable auto-renewal and protect the registrar account with two-factor login.
Frequently asked questions
Can a restaurant use .food for its website? Yes. The zone suits restaurants and cafes, and an online menu or a booking page can sit under it.
Is .food only for recipe sites? No. Producers, shops, schools and festivals use it as well, as long as the content relates to food.
Will a .food name help my recipes appear in search results? No ending can promise a ranking. Good recipes, clear pages and genuine links are usually more important, so treat the name as a clear label rather than a shortcut.
