Restaurant Tech
Jan 23, 2025
|
15
min read

How To Make A Restaurant Menu That Stands Out

Article Outline

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Your menu is your silent salesperson. It needs to look good and work hard. A great menu does more than list your food – it helps customers choose what to eat and helps you make more money. Recent studies show that better menus can increase sales by 15%. Many restaurants use old or confusing menus that don't help their business grow. Today's customers decide quickly, so your menu needs to grab their attention right away. 

Let's look at simple ways to make your menu better, whether you're starting fresh or updating what you have. 

Understanding Menu Basics

In general, a restaurant menu typically has around 20 to 30 items, which tends to keep diners satisfied and ensures operations. Having choices can bewilder customers delay their selections and decrease kitchen efficiency resulting in increased food wastage. Conversely offering options may leave patrons dissatisfied and diminish the restaurant's allure.  

Creating a thought-out menu enhances the dining environment. Simplifies the service process, for the staff while ensuring consistent quality standards are met efficiently. The menu also showcases standout dishes that highlight the restaurant's strengths striking a balance that enhances the overall experience, for both patrons and employees. 

Types Of Restaurant Menu

There are different types of restaurant menus, each suited to different needs:

  • À la carte: Each dish is priced separately, allowing customers to choose what they want. It’s great for fine dining, offering lots of choices.
  • Table d’hôte: A set menu with a fixed price and a few choices. This is good for casual dining or events, as it’s easy to manage and cost-effective.
  • Buffet: Guests help themselves to a variety of dishes. It works well for large events or gatherings, providing variety and a laid-back vibe.
  • Prix fixe: A fixed menu with several courses at one price. This is ideal for special occasions or upscale restaurants, offering a planned, full meal.

Each type of menu helps create the right dining experience and meets the needs of different customers.

Steps To Create A Restaurant Menu

Following are the steps that should be followed to try and create the perfect restaurant menu:

Create A List Of All Menu Items

When designing a menu; Begin by brainstorming dishes that cater to customer preferences and incorporate ingredients. Include a variety of options to accommodate preferences such, as vegetarian or gluten-free. Utilize produce that's in season to enhance the taste and appeal of your dishes. Maintain a rounded menu with choices for all patrons while showcasing the available ingredients. This strategy will draw in diners. Ensure your menu remains engaging and up, to date. 

Organize Menu Items Into Categories

Organize your menu items, into sections like appetizers, main courses, desserts, and beverages to assist customers in navigating and selecting their orders efficiently. For instance, appetizers may consist of salads and soups main courses could showcase dishes such as steak or pasta desserts might feature cakes and pies and beverages may list selections like soda or wine. This structured approach to presenting menu items promotes a browsing experience, for customers.

Decide On Menu Item Pricing

When deciding on menu item prices to entice customers to your establishment and ensure profitability, for your business venture by factoring in ingredient expenses and preparation costs compared to competitors' pricing strategies for items on their menus.

To attract a stream of patrons while balancing profitability concerns is essential when determining the pricing strategy for menu offerings; setting prices high could result in reduced sales volumes while setting them too low may hinder profit margins. 

Crafting a thought-out pricing scheme that strikes a balance, between covering costs and competitive pricing can help maintain customer satisfaction levels while ensuring the success of your enterprise. 

Write Menu Item Descriptions

To craft descriptions, for the items on your menu highlight the ingredients and flavors that set each dish apart and make it memorable to customers. Employ enticing adjectives like "crispy," "creamy," or "succulent" to enhance the appeal of the food and evoke a sense of deliciousness.

Highlight any freshly sourced components such, as grown produce or premium cuts of meat to showcase the quality and freshness of your offerings. Effective descriptions do not elevate the allure of your dishes.

Select Menu Colors

Different colors can have an impact, on customers' emotions and their choices from the menu selection at a restaurant setting. Warm shades such as red and yellow are known to stimulate hunger. Potentially influence customers to order dishes. 

On the other hand; cooler tones like blue and green create an atmosphere that may promote relaxation. When deciding on the color scheme, for your menu design; it's essential to align it with your restaurant's ambiance and theme. 

For instance; a contemporary eatery might opt for a palette of black and white; whereas a cozy countryside establishment could embrace earth tones for a homely feel. Choosing the colors can enhance the customer experience and impact their decision-making process.

Include High-Quality Restaurant Menu Photos

High-quality images of the dishes, on your menu are crucial for drawing in customers since they enhance the appeal of the food items. A vibrant and well-lit photograph that captures the textures and hues of the dishes can significantly increase their attractiveness. 

It's important to select images that showcase the dish from its perspective and emphasize its most enticing features. Simplify the background to keep the focus, on the food itself.

Decide On The Menu Layout

To make a menu easy to read and help customers choose, focus on organizing it. Group similar items together and use headings to divide categories like appetizers, main courses, and desserts. Leave space between sections to keep the menu from looking too crowded. 

Choose simple, readable fonts and use bold or larger text for section titles to guide the eye. This layout helps customers find what they want, making the ordering process faster and easier.

Print Your Restaurant Menu

To get your menu ready for printing, start by carefully checking it for any spelling or grammar errors and make sure all prices and dish descriptions are correct. Ensure the layout is neat and easy to read, with a good balance between text and images. Choose high-quality materials like thick paper or laminated sheets to make the menu look professional and last longer. 

Pick the right material based on your restaurant’s style—matte or glossy finishes can give different feels, so choose one that fits your brand. Finally, review the final version to ensure it matches your restaurant’s image and provides a smooth experience for your customers.

Try Best Restaurant Menu To Boost Sales

Digital menus have many benefits, such as ease of update and increased engagement among customers. You can change prices, add new items, or update descriptions instantly without printing anything. This will save you time and ensure your menu stays current. We here at Checkmate offer solutions to help you create and run your digital menu and make it more efficient to operate your restaurant. Get our demo today and get your solutions all in one place!

Brett Spiegel
VP of Direct Ordering
With over ten years of experience, he has developed advanced digital ordering systems for brands of all sizes. Brett co-founded Koala, the pioneering UX-as-a-Service digital ordering platform specifically designed for restaurants. Following the sale of Koala, he joined Checkmate, where he now focuses on creating and enhancing direct ordering solutions, including web and app platforms, kiosks, catering services, loyalty programs, and marketing tools.

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