The creation of a menu in gastronomy is often underestimated. And yet it represents the showcase of a restaurant. No matter whether you are going through a new opening or a reopening, or your restaurant has been in existence for some time: Well-designed and appealing menus make or break the perception of the establishment and can help increase your sales. Furthermore, they play a significant part in making it easier for guests to choose dishes and beverages. We give you seven tips on how to create an attractive menu card for your restaurant and convince your guests with your culinary offer.
Clarity and selection of offers
Even if there should be something for every guest on the menu, clarity should not be forgotten. If you offer too wide a selection of dishes and beverages, you have to reckon with a higher cost of sales and risk overwhelming your customers. This is also called the paradox of choice and occurs primarily when one has to make a choice from a wide range of options. It takes a lot of effort, energy and time and often ends up in a supposedly safe choice of a "standard dish".
So offering too much appears overwhelming to guests and delays the decision-making process. Likewise, a clear line is missing in a huge range of dishes. The abundance of dishes on the restaurant menu can seem not only overwhelming to guests, but also suspicious: Are all dishes really freshly prepared? Is there an equal level of experience and expertise in each dish? So, in this respect, too, it is better to create a clear menu, but at the same time not without alternatives.
Instead of offering dozens of different dishes, it is recommended to offer a selection of three to four appetizers, about seven main dishes and two or three desserts. This not only looks professional, but at the same time testifies to the high quality and freshness of the ingredients. In this way, the restaurant can raise its profile and stand for a specific concept without sinking into averageness and arbitrariness. In addition, the stock of goods to be kept on hand can be limited, the preparation processes simplified; and last but not least, there is less surplus food that has to be disposed of later.
The rule "less is more" can be applied to the drinks menu as well. The restriction assists orientation, and if needed, good bartenders also know the recipes for popular cocktails. So if the guest cannot find one of his favorite drinks on the menu, he can be offered a classic alternative.
Pricing and order of prices
The right order of dishes in terms of price plays a major role in the creation of the restaurant menu and can help to significantly increase sales in gastronomy. Due to reduced periods of attention, diners are more likely to choose the first items on the menu. However, many restaurants often make the mistake of placing the least expensive dishes at the top of the menu. In doing so, they squander the opportunity for higher margins. Also, starting with premium dishes has the advantage that the rest of the menu appears less expensive at the same time. So, a simple trick is to place your most expensive – or rather, your most lucrative – offers in the upper part of the menu.
Likewise, restaurateurs should consider offering a few additional expensive specialties. These will be ordered less often, but they help to contrast with the other dishes, making them seem comparatively lower priced. This powerful phenomenon is also called the anchor effect and can be applied equally well to the drinks menu. Guests usually do not choose the cheapest, but equally not the most expensive drink. This way, three price categories for beers or wines, for example, can increase the sales of the mid-price category.
Lastly, the power of the units should not be ignored. In restaurants, the dish or a serving is the common unit. A price for a serving of lasagna is immediately understood by customers. However, if a different unit is introduced and priced, then the sense of the actual price is quickly forgotten. The dish then appears much less expensive for the guest at first glance, as the unit is unfamiliar to him. For example, the price of steaks or caviar should be specified per 100 grams in the best case, even if usually three times the amount is ordered.
Description and design
Words create images, emotions and expectations in the minds of the guests and increase the anticipation of the culinary pleasure. Dishes that are attractively presented and that trigger positive associations have a higher chance of being selected and can increase customers' willingness to pay. So, the language style in the menu makes a great difference and should not be left to chance. It is advisable to choose detailed, emotional and pictorial descriptions for the entire menu, which optimally reflect the character of the dishes and the concept of the restaurant.
Complementing appropriate wording, visual highlights can draw the customers' attention to specific food offerings and encourage them to order. For this, it is recommended to choose a larger font, a clever placement, a simple frame or marking by means of bold print, or an eye-catching color. In addition, recommendations such as "recommended by the chef", "our vegetarians choose" or "our guests' favorite dishes" can be phrased, taking advantage of the principle of social proof.
The restaurant menu is supplemented by a separate menu offering, for example, daily or weekly recommendations or seasonal dishes. This offers guests a greater choice and variety and should be placed in the center of the menu, prominently at the table, or on a chalkboard in the dining area.
Summary: 7 tips for a top-selling restaurant menu
The menu is the heart of a restaurant and, if some aspects are taken into account, it can arouse the appetite of the guests and increase the profitability and turnover of the gastronomic business.
Our tips in summary:
- Offer a clear, yet varied food and beverage selection with a clean line that simplifies the decision-making process for your guests and keeps your cost of sales manageable.
- Ensure that the order of prices of your dishes is correct. Place your most lucrative dishes at the top of the menu.
- Make use of the anchor effect. Add some more expensive specials or premium dishes to your menu to make the other dishes seem more affordable.
- Use the power of units. For special dishes such as steaks or caviar, specify the price per 100 grams.
- Create images and positive associations in the minds of your guests using the right words. Describe your food and beverage offerings vividly and in detail.
- Highlighting and recommendations will influence the guests' choice. Highlight certain dishes using special fonts or wording.
- Add some variety to your menu. Regularly create additional menus with daily and weekly recommendations or seasonal dishes that will encourage your guests to visit again.
