Menu

The menu is the first item you present yourself within the front of your customers once they choose to enter your restaurant; coffee shop; bar; pub; club; or sweet house. It is the image you create in them that determines if they will stay or leave. This is why it is crucial to pay attention to the structure, design, included information, and looks of your menu.

Here are some practical pieces of advice that will help you craft the perfect menu:

1. The style of your menu should match the style of your place

When someone enters a place the first thing s/he sees is the interior. Based on its style s/he will either decide to stay or leave. So when a customer chooses to stay s/he will expect to see a menu matching the overall style. If that's not the case you risk making the customer feel unsure as to whether the place is professionally made and trustworthy. For example, if a customer enters a country-style restaurant and sees a very fancy menu s/he might get the impression that the restaurant will be too expensive and leave before checking it out in detail.

2. Include pictures to your menu

It is not a secret that people are far more likely to order something which isn't simply described with words but also accompanied by an image. Additionally, you should keep in mind that all the pictures you include in your menu need to be realistic and with good quality. Your customers will expect to get exactly what they see on the image and any kind of misleading might seem fraudulent to them.

3. Present what you serve in a clear, easy to understand manner

When describing what you offer on your menu try to keep it clear and easy to understand. Your customers will decide what to order and will build their expectations based on the way the drinks and/or dishes are described. The clearer your explanation is, the easier it will be for people to choose. Plus, you can rest assured that your descriptions will meet their expectations and there will be no room for disappointment.

4. Keep the menu as simple as possible

The simpler your menu is, the easier it will be for your customers to see what you offer and choose. As mentioned in our first advice your menu should match the style of your place, however, at the same time you need to keep it simple and on-point. If the interior of your place includes a wide variety of elements you can choose the one that dominates.

Also, it is a good idea to accompany each item with an image, but at the same time, you shouldn’t overwhelm the viewer with too many pictures. Moreover, make sure it is easy to understand what is what. Don't forget: when you have too many pictures you should keep the background simple: allow your customers to concentrate on what's important for them.

And last but not least – choose wisely the font you will use to create your menu. The best font will be the one that matches the style of your place and at the same time remains easy to read.

Templates | How to design a menu