Did you know that your restaurant’s menu is one of the first things guests see ? Sometimes before a cashier or waiter and always before their meal. That is the reason why it’s vital to make a great first impression with your menu.
A menu with too many items, poor wording, bad photos, or an out-of-place design will detract from the diner’s experience, putting pressure on your food and service to compensate. A well-written, well-designed menu that is consistent with your brand is sure to make your guests feel like they’ve made the right choice straightaway.
Great restaurant menu designs can improve a customer’s dining experience by assisting them in making satisfactory choices and fueling their hunger. A menu, to be very honest, is more than just a list of the items available in a restaurant. It is undoubtedly an advertising tool capable of communicating a restaurant’s individuality while also driving profit, given that if it is well designed.
We’ll go through some visual menu design concepts to help your restaurant clients increase profit margins. You should be warned that after reading this blog article, you may feel hungry.
1. Be aware of eye scanning patterns
Restaurants have long presumed that customers’ eyes are naturally drawn to the “sweet spot” in the upper righthand corner of the menu. Hence, they placed their higher-profit products there. As per the latest research, customers generally read menus like a book. They start reading the menu at the top left corner.
2. Divide the menu into sections that make sense
Arrange items progressively and in logical categories, beginning with the appetizers, to make it easier for customers to find dishes.
3. Don’t put too much emphasis on currency signs
Customers should not be overly concerned with their spending. According to research, when currency indicators are not there in the menu card design, customers are more likely to spend more.
4. Use illustrations if possible
It is advisable to use illustrations instead of pictures. They are more likely to be universally attractive. They can further assist communicate the restaurant’s uniqueness.
5. Only use photos when absolutely necessary
Food images are more commonly associated with junk mail advertisements and large chain restaurants such as Denny’s than with fine dining places. If you are using images, make sure that they are of extremely high professional quality. As a result, it might be expensive. To state it generally, it’s preferable to leave the quality of the food to the customer’s imagination, since not every food photography will appeal to everyone.
6. Consider the use of boxes
In general, restaurants employ boxes to highlight a group of menu items. Meals having the highest profit margins, such as pasta and other carb-based foods, are frequently promoted in boxes.
7. Use Colors appropriately
Colors should be chosen based on your target audience and the restaurant’s theme. Because different colors have varied psychological impacts on people, your color scheme will help define the tone of a restaurant while also drawing attention to certain food items.
8. Typography
The brand of your restaurant will speak through effective typography. It will result in a legible menu. The typeface you choose may be influenced by a variety of practical considerations, such as the amount of text you need to fit on the page comfortably. For instance, it is advisable that you use multiple typefaces to distinguish titles and descriptions of menu items. It may help in guiding customers through the menu.
It’s all about the menu design!
One aspect of a good restaurant strategy is intelligent menu design : Make sure your menu reflects your style and food, and that your most profitable products are highlighted.
Get in touch with Printing Signs Miami for unmatched menu design solutions and to reflect your restaurant’s brand if you need a little help getting started on your menu redesigning.
