The Ultimate Guide to Restaurant Menu Design for Boost Sales

Having a well-made menu design is a must for restaurants; it should be carefully prepared and planned. In fact, your restaurant’s menu is the key selling tool of your company, and designing a compelling and enticing menu can help grow your revenue.

A well-designed menu can be the difference between a bustling and profitable restaurant and one that struggles to bring in visitors. Customers make decisions based on what they see in a menu, so it’s essential to create one that’s not only visually appealing but also conveys the uniqueness of your place.

Ahead, we have created a guide that breaks down restaurant menu design ideas. Interested in boosting sales via your dazzling menu? Read on!

How to Design a Perfect Menu

Nowadays, designing a menu is easy, especially with the rise of online menu maker websites, which help restaurants create menus a few clicks away. However, you also need to make sure that the menu created by these online menu creator sites caters to your need.

Here are the things to pay attention to when designing a restaurant’s menu online. Check them out!

Consider Eye Movement Patterns

It is essential to consider the customers’ POV when designing a menu, including their eye movement patterns. Taking the time to understand eye movement patterns can help you create an effective design that maximizes sales and encourages diners to keep coming back.

Eye-tracking studies have revealed that most people tend to look at a menu in a Z or F pattern as they scan for items of interest. Thus, you can strategically place your most profitable dishes and specials in these areas for maximum visibility.

Also, try focusing on certain elements of the menu, such as font size, color, texture, and spacing, and make them pop. This way, you can make sure that your restaurant’s best offerings are always front-and-center.

You can also use arrows and other visual cues to direct customers’ eyes around the menu and call attention to specific items.

Use White Space Well

Despite its name, a “white space” doesn’t have to be white — it simply means the space between design elements.

White space is essential in creating an inviting and uncluttered menu that’s easy for customers to digest. It helps separate key elements while also giving customers room to breathe and focus on the important details without being overwhelmed by too much information at once.

By using white space correctly, you can elevate the customer experience, making your menus more likely to stand out from competitors’ offerings.

Use Boxes and Color for Visual Direction

Strategically placing visual cues such as boxes and colors can draw customers’ eyes to the most important elements in your restaurant menu. This way, you’ll minimize the chance of overlooked information.

Using boxes to separate dishes or ingredients is an easy way to ensure that customers understand all of the details of each item.

For instance, a basic burger could be presented in a box with all relevant information like ingredients, special sauces, and any variations they might have. This makes it easier for diners to visualize the menu without having to read through long paragraphs.

Also, the right color scheme helps direct attention to the desired parts. By making sure critical items pop against the background, restaurants can encourage customers to consider specific choices rather than just settling for standard dishes.

Similarly, vibrant colors can be used on pictures or illustrations next to certain dishes in order to draw the eye toward them and make them stand out from the rest of the menu.

As a result, the ordering process will be more efficient for everyone involved.

Divide the Menu into Logical Sections

Grouping similar menu items together into logical sections help diners quickly find what they’re looking for and prevents them from feeling overwhelmed by too many choices.

Adding subheadings for each section and subtitles for each item can also help guide customers through the process of searching for items.

For instance, a breakfast section could feature labels such as “Breakfast Time” or “Brunch” while a dinner menu could include general categories like “Small Plates & Snacks” and “Entrees.” Also, include the prices and portions to make it clearer.

Further, restaurants should also consider placing staples like house specials near the top so that patrons who already know what they want can easily order without having to scroll down numerous pages.

By arranging items in logical groups and making it easy for customers to search through menus sequentially, you can save everyone time while also providing a positive ordering experience.

Use Photos Sparingly

Sure, food photos are helpful in visualizing the food ordered. However, too many images can be overwhelming, while too few might not allow diners to get a proper idea of what the dishes look like.

Thus, photos should only be used sparingly and when they are necessary. Also, pictures should only be included if they accurately portray the dish. Otherwise, customers may feel misled after ordering something that doesn’t meet their expectations.

In addition, restaurants should make sure all photos have been clearly edited and properly sized so that they are easy to understand at a glance.

This is especially important in situations where menus are displayed digitally on tablets or smartphone screens. Not only will this help with accurate order-taking, but it also adds an aesthetic touch to the overall menu template.

Consider Using Illustration

Illustrations are an excellent alternative to photos when it comes to designing restaurant menus.

Not only can they better reflect the atmosphere of a restaurant, but they can also provide customers with more information about each menu item — such as its key ingredients, flavors, and textures.

This can help customers make informed decisions quickly and easily without having to rely on detailed descriptions.

Moreover, illustrations can add a unique touch to any menu design, helping it stand out from the competition and enticing guests to try something new. Unlike photographs that focus on one particular dish’s appearance, illustrations can capture multiple aspects of a meal or concept in one image and provide an overall visual experience that delights customers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Even if you think your restaurant menu design is set in stone, it’s worth taking the time to assess whether there might be some easy changes you can make to boost sales. If you keep these menu design principles in mind, you can create a menu that is both informative and visually appealing to your customers.

With a well-designed menu, you can make it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for while also encouraging them to try new items—hence it’s a good marketing strategy for restaurants. To enhance it even more, you can use the help of SEO for Restaurants service to make the content of your menu optimized.

So what are you waiting for? Start experimenting today and boost your restaurant’s sales!