Tips for Designing Your Menu
Redesigning or creating a menu for your restaurant? We’ve got some tips to help you increase your sales and keep your customers coming back for more!
Use design to drive sales
There are multiple design tricks that you can employ in your menu design to increase your sales and overall revenue. The first is to place a box around dishes that are the most popular, or have the highest profit margin for your restaurant. The box instantly draws your customer’s attention to the highlighted menu item.
See example from Applebee’s menu, where The Classic Combo and Chicken Wonton Tacos are highlighted for customers with graphic design.
Another trick is to use negative space to your advantage. Negative space is any space around the subject (which in this case, is the text of your menu). This is also referred to as minimalist design. Minimal designs utilize negative space to convey sophistication, and is a great way to create an upscale atmosphere for your restaurant.
An example of minimal menu design that utilizes negative space to signal sophistication.
Denote food fit to special diets
You train your servers to know which items are gluten free, vegetarian and vegan, so why not make it easier for customers and put it on the menu? With a simple icon and key system, you can visually communicate to customers which dishes on your menu comply with certain diets. This will make ordering a quicker and easier process for guests with any dietary restrictions.
Example showing a simple key and icons noting items that are gluten free.
Work with an agency or graphic designer
You’ll want to work with a professional restaurant marketing agency or a graphic designer to create your menu. This is imperative to ensure that your end product is a professionally designed menu that fits the branding and adds to the environment you are creating in your restaurant. If you are currently developing a menu, contact us today or call (386) 627-3628 for a free consultation to learn more about how we can help you!