1. COVER THE BASICS:

• To start with, a great restaurant menu should at least cover the basics:
• It should be informative, telling your customers what type of dishes they can expect to order.
• It should be free of any spelling or grammar mistakes, reading smoothly using a clear font with sensible dish descriptions (not too long or too short).
• It should be clean (free of dirty marks, oily stains and sticky messes) with neat edges.
• It should be inviting and friendly, steering clear of hostility and unnecessary house rules (tone is key).
• It should be well organized and accurate in terms of lay-out (categorizing starters together, pastas together etc.)
• Prices should be listed clearly. It has been proven that leaving a currency sign (R) out of the equation makes diners spend more, especially at more pricy fine dining establishments.

Never underestimate the power of making a smart sale by offering written assistance on your menu, like: “Ask your waiter for our special of the day” or “Did you know we do functions? Ask your friendly waiter for more info.”

2. THE CONCEPT OF CHOICE:

In a modern world where everybody knows what everybody else is serving, we are inundated with choices, same goes for modern day restaurants. Choice has become an interesting concept where diners no longer have to choose only one dish, but can enjoy multi-course tasting menus comprised of smaller portioned items off an a la carte menu, or order a myriad of smaller plates as part of a tapas menu. Other eateries pride themselves on their limited chalkboard choices, almost telling diners what they should be ordering.

The tasting menu: Grouping 3 or more dishes together (some restaurants offer 6-20 course tasting menus) with a fixed price give diners the idea that they are getting value for money and that they are able to taste a greater variety than they would have by ordering from a standard menu. This way they also trust the chef to choose the best items from the a la carte menu that will show off the restaurant’s variety best.

The tapas menu: This traditional Spanish way of eating is making its way into menus all over the world by offering diners a more social way of eating, interacting with each other by sharing multiple smaller bowls of food and dining for longer periods of time.

Fast food vs fine dining: Studies from Bournemouth University have shown that customers prefer 6 options per section on a fast food menu (starters, chicken, fish, pasta, pizza etc.) as opposed to 7 options for starters and desserts on a fine dining menu (and 10 options for main courses). Endless lists of menu items might give diners the idea that they’re ordering from “the deep freeze” and should be steered clear of.

Seasonal and local: Mentioning in-season items on menus is getting more popular on menus around the world, catering for diners who feel proud of being more conscious about choosing (mostly) artisanal local produce and sustainable sources. Some restaurants benefit from crediting or mentioning their suppliers (e.g. “Stanford Boerenkaas and Hillcrest fig preserve on toasted Schoon de Compagne sourdough”), while others keep it simple and train staff to answer any further enquiries accurately.

3. CLEVER MENU DESIGN:

It’s been proven that diners read menus in a Z-shape, nudging restaurants into placing a signature dish (or high profit option) first and last on the list. Placing some options in boxes also create a lot of attention, and giving dishes authentic foreign language names can add to their perceived authenticity (and spark conversations between diners and waiters).

Many restaurants have also benefited from clever engineered menu tricks like placing one very high priced item on their list, catching attention, but drawing the diners to the less expensive item right next to it with a higher profit margin, making it seem cheap in comparison. Another clever trick is to not place prices in one column, preventing price shopping. This way the diner is more drawn to the description of the dish, as opposed to the price.

4. MAKING A SMART SALE:

Never underestimate the power of making a smart sale by offering written assistance on your menu, like: “Ask your waiter for our special of the day” or “Did you know we do functions? Ask your friendly waiter for more info.”

Get the basics right of creating a great menu and you’re one step closer to a successful restaurant with returning, happy customers.

Sources:

www.theguardian.com, www.seattlemet.com, www.menucoverdepot.com, www.vector-eps.com