11 amazing restaurant menu design tips
Creating an amazing menu design is essential for any restaurant. After all, it’s the first thing your diners interact with and can often be the deciding factor to stay. However, it cannot be designed in any manner – a menu must express your restaurant’s personality as well as its overall business goals to increase profitability and entice customers. And how will you be able to do it? Don’t panic! You’ll see that it’s as much fun as cooking: a little bit of this, a sprinkle of that and drumroll please – you’re done!
Let’s follow the recipe! First, make sure you have all ingredients on hand: understanding your customer’s needs, finding the right balance between spaces, colors and sizes, and paying attention to the little details. Then, as a method, use our restaurant menu design tips and, ready to serve! With Wepik, you’ll see there’s no need to be a Master Chef to produce a masterpiece. Keep reading!
How to design a good restaurant menu? Tips and Examples
1. Think first, design later
Before you jump into composing your restaurant menu, it’s important to first observe and analyze the competition in the area. Take a deeper look at your own restaurant and ask yourself: what does my restaurant menu offer that others don’t? What do we have in common? And does my menu offer more variety than theirs? Taking the time to consider these questions will guide you in designing a menu that stands out and meets your business goals. Whatever it is, make sure you have a plan before starting to create your menu – great ideas never come overnight!
2. Divide and separate
When it comes to menu design, you have to think like a sommelier: an optimal menu layout should be composed of clear sections, grouping related dishes in order to make it easier on the eye (and stomach!). Separating starters from main courses, fish from meat, and desserts from drinks can help diners orientate among the delicious offerings. Not only does this create cohesion within, but it also makes each dish pop. Your restaurant will shine like an oasis in a dessert menu wasteland!
3. Use boxes to focus
Boxes are a great way to create an appetite for the dishes ahead. They allow you to highlight special dishes, temporary offers, and menus of the day. It’s like having a visual appetizer plate before the actual meal! The sky is the limit when it comes to pointing out interesting items on your menu, even food pairings. Whether it’s two small plates together or one big plate with side dishes, there’s always room for creativity!
4. Eye tracking influence
Menu design is like an art form – you have to think carefully about how to capture the eye of the diner. According to several studies, customers usually start their journey by scanning the center of the menu and then move on to read it like a book – from the top right downwards. In the end, when it comes to delicious food, you don’t have time to waste!
5. Combine fonts
Fonts are a key component – we want your customers to place their orders! But fonts can be tricky beasts that require finesse: the right balance of font sizes and styles will be helpful for a quick and easy choice. Want to learn more? Check out our article about fonts pairing and learn all the tricks to becoming a menu design expert!
6. Mix colors
Menu design isn’t just about how it looks – it also depends on the colors you choose. Colors can help reinforce your brand identity and make your menu truly unique. But how do you go about choosing the right colors for your menu? If you need help getting started, come and visit Wepik’s article for pro tips about choosing a brand color – make your great idea come true!
7. Dollar signs
Who knew a little symbol could make such a difference? Leaving off the dollar sign can do wonders for a restaurant’s bottom line! Recent studies have found that without that tiny symbol in sight, people don’t think about money so much. Why? Because you’re essentially removing the reminder that money is involved in this transaction, and that makes them more likely to order. Smart restaurants are taking note of this trend, so kick the $ off the menu and let their wallets thank you later.
8. Use appetizing photos
A menu might look fancy, but in the end, it’s the food that will make enticing your customers! Less is more, so don’t overanalyze and worry too much about creating a complex menu. Instead, show off your delectable dishes with simple, inviting photos and let them speak for themselves. After all, if people can’t find something they like, no layout or design theory can help you out with that!
9. Reduce choices
Too many options can be a little overwhelming, and your diners should not have to spend more time deciding what to order than actually enjoying their meal. A slimmed-down menu can help focus attention on the items that really shine. Who wants to waste away the night agonizing over endless options instead of putting their taste buds to the test? Good things always come in small packages!
10. Translate your menu
Serving customers from all over the world? Don’t forget to design a multilingual menu! Having a menu with translations can make a world of difference. Not only does it ensure that diners understand what’s on offer, but it also shows them that you care about meeting their needs. Language should never be a barrier to someone getting the full experience of dining at your establishment!
11. Use restaurant menu templates to get inspired
Got an uphill battle designing a restaurant menu? We’ve got you covered! Wepik offers you a one-stop collection of totally free restaurant templates for all your design needs – perfect for inspiration or if you’re short on time! So why not take the hassle out of menu designing and let us do the hard work? Get creative today with Wepik!
