Tips on How to Build a Restaurant Menu
One of the most important selling tools in the restaurant is the restaurant menu. For that reason, your restaurant menu design will have an impact on your guest experience and profit margins. Whether it is an online menu, a printed menu, or a digital menu board just above the counter, a high-quality menu design can boost your restaurant’s profits. All you need is customizable menu templates and everything else will fall in place much to your delight. Here are helpful tips on how to build a restaurant menu.
Tip 1: Learn How to Write Out Your Menu Items
Before you even design your menu, you have to write down your restaurant menu items. In this case, you need to use menu engineering tools such as Google Sheet and Excel. Pen and paper can also come in handy when drafting your menu descriptions.
So, during this crucial menu-building process, list out the menu items (meals) you want to sell. Take advantage of Google Sheets because it is easy to copy, cut, and paste. Also, Google Sheets allows you to paste different menu items, which are saved automatically.
Tip 2: Categorize Your Menu Items
When making your restaurant menu, categorize all your menu items. In this sense, categorize these items into entrees, desserts, appetizers, or any other category of profitable items. Once you have placed each menu item in its right place, you can decide which items you want to feature prominently on your restaurant menu.
For instance, you may design your restaurant menu with appetizers appearing at the top of the list. Such items that you want to appear at the top should be popular or earn you high profits. Simply adjust menu items to achieve the exact order sequence you want them to appear on your restaurant menu.
Tip 3: Create Vivid Menu Descriptions
Whether you are setting up a new restaurant or upgrading the existing one, knowing how to build a restaurant menu is essential. As such, you need to include detailed and well-written menu descriptions in your new menu.
Hire an experienced copywriter to help design and create eye-catching menu item descriptions and graphic designs that appeal to everyone. Alternatively, you can consult the chef responsible for creating menu items for more inspiration.
Once you have this information in the back of your mind, you can proceed to write down a brief description of your best menu items. Use enticing and descriptive adjectives like crispy, savory, tangy, refreshing, crunchy, sweet, or sour to inspire your customers’ imagination.
Tip 4: Choose the Right Menu Color Scheme
Once you have everything ready for your restaurant menu, the next task should be to decide on the best menu color scheme. Make sure to settle for a color scheme that resonates well with your restaurant brand. Choose at least three colors that will make your menu easily noticeable.
Apart from that, you can choose your restaurant menu to be in white and black to save some money on printing. Most importantly, familiarize yourself with the psychology of restaurant colors and menu maker tools such as:
- ColorDot for color palette tool
- Adobe Color CC for color wheel tool
- CoIRD for color inspiration
Tip 5: Set Your Restaurant Menu Prices
When it comes to creating your restaurant menu, the menu prices need a little consideration. Bear in mind that you cannot just decide on the prices arbitrarily because they warrant foot cost analysis. On that note, you need to take a while to learn the ropes of pricing your restaurant menu and how to portray them.
If you are updating a previous restaurant menu, make sure to include your current prices of meals. Take a step back and analyze the menu prices for all items based on your point of sale system. If possible, tweak the prices of some menu items a bit to make them appeal to your customers. Proofread each new menu item while adjusting food costs and menu prices accordingly.
Tip 6: Design an Effective Restaurant Menu
Designing your restaurant menu is the most challenging part on how to build a restaurant menu. All your hard work, planning, and time are translated into your menu design. Make your work easy by hiring knowledgeable and experienced designers who can create a menu list for your digital signage display. Give them a detailed menu item spreadsheet and preferred color scheme to make their task easier and timeless.
Your restaurant menu must be easy to read and understand. Remind yourself of the golden triangle when designing the menu itself. Most significantly, use the top dollar signs strategically for easy menu price comparison by customers when fine dining at your newly opened restaurant. You may also introduce QR codes and online ordering on your restaurant website for easy transactions.
Are You Ready to Build Your Restaurant Menu?
The tips on how to build a restaurant menu serve as a guideline for creating an all-inclusive menu list. As a restaurant owner and restaurateur, you need to study each tip provided above seriously before coming up with your menu design, format, and font type. Take advantage of available social media platforms to showcase your newly built restaurant and attract new customers.