First, list your restaurant items in a spreadsheet. Make sure to include dishes that are cost-effective and profitable.
Menu engineers call the areas where customers glance first on a menu the “Golden Triangle.” Put your most popular and cost-effective items in that area of the page.
Design
A menu is not just a mere list of food items. It conveys your restaurant’s quality standards, dining experience, and ambiance to diners. It can even affect your table turnover rate.
Once you have all of your menu items arranged on the Google sheet in an order that makes sense, it’s time to start thinking about graphic design. To begin with, choose a color scheme that aligns with the restaurant.
You’ll want to avoid placing price information in an easily scannable column, which can cause customers to focus on your cheapest options. Instead, consider removing the dollar sign to de-emphasize your prices. It can make your menu feel more organic and authentic, too.
Layout
Before designing your menu, decide what kind of food you will serve. For example, will you be a Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant, a plant-based joint that recreates classic comfort foods, or an intimate fine-dining establishment? Once you have a clear idea of the concept of your restaurant, write down all the dishes you want to offer.
Use enticing descriptions to promote your simple food menu Greenwood, VA. Avoid using empty adjectives instead of words that evoke memories and emotions.
Prioritize simplicity and readability over design aesthetics. Clutter can be distracting and demanding for customers to process. Also, if your menu is too long, customers may lose focus and choose the wrong dish.
Colors
Choosing the right colors to use on your menu can have an enormous impact on the success of your restaurant. Whether running a Mediterranean fast-casual specializing in fresh and healthy fare or an intimate fine-dining establishment, you’ll want to use colors that align with your restaurant’s concept.
For example, orange stimulates the appetite, while brown conveys earthy and natural vibes. To highlight specific menu items or prices, you may use contrasting colors.
It’s important to remember that color evokes different emotions in people, and using it wisely can help you encourage and modify specific guest behaviors and preferences. When in doubt, consult your target market for ideas on what colors will resonate with them.
Fonts
The fonts you choose to use on your restaurant menu should match the overall tone of your establishment. For example, try a display font like Pumpkin Butter for a more whimsical look. This font balances serifs and scripts with soft swashes, creating an elegant yet fun style perfect for a casual restaurant menu.
Choose a sans-serif font like Helvetica if you want a more classic style. This font is easy to read and will keep customers from being distracted by a complicated design on your menu.
Arial is another excellent choice for a simple, readable font. This font can be used for large and small text on any menu type.
Images
When designing your food menu, the imagery you use is vital. You want to ensure the images are attractive and fit for your restaurant. You also want to use high-quality photos.
If you need help designing your food menu, plenty of templates are available online for free or at an affordable price. You can also find more unique designs, like this Western variant food menu designed in a proportional landscape style. Its image could persuade customers to taste your delicious foods. Moreover, this design has the perfect layout and professional font.
