How To Properly Lay Out Your Restaurant Menu

Because restaurant menus are so crucial to the overall success of any restaurant, it is important that you know exactly how to format them.  The first step is choosing the dishes you want to offer and how much they will cost. Make sure there are a few inexpensive dishes, below the average price asked for a meal, as well as a few expensive dishes.  It is also a good idea to cater to those who may be vegetarian, vegan, or people who need to take in more heart-healthy foods.  Also, offering specials for seniors, military, and other groups is a great way to reel people in and keep those people coming back for more.

Next, you'll want to write descriptions for those dishes based on your restaurant style.  This means that if you have a more casual establishment, such as a deli or café, you'll want to keep your descriptions short and to the point.  Formal restaurants however, require more extensive information about each menu item, such as descriptions of the particular ingredients and their preparation.  You will also want to make a note next to any menu items that are particularly spicy, which contain ingredients that people may be allergic to, or which cater to specific dietary needs.

Another step you'll want to take with your restaurant menu design is to break down the sections of the menu, classifying foods by region, style, time of day, and primary ingredients.  It is also a good idea to choose high quality photos for your menu, as people are visual beings and like to see what something looks like before they choose to purchase it. Clip art illustrations are normally a bad choice for a professional menu – avoid them if at all possible!

The last thing you want to do with your menu is to proof read the entire menu, as errors in a menu send a negative message to the people that come into your restaurant.  Also, getting the owner, manager, and chef to sign off on the design and content of the menu is important, as they are three of the most essential people in a restaurant setting. When you are finished with the menu, don't hesitate to check into improving some other aspects of your restaurant such as the table tents, check presenters, and reservation books.  Using all these tools together are key in making your restaurant a place that people want to visit time and time again.

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