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I wrote about the importance of Location and a comprehensive Business Model in my first two posts. Now, I want to write about another critically important element for a restaurant, the restaurant menu.

Designing a menu is also one of the key success factors for a restaurant because it is how the restaurant communicates to its customers at a fundamental level.  The menu must be pleasing to the eye with warm colors and a simple format. It must be easy to read and understand, and it must not have too many pages.  Simple is best because too much detail confuses the customer.

Menu design is both an art and a science, and requires some research and thought because every element of a menu is essential.  The critical elements in menu design include the color and type of paper, the size and shape of the menu, the size and type of font selected, the placement and pricing of each menu item, and the language used to describe each dish.  All these are fundamental elements, but each will have a significant effect on the “look and feel” of the menu. 

Select the highest quality paper that is cost-effective for your restaurant.  With today’s printers and the quality of paper available, you can print your menus in-house.  Being able to print the menu in-house provides the greatest flexibility for a restaurant because menus can be changed quickly if necessity dictates.

Select and use a font or fonts that are easily readable.  Use bold and italics to highlight key points on the menu.

The number and placement of menu items must be analyzed, thought through, and cost-justified.  The management team of the restaurant should be able to explain why each item is on the menu.  The selection of menu items is one of the primary decision points for a restaurant, as is the price selected for the menu items. 

The pricing of menu items must be rationalized and based upon a cost analysis of ingredients and a review of prices of competitors and the marketplace in general.

Each menu item should have at least one sentence that describes the dish in some detail.  The purpose of this descriptive sentence is to create an image in the customer’s mind.  

Menus should also include vital information about the restaurant, as well as present the restaurant’s story in capsule form.  All space on a menu is valuable, so place this information in a header or footer.

A well-designed menu will be the foundation for the success of your restaurant.  Your investment in an outstanding menu will pay big dividends.