The use of digital menu displays can take your restaurant up a notch—your patrons will appreciate the sleek appearance of technology in your dining room, or perhaps you will choose to use the displays as a shining beacon to passersby outside your storefront. With crisp images and bright colors, digital menus give your restaurant a chance to entice potential customers with a sneak preview of the delicious food you have to offer.
However, all the technology in the world won’t benefit your business if your menu is poorly designed or difficult to read. By following some of the tips below, you can ensure that both the design and presentation of your menus will catch the eye and tantalize the taste buds.
- Take your time and treat your menu design for what it is—an important marketing tool! The Balance notes that your restaurant menu design deserves just as much attention as the items on the menu, which is absolutely correct.
- The most successful designs rely on categorization that makes sense and the arrangement of these categories in a way that is easily scanned and processed. Have an awareness of eye scanning patterns and arrange your groups accordingly. (New research has shown that the eyes of your patrons are drawn to the upper lefthand corner first, just like they’re reading a book.)
- Consider the use of boxes to lead the eye to the most important items, such as your restaurant’s signature dishes or the items with the highest profit margin.
- Keep in mind the mood of your menu design and focus on the big picture once you’ve got the details nailed down. You want to make sure that the tone of your menu matches your restaurant’s theme—otherwise, your customers will feel a disconnect that might confuse their dining experience.
- Finally, use colorful images of food to display your fresh ingredients and commitment to quality dining. This will add flair to your menus, allow your customers to visualize what they are ordering, and will make them hungry, too!
Remember, design and presentation work as a team. Even the savviest menu design won’t come across well to your patrons if it appears dull and lifeless or is difficult to read. If you fear that your menu isn’t putting its best foot forward, contact us today to inquire about the use of digital menu displays in your restaurant.
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