When it comes to the business world, perhaps no area is more competitive than restaurants. To succeed in this area of business requires not only a willingness to put in long hours, but also a level of creativity that cannot be matched by one’s competitors.
However, creativity should not be limited to food alone. To truly get people’s appetites going at full throttle, having a great-looking menu is also necessary. The best food menu designs come in a variety of different styles and concepts, but each in its own way inspires customers to sit back and enjoy their meal.
Vibrant Colors
Many of the best food menu designs incorporate lots of vibrant, eye-catching colors into their design. Bright colors such as yellow are often used on the front cover of the restaurant menu, immediately getting the attention of customers. In fact, research has shown that bright colors do more than just get people’s attention.
When it comes to eating, they can lead to such things as:
- Ordering more food than they otherwise would have
- Eating slower during the meal, which means more drink sales
- Putting customers in a positive mood
By using these colors that act as natural appetite stimulators, restaurant owners can count on bigger orders time and time again.
Nostalgic Designs
Almost everyone loves to think back to days of yesteryear. Many restaurants capitalize on these fond memories by using retro-styling on their menus.
Widely considered some of if not the best food menu designs available for restaurant owners, helping people return to simpler times at the malt shop or other favorite eating establishment is almost sure to draw customers.
Plenty of Pictures
Most people are visually stimulated, so one of the best food menu designs involves using lots and lots of pictures. Everything from the biggest burger to the most scrumptious dessert should be included, and it’s always recommended to use a professional photographer who is skilled in food pictures for this assignment.
Pictures can be used in many ways, but generally are used in such spots as:
- The front cover of the menu
- Next to popular menu items on inner pages
- On “table tents” left at the end or middle of each table
While the latest trend is to use pictures all over the inside of the menu as well, using them primarily on the front and back cover instantly gets the attention of hungry customers.
Other Options
In addition to the above-mentioned ideas, some of the best food menu designs in use today include:
- Having the menu resemble a book
- Picture menus instead of just text
- Retro typography
Some restaurants have their menus set up with type that resembles that of an old-style manual typewriter, helping to evoke past memories in customers while stressing simplicity. Some have even made their menus resembles diaries, which is being used more in upscale restaurants.
Whatever option you decide to use for your restaurant’s menu, it’s clear today’s menus are about far more than just the food listed inside of them. Simple design changes can make a significant difference to your restaurant’s bottom line. It’s also important to use a restaurant website builder to put your menu online to gain more attention.
