How to Design a Menu?

How to Design a Menu?

What does menu design mean? How to prepare restaurant menu designs? What does menu creation mean? What should be considered when designing a menu? Those looking for menu designs and design tips for the most stunning restaurant food menus. Frankly, I felt that I had to express an opinion on the menu design subject to the best of my knowledge, so I did some research on this subject.

In order to better understand the explanatory information, I will give tags in order to connect with the similar articles I have written before and to explain the subject in more detail. When you go to the linked articles, you will have much more detailed information about that subject within my service areas.

The Most Used Names When I Look at Restaurant Menu Designs, which is one of the items that should be answered at the very beginning of the question of How to Open a New Restaurant;

• Refined Menu Design,
• Avant-garde Menu Design,
• Elegant Menu Design,
• Haute Cuisine Menu Design,
• Fine Dining Menu Design,
• Flame Cuisine Menu Design,
• Casual Dining Menu Design,
• Best Steak Restaurant Menu Design...

--I regret to state that I call all of these "High Restaurant" Menus Or Menus In My Own Language (except for words that cannot be translated into other languages).

Using foreign words in restaurant names in food names, restaurant concepts and Concept Types doesn't make restaurants more successful, and it doesn't make the food more delicious either!!! Something is either in Turkish or in another language. First of all, let's learn how to do something in our own language, then I hope we learn how to do it in other languages.

You do not have to fill in the blanks in the menu, (How to Design a Menu?) especially in answering the question of how to fill in the A la Carte Kitchen menu designs, which is one of the most asked questions. Maintain simplicity in the main theme, provided that it is according to the restaurant concept.

Frankly, before I wrote my article, I did a research on the relevant search engines and I would like to express that I am saddened by the articles I have read. Concepts and definitions are intertwined. The fact that I encountered huge mistakes in the theses of academics prepared on this subject, along with people and publication sites who are seen as experts on the subject, further strengthened my thought of writing an article on this subject. Mine won't actually be an article.

Menu design has nothing to do with creating menu content. But it may have something to do with how the menu contents should be placed in the menu. I would also like to warn those who write related articles here.

I don't want to pass without mentioning the mistake I saw in the articles and expert articles I researched and I want to make two definitions...

1- What Does Menu Design Mean?

Menu design; It is the creation of the menu types of Marka Restaurant available in food, beverage and accommodation establishments in the form, image, pattern, aesthetics, graphic, design and design of the desired sizes and in the order of the specified food types, taking into account the operating principles and concept.

If I need to explain the design issue in more detail, taking into account the decisions of the restaurant management;

• Paper Weights
• Whether the Cover will be used or not,
• What Material Should the Menu Cover Be Made of
• (Leather, Metal Accents, Paperback, Plastering, Glossy, Matte, Etc.),
• principles,
• Food Categories,
• Patterns,
• Color Adjustments,
• Number of pages,
• Pictures to be used,
• Dimensions of Pictures,
• Vitality of Pictures,
• Where Which Picture Will Be Used,
• Font Sizes,
• In which fonts the texts will be used,
• Smart Signs,
• Descriptions,
• Enlightening Information...

--In order to have the most successful restaurant menu in the best restaurants of the city in the sector, the relevant headings can be listed as above. I wrote an article about restaurant menu design, the importance and features of the restaurant menu. I say it again, Menu design is all about the aesthetics, design, size and appearance of the restaurant menu.

2- What Does Menu Creation Mean?

A restaurant concept has definitely been created by the authorities of the restaurant to be opened. The concept and the menu are directly linked to each other as they form the main identity of the restaurant. First of all, my advice is to create the menu by taking into account the Restaurant Opening Budget. Because the contents of the restaurant menu will inspire everything that will occur later.

The restaurant concept and other reasons to be considered are as follows;

• Restaurant Class,
• Service Areas of the Restaurant,
• Supply chain,
• Local Products,
• Restaurant Location,
• Seasonal Features,
• Kitchen Types,

--It may be among the reasons to be taken into account in order not to make the Most Common Mistakes While Opening a New Restaurant. Of course, not all of them are limited to these reasons. After completing the definitions on menu creation and menu design, I would like to talk about our main topic, "Menu design".

Now, I want to do the Menu design, which is the main topic of the article, which is among the answers to the question of How to Make a Restaurant Menu, in a different way. I thought that if I organized the restaurant menu design in the form of questions and answers, it would be better understood and taken into account. If people who have attracted their attention do the relevant research, they will most likely come across some of the articles I wrote about gastronomy counseling and they will have more detailed information.

At the same time, I believe that those who want more information in order to have a permanent restaurant will definitely contact me for restaurant consultancy and menu consultancy. Now I list the most important issues in menu design in the form of questions;

• Let the person or people who will make the menu design reflect the restaurant concept, Restaurant Concept Design and menu contents to their imaginations.
• Never include unnecessary text in the restaurant menu.
• Only the logo of the restaurant can be used on the menu cover, provided that it is not too big.
• Only your website and slogan can be placed at the bottom of the back cover.
• Never include unnecessary information such as recipes in the food menu.
• Open kitchens can be reflected in designs in restaurants with Show Cuisine in high restaurants.
• Warning with smart signs of allergens that may be found in your guest portfolio,
• Chef's advice, put smart marks on vegan meals, vegetarian food, Geographically marked products or meals that children can eat (you can check out sample restaurant menus on this subject).
• Use more friendly and short names for the menus of the day.
• Do not include foreign words in the Turkish restaurant menu, foreign words do not make the food more delicious.

• Offer clear and understandable designs in our own language, away from clutter in your restaurant menus.
• You can use simple, Smart signs for sure success in menu design.
• Consider seasonal features in menu designs for high-end restaurants and regional restaurants. (Summer menu-winter menu)
• Use 3 fonts in the restaurant menu (main categories, food names and descriptions.)
• The fonts should be large enough to be read from a distance of 35-40 cm.
• Use a color variant according to the class of your restaurant. Try not to go into too many color variants.
• You can list your favorite dishes or special dishes under a separate heading in the Menu Types,
• Use at most two languages ??in your best restaurant (Fine dining, elegant, avant-garde) menus, or you can consider choosing a second language as a second menu.

Never, ever act by thinking about the right or left side of the menu. List the food categories under the main headings according to international restaurant and menu standards.

So what should be the sections of the restaurant food menu? (What is the Importance of Has Chef-Restaurant Menu, How Should It Be Made?)

Especially in the restaurant classes I mentioned, lunch and dinner are usually provided. The opening hours of such restaurants are after 10 at the earliest. However, guests can request breakfast and soup. The following examples are non-standard. It can be reduced or increased with new options according to the class and concept of the restaurant. If I were to list the parts of the food menu briefly:

• Breakfast And Soups,
• Cold Starts,
• Hot Starts,
• Salads,
• Our Special Meals
• Main Dishes,
• Sea products,
• Desserts...

It can consist of titles such as -- . In New Restaurant Projects, these sections may be more depending on the characteristics of the restaurant, the number of product types and the concept. If I refer to the additional food menu sections;

• From our Black Furnace,
• Our Special Meals,
• Pita Or Pizzas,
• Pastas,
• Fishes,
• Pot Dishes,
• Bakery Dishes,
• pastries,
• Ice Cream Types
• Fruits,

-- Like etc. Menu sections can be created. It is important that the page funds are absolutely plain in the design dimension. For those who want to use an image, there can be only one image per page. The image design can also cover up to 50% of the page, which is faint and does not affect the text.

• The back cover of the restaurant menu can be used blank.
• Do not enlarge the prices on the menu pages noticeably (except for refined, high-end restaurants, avant-garde restaurants), if you trust your class, do not write prices on the menu.
• Do not use more than one image for each page.
• Or the pictures used in the Most Successful Restaurants should definitely not stand out in front of the menu contents.

• If you want to use the pictures of the dishes, put the sign there is a picture next to each dish and add additional pages to the end of the menu booklet and use it in the picture section. I would like to remind you here that if the food will not come as pictured when ordered, do not use it at all.
• Let the main page background and existing patterns and font types be the same on all pages of the food menu. 

• In refined, high-end, avant-garde restaurants, make sure to arrange the restaurant beverage menu as a second booklet. But it should have the same menu design as the food menu.
• Try not to use leather covers according to world 2022 restaurant trends.
• Cardboard cover pattern plastering and matt watermark patterns can be applied on menu covers for the world 2022 new food trends.

• In high restaurants, menu pages may consist of 350 grams of paper (it can be wiped clean, it does not wear out in a short time).
• Even if it consists of at least 3 sentences, the second page may include restaurant principles.
• You can indicate gluten-free products in the menu with smart signs.

• You can inform your guests by listing all smart signs at the bottom of the pages with explanatory small fonts.
• Try to reflect the most different menu designs of Haute Cuisine menu, Fine dining menu, elegant menu, avant-garde menu and Bistro menu concepts, pattern, simplicity, movement, color, style, classical and modern concepts and page structure differences with your designs.

One of the most frequently asked questions by those who want to open a new restaurant is what to consider when designing a restaurant menu. As it is a subject related to menu design consultancy, it is done by graphic designers who are experienced in the related graphic design.

It reflects the restaurant concept in terms of local, wise, Turkish and international prestige of the restaurant business. At the same time, this work is a work of art with superior virtues.

Restaurant menu designs are also a study where guests can find answers to questions about the restaurant and food. These answers are sometimes hidden in a sign and sometimes in design patterns.

More comfortable, friendly and lively figures can be used in food menus such as hamburger, cafe, pizzeria, pizzeria, street delicacies, take away and address delivery, as well as lighter papers and illustrations in more suitable sizes. Many different sizes of fonts and images can be used. At the same time, I recommend that you do not forget that you make your Restaurant Promotions while sending or receiving meals in such menus.

When you consider the importance you give to your brand in menu designs, the characteristics of your restaurant, the quality and your restaurant concept in answering the questions What Should I Pay Attention to When Opening a New Restaurant, do not forget that your corporate identity can increase the sales of your food varieties. Collaboration with international restaurant consultants on this subject may lead to a more successful work in menu designs.

Service Personnel Errors Can Also Be Reduced To The Lowest Level In The Most Successful Menu Designs...

According to gastronomy research, guest satisfaction in restaurant management and the reasons why guests prefer it are one of the most important ways to success, so the details in your menu should not drown your regulars. Your guests, who prefer you according to your concept, should not be disappointed when they start to examine your food menu. Do not forget that the name of the very good is not quality. Quality means standard. If you can maintain the standard in your products, you will be successful...

Lastly, if I were to give some clues in the answer to the question of how to create sample restaurant menus in menu analysis, apart from menu design;

• Prefer Menu Types with High Profitability and Lower Cost,
• Highlight the products with high profit margins by keeping them at the top,
• Prefer Varieties so that a Product Can Be Used in Several Kinds of Meals,
• Try to Include Local Products in Casual Dining Menus
• The menu content is not determined by asking your kitchen and service personnel and taking into account the new restaurant budget!
• You can leave it to the guest's choice with which side dishes to choose the future with the main dishes.
• You can include additional options according to the guest's preference in the salad, pasta and breakfast options (subject to an extra fee.)
• Do not use foreign words in the Tekçe section of the food menu. This Doesn't Make Your Meals More Delicious,
• Use Foreign Words in the Second Language Selection Section,
• Specify the Main Foods in the Meal in the Explanation Section,

*** You can contact me through my contact information for more information on the subjects specified in the above Article and to get support on the topics within my service areas for gastronomy consultancy. ***

Ahmet Ozdemir

Has Aşçıbaşı & Exc. Chef

International Restaurant and Cuisine Consultant

Ottoman and Turkish Cuisine World Volunteer Ambassador