Posted: Sep 01, 2017
Of all the things that can have an impact on your bottom line, your menu is your primary tool. Unlike retail businesses where people may browse and leave, there is a very high chance at restaurants that visitors will purchase something to eat or drink. Menus are more than just a list of items for sale, then. Your menu is a tool of influence and persuasion when designed properly.
The common mistake most restaurant owners make when it comes to design is that they try too hard. Their menu becomes a dissertation of filler words and descriptions that leave the guest confused and overwhelmed by the number of words that fill up the menu page. The key is to understand that when it comes to menus we don’t really read them, we scan them. If you want to have a more effective menu that really can drive sales, then you need to set up and design your menu for the way most people look at it.
While an entire book could be written on the psychology of menu design and menu engineering, let’s focus on three simple Jedi mind tricks you can utilize to guide people to where you want them to buy.
1. Anchoring
Back in the 1980s, psychologist discovered that exposure to certain words could encourage consumers to buy items they suggested. This is done through a price comparison and it works quite effectively.
Have you ever been to a high-end steakhouse and seen this on the menu?
PB& J + Louis Roederer Cristal
Hand crafted peanut butter & jelly + vintage sparkling champagne 197.00
Chilled Mixed Seafood Platter
mango butter lobster + chipotle shrimp + blue point oysters with green apple -black pepper mignonette 87.00
The restaurant sells very few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a bottle of champagne, however they sell quite a few of the chilled mixed seafood platters. Anchoring works when you put the most expensive item first. After that the item in place after the most expensive appears to be a much better value.
2. The One Point Font Change
Here’s another easy one that basically uses how our brains are naturally wired to focus in on a menu item we want to increase sales on. The oldest part of our brain is commonly referred to as the reptilian brain. This part of your brain is responsible for a lot of your survival mechanisms like the fight or flight response. It's hardwired to notice things out of the normal, such as, "Is that a saber tooth tiger about to eat me?"
Just as our brains can play tricks on us, we can play tricks to draw the eye to exactly where we want on the menu. Take a look at these items:
From The Grill....Steaks & More!
24 oz. buffalo ribeye
roasted garlic mashed + baby carrots + merlot reduction 42
the ribeye
16 oz. center cut steak + achiote potatoes + haricot vert + red wine butter sauce 35
roasted poblano & veal meatloaf
mashed potatoes + sautéed mushrooms + cabernet demi + red chile onion rings 20
brown sugar cured beef tenderloin
our signature steak!
8 oz. hand cut filet + wild mushroom enchiladas + fire roasted corn & pepper demi 28
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