If we talk about the visual impact on the client, it is impossible to choose a universal way. For some people the text is more important, for others – the picture, it all depends on the psycho-type of person.
People who focus on visual information are considered visual. According to statistics, there are more of them among the younger generation. If you open a cafe, aimed precisely at this target audience, the menu is better to complement the photographs.
Moreover, it is scientifically proven that ¾ of the information we perceive visually. So, thanks to the illustration, the client gets the best idea about the dish and more willingly makes an order. As you see, everything points in favor of placing photos in the restaurant menu. However, it requires the participation of a professional photographer and retoucher. A colorful picture of high quality stimulates appetite and forms an attractive image in people’s eyes.
Menu Concept
The menu is actually the first thing the customer sees when they visit the café. Before setting the style of design, you have to choose the format. The concept includes three aspects:
Informative – long or short.
Visibility – with or without photos.
Quantity – one or more.
Long or short menu?
In the restaurant business there is an unwritten rule: the longer the menu, the more time it takes to serve customers. While the guest studies a long assortment, the owner literally loses money. Waiters have to additionally consult visitors on each item, and the restaurant’s profitability declines.
In addition, a long menu looks cluttered, harder to read. Just imagine: an almost endless list of dishes with detailed descriptions of composition, volume, cost. To absorb so much information for a couple of minutes is difficult enough.
Too short a menu – also not the most advantageous for the cafe. There is a risk of missing part of the target audience. The optimal number of items per category is about 7-10. The volume is determined by the profile of the institution.
Contrary to popular belief, a short menu does not reduce the number of orders. What matters here is not the quantity but the quality. Over time, the cafe will acquire loyal customers who will order the same list of dishes. It is possible to adjust the volume of offers, taking into account the positions that are in demand.
Separately worth mentioning is the visualization of the menu. In addition to photos, it is possible to place advertising information: slogans, logos. The menu, designed in the spirit of your institution, increases recognition. The main thing is that the design should not shift the vector of attention from the food to the decorative elements.