According to Merriam-Webster, a menu is “a list of the dishes that may be ordered (as in a restaurant) or that are to be served (as at a banquet)”.

Indeed true. However, a menu is much more than that. It offers an opportunity for you to sell yourself, to audition, to create an impression, to brand yourself. In some ways, it’s similar to a business card or a website. The look of a business card/website, what it says, how memorable it is, etc., all have an impact on how you, your business, your brand is perceived.

The power of a great menu…

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There’s nothing like good quality food. But the quality of a menu is also important. It can be a powerful PR/branding tool if utilised well. In fact, the perfect menu is PR enough.

The perfect menu promotes its brand in the way it presents itself. The science (and by science we mean the art and skill) is in, for example, its:

1) Design…

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Has a visual layout that’s balanced, proper use of white space is incorporated, any image/s used are relevant and complementary, font/s and colour/s are used in moderation, text is easy to read, the material it’s printed on is of good quality.

2) Uniformity…

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The look of a great menu complements the feel of a restaurant/cafe. It doesn’t look out of place with the layout of the eatery, but is in synergy/harmony with it, further contributing towards its brand.

3) Language/tone…

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The perfect menu doesn’t alienate, it welcomes. It doesn’t confuse, it’s understood (or wants to be). It doesn’t describe its dishes with fancifully elaborate words that distract from what the food actually is. For instance, ‘slow-cooked haricots cuits au four on toasted three-seeded bread’, when ‘baked beans on toast’ is what it is. Some eating establishments are guilty of this. It might very well lend itself to the image the business really wants to portray, but what is it really doing for the customer’s perception of the business’s brand?

4) Item numbering…

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Not every customer will know how to pronounce the name of a particular dish he/she wants to order. Some might be embarrassed to try or feel awkward while attempting to. Numbering a dish deals with that scenario should it occur. He/she simply says the number when ordering.

5) Pricing…

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The perfect menu is aware of its target demographic, its competition, how it wants to present/position itself, and charges accordingly. Within that, there are ways to persuade the likelihood of a purchase, such as charging £19.99 or £19.95 instead of £20.00, for instance. Or by not including a currency sign at all so less attention is paid to the price.

6) Unique dish…

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Some eateries have a particular dish on their menus that’s only unique to them. TGI Fridays has its Jack Daniel’s chicken wings. No other restaurant has ownership of that.

Nando’s, a popular Portuguese restaurant with a chain of branches in and around the UK, offers meat and vegetarian dishes. But what it’s best known for is its ‘PERi PERi’ chicken. ‘PERi PERi’ refers to the type of African chilli used as a marinade for their chicken before it’s flame-grilled, and varies in intensity from mild to very hot. That’s a dish that’s unique to Nando’s.

It’s a further way to stand out. A house special. Something that when mentioned, is automatically associated with the eatery. Having that adds to a menu’s character.

7) Choice of food types…

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A number of different customers may pass through an eating establishment’s doors with a number of food lifestyles and sensitivities – meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans, those sensitive to gluten, lactose or with nut/seafood allergies. A great menu takes that into account (by offering specific dishes catered to each group or offering dish alternatives). Example: offering soya milk instead of dairy; fish burgers instead of meat/chicken burgers – bean burgers instead of fish burgers. Gluten-free bread/pasta. Nut-free chocolate dessert.

The perfect menu also clearly states/indicates when a certain dish contains an ingredient that’s a common allergy.

8) Personality…

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Open a Nando’s menu and you’ll soon find that it’s far from your average menu. It’s written in good playful humour. For instance, on one side of the menu is a picture of what they call a ‘Peri-ometer’ which shows you the different levels of spice available for each dish. The Peri-ometer playfully describes Extra Hot as “Like tackling a ferociously fiery dragon in a furnace”, Hot as “Highly combustible – proceed with caution”, Medium as “hits the spot without scalding your tonsils” and the lowest spice level as “a mere hint of heat but a tidal wave of flavour”.

Its menu design matches the restaurant’s personality: colourful, warm, friendly and further extends its brand. Its dishes are described with humour and in easy-to-understand language (even when they play around with it at times – for example, “Choc-a-lot Cake”).

In effect, you’re living the Nando’s experience not just when you eat their food, but when you’re going through their menu. The company is selling itself every step of the way.

A menu isn’t just a menu…

A menu can be a very useful and powerful promotional tool in further reinforcing and communicating to a customer what your business is about. When properly utilised/well thought-out, it can be