Eaters, Put on Your Tinfoil Hats

Tessa — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:34:00 GMT

Who knew that a menu could control your thoughts? It turns out that it can, in a way. It can be used to suggest items, and often, the suggestive power of a carefully crafted menu actually works. A blog on the Baltimore Sun’s site examines the power of menus to lead customers to exactly the items the chef hopes they’ll order. One of the sources for the post is an in-depth look at menu design by Restaurants USA from 2000, no less relevant today. Both are an interesting read, and in the end, you can see how this kind of “mind manipulation” is actually a win for both parties. The chef highlights the signature dish or the dishes with the highest profit margin, and the customer gets a menu that is attractive, easy-to-read, and acts as a guide in the decision-making process.

According to Restaurants USA, the average increase in revenue from a menu redesign is between 2 and 10 percent. That in itself might just be reason enough to give your menus a second look. Feeling inspired? Take a look at all the menu-making options available at Serv-U, and if you’re thinking of adding food photography to your new menus, make sure to dress up each dish with attractive plating, from melamine dinnerware to fine china plates. Questions? Just call us at 800-797-3788 or click the picture of the customer service representative at the top left corner of each page of the site.

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Eaters, Put on Your Tinfoil Hats