Optimizing menu design amidst shifting consumer preferences, technological advancements, and volatile market trends can feel like navigating a labyrinth. But, case studies of digital ordering sales optimization prove it's worth the work.

Even the largest “household” brands must face a challenge of increasing complexity head-on. Using psychology, customer data, and online ordering can help you overcome short-term complexity through buying patterns and predicted behavior. 

In print or online, custom menus captivate customer palates (and their pockets) with strategic layouts, recipe “narratives,” and quick, efficient menu formats. A menu template should tirelessly produce demand for your business. Along the way, get better sales, market targeting, and operational efficiency through online ordering for enterprise. 

Take these 16 restaurant menu design concepts to help your restaurant increase sales. Tailor each menu design idea you like with your brand’s customer profile, cloud POS data, and personality.

Key Takeaway: Making a modern menu demands evidence-based, data-driven strategies to build positive experiences, increase loyalty, and scale online orders. 

8 Menu Design Ideas for More Orders

According to reports in the industry, every dollar saved in reducing restaurant food waste becomes seven dollars earned. Ultimately, cost-aware menu design ideas can powerfully help your restaurant’s cost management. 

These cost-saving menus satisfy customer palates and watch over your bottom line. Explore these restaurant menu designs for cost reduction, and then bundle your culinary creations with business savings. 

Combo-Ready Menus

Your customers might savor multiple dishes at a slashed rate with this menu design idea. Combo-ready menus include items that naturally pair together. 

Economical from the customer’s view, these menu designs boost order volume, increasing restaurant revenue.

Seasonal Item Menu

This menu design thrives on the freshness of seasonal produce. Dishes are organized around what's currently abundant and affordable, adding to order likeliness. It entices customers to try your limited offerings, advancing sales. These fit many farm-to-table and health-conscious restaurants.

Limited Stock Menu

Low or limited stock menu designs aim at a simple message: order these dishes first. To achieve this, the menu only lists dishes made from select ingredients, reducing food cost and waste. 

Offering a time-limited and once-in-a-while recipes speeds up decision-making for customers, driving orders more quickly. Select this design for small eateries or pop-up restaurants.

Staple Inventory Menu

The staple menu design idea leans on low-cost foods. In selection, it’s built for your pantry essentials, brings affordability to the table. 

Familiar, comfort foods help with repeat business when customers rely on those signature recipes to soothe, making it a strong choice for the casual dining spot.

Family-Style Menu

Family-style menus offer larger dishes meant to be shared. These menus encourage group orders, which can increase revenue per transaction. It's an attractive menu design idea for families and social gatherings, contributing to a much closer, improved customer experience.

Flat Fixed Menu

On a flat fixed menu, customers get a full meal experience at a predetermined price. With this menu design idea, you greatly simplify the online ordering platform process while cutting food costs through effective menu management and restriction. 

Work this menu into your fine dining establishments or as part of special events when you want added control over revenue, inventory costs, and service satisfaction.

Value-Driven Menu

Value-driven menus present high-quality options at great prices. This menu design highlights the best qualities of your food budget-conscious customers without sacrifices in quality. 

Increase customer loyalty and sales volume through menu design ideas like this: show savings and offer deals.

Off-Peak Menu

Off-peak menus offer reduced prices during specific times, driving customer traffic during slow hours. It's a beneficial menu design idea for boosting overall sales and managing demand effectively. Take this strategy for bars and casual dining restaurants.

8 More Sustainable Menus for Enterprise

In a world where health consciousness is growing, restaurants must adapt. Modern diners appreciate diversity and dietary options, but they value restaurant sustainability and satisfaction as well, if not more. 

Cater to their preferences to improve competition, increase sales, and help reputation through the very careful design of your menu. In the end, a health-aware  menu is more appealing for customers who embrace the movement toward healthy dining.

Vegetarian and Vegan Menu

A vegetarian and vegan menu caters to the rising plant-based diet trend. This menu design idea can attract more customers to your restaurant, especially those with specific food needs. 

Clear vegan, vegetarian, or perhaps pescatarian sections on your menu has become a must-have. Restaurants only stay relevant when they include customers in their design decisions.

Gluten-Free Menu

This menu design idea targets gluten intolerant diners and customers opting for a gluten-free lifestyle. 

By organizing dishes free from glutenous ingredients, you will improve the restaurant experience. Show your consideration through this customer-focused menu approach.

All Organic Menu

The all organic menu design uses ingredients free from additives, appealing to health-driven customers. Excluding cheap GMO foods helps your restaurant establish itself as high-quality and health-conscious.

It also can give your customers a reason to accept higher price points as you seek to increase revenue through price points. This kind of menu that highlights organic items treats your business to more business through more clean-eating customers.

Low-Calorie Menu

A low-calorie menu offers dishes with controlled caloric levels. The menu design idea basically encourages orders from a health-conscious or dieting perspective. 

Because many millions of people are specifically dieting at any given time, discover better customer acquisition for the fresh and fit eateries. 

Keto and Paleo Menu

The keto and paleo menu usually prepares a slimming list of high-order proteins and clean fats with very few carbohydrates. 

This menu would appeal to customers following such popular diets. And, with a focus on whole, unprocessed foods, the keto or paleo menu for restaurants broadens your existing customer base.

Whole Food Menu

Whole food menus focus mostly on minimally processed options. Ingredients in this menu design idea underline the natural, wholesome, and enriching parts of your preparations. 

Taking this appeals to healthy consumers as well as those seeking to balance their diet. Start here when pivoting your brand to occupy the health and wellness corner.

Sugar-Free Menu

A sugar-free menu attends to customers managing glucose intake. By delivering  deliciousness without the sugar content, your menu supports and includes different dining preferences for more customers.  

Try this inclusive, standout feature as effective restaurant promotion in almost any market, but especially for very young or more mature customer segments.

High-Protein Menu

High-protein menus fit the fitness angle for consumers. Such a menu design idea increased orders by attracting customers seeking food as fuel. 

Your customers' lifestyle, workouts, or weight management may want a profitable push with this menu design idea, especially if your restaurant operates near local gyms and similar hot spots.

Frequently Asked Questions About Menu Design Ideas

Discover the secrets of powerful menu design and its impact on customer behavior. Leverage this knowledge on picking a menu design, using the elements of effective marketing, and optimizing menus for strategic growth.

How do you pick and create a restaurant menu design?

Creating a restaurant menu involves a blend of culinary vision and marketing savvy. List all menu items and categorize them logically. By carefully pricing, titling, and describing items, you shape your customer’s perception of your brand. 

Use hunger-making menu color schemes, short-and-sweet recipe descriptions, and proven cross-selling strategies. You should also use customer order data to steer the design.

What are the basic elements of menu design?

Menu design's core elements include precise food descriptions, apt pricing, and a thoughtful layout. Overcrowded, wordy designs often repel customers, while a focus on clarity adds restaurant retention. 

Well-structured menus increase restaurant profits anywhere from 10% to 20% or more. Restaurants with real-time menu updating, food costing features, and automations make the process much simpler.

How to make a menu design more attractive?

An attractive menu design targets the first impression, eases reading, and draws attention to high-margin items. 

The design produces feelings, appetites, and added volume through color, graphics, and language choices. You can achieve higher revenues and sweeping operational benefits by adding restaurant tech solutions to your existing stack. 

Adding POS-integrated online ordering, for example, enables instant menu modification, making digital menu ordering pop for peak performance.