Close your eyes and imagine your perfectly designed menu, laid out with precision, intention, and care. You’ve listened to advice about the “sweet spot” and placed your most profitable and highest selling item in the right hand corner, using visual cues to highlight specific offerings
However, the best design can only do so much if your copy is underwhelming, even a little bland. It definitely doesn’t make a good reflection of the food you’ve put so much care into. Much like design, good menu copy requires an equal mixture of technicality and artistry. If employed properly, well-written copy can boost sales by up to 15%.
Lucky for you, you can spice up the copy on your menu to increase sales with just a few easy tricks.
Don’t set yourself up for price comparison
According to a study done on menu price presentation, doing something as simple as leaving out the dollar sign can increase sales. This psychological trick softens the blow of the price and is incredibly simple to implement.
Additionally, studies have also shown that placing prices in a column on the right of the menu causes customers to focus on the price rather than the item. A good solution to this is to list the price with the item description.
Use descriptive language
Who wants a burger with fries when they can have a tender, juicy, grass-fed handmade patty with housemade aioli on a brioche bun served with thick, hand cut fries seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper?
According to menu engineering expert Aaron Allen, descriptive language can increase sales by up to 30%. You don’t have to be crafty with words either. Something as simple as adding descriptive words like “savory”, “succulent”, “creamy” in front of an item can be effective at getting customers’ mouths to water.
Likewise, words or phrases that evoke nostalgia or sentiment also tested well with consumers. In a study done by Dr. Brian Wansink of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, phrases like “grandma’s” or “homestyle” in their descriptors tended to sell more.
Location, location, location
In keeping with today’s trend, customers are well-informed and curious about where their food comes from. An easy way to tell a story to make your food more appealing is to talk about where the food came from and who made it. In fact, a National Restaurant Association survey of 700 chefs found that locally sourced and farm-branded ingredients are a top trend this year. Increase sales by telling customers where your ingredients come from.
Ready to boost your menu copy and your sales?
Three Research-Backed Ways to Use Menu Copy To Increase Sales Click To Tweet
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