One day it dawned on me that our online menu wasn’t just a list of what we serve; it was the first taste of us that folks got. Making it look good, easy to read, and as inviting as our front door was important. I started putting real effort into making our menu descriptions clearer, snapping better photos of our dishes, and making sure the prices were right on the money.
🤣 “ I orchestrated an edible symphony, each dish a perfect note in a harmonious melody of flavors, transforming our menu into a masterpiece that sang to our patrons.” Quote of the day
A Little Story of Big Changes
Boosting Our Sales
I stumbled upon some research from Cornell University’s hotel school saying a smartly laid-out menu could boost profits by up to 15%. That got me thinking about how we present our dishes and describe them. The effort paid off, with more customers ordering our highlighted specials and spending a bit more.
Getting to Know What Diners Want
I read somewhere that a whopping 77% of diners peek at a restaurant’s website before deciding to eat there or order out. And get this—nearly 70% have walked away because the menu looked like a hot mess. That was a wake-up call for me to clean up our act online.
A Picture Paints a Thousand Bites
I also learned that folks are 30% more likely to order something if they can see a drool-worthy picture of it. That meant getting better at food photography fast or finding someone who could.
Keeping It Real
Another thing that struck me was how important it is to keep everything on the menu accurate. About 93% of people check out the menu before they come by. If they spot a mistake or something’s out of date, it’s not just annoying—it can turn them off coming altogether.
Rolling Up My Sleeves: What I Did
Keeping Things Fresh
I got into the habit of checking our online menu regularly, updating it with our latest dishes and deals. I tried to keep things exciting and new for our regulars and newcomers. I also sent customers this information by email, straight to their inbox, in case they hadn’t visited our website recently. This email marketing strategy took a bit of work to set up, but it was easy to maintain and very worthwhile.
Upgrading Our Photos
I realized quickly that my existing photos were pretty average. I improved the presentation of my dishes and set up better lighting to take quality photos with my smartphone. Now our dishes looked more like they did in real life, tempting online viewers to try them. And because the new online menu looked so good, I felt very confident promoting our online ordering system to our customers.
Making It Easy to Get Around
One of the biggest lessons I learned was that a good menu needs to be a breeze for customers to navigate. Ours was a bit of a maze. So, I rolled up my sleeves and started organizing.
We grouped dishes into clear, simple categories and made sure the layout was intuitive. No more hunting around for the sides or scrolling endlessly to find the desserts.
The feedback was immediate; customers loved the new layout. They could find what they wanted easily, which made them more likely to try something new each time they ordered. It was a small change that made a big difference. Sometimes, it’s the simple tweaks that count.
Our straightforward guide describes the range of options available. Follow our tips for picking an online ordering system to find the one that best fits your restaurant’s needs.
