Writing Menu Copy for Profit

By using effective merchandising, appealing accent copy, and mouth-watering descriptions, you can create a menu that highlights your dishes and enhances the overall dining experience for your customers.

Menus must be clean and proofread for misspelled words. All spelling, grammar, and punctuation must be error-free.  If any of these are found, reprint your menu. Do not use a marker to cross off items or change prices. Keep it professional-looking and clean.

Types of Copy

Merchandising Copy

Merchandising copy should help entice your customers to purchase your menu items. This copy is used to promote a restaurant and includes basic information such as phone number, address, hours, social media information, and your web address. It includes describing the services offered, such as what payment methods you accept, catering information, entertainment, special events, or any other service you offer. It is also a good idea to share information about your history, your chef or owners, specific cuisine or local places where you procure ingredients or maps. Tell your story to help customers feel that connection.

Accent Copy

Accent copy are those words that enhance the appeal of your menu items or create interest through creative names and headings. Descriptive titles has been shown to increase sales of items.

Descriptive Copy

Descriptive copy is the heart of your menu. Good descriptions are clear and concise and sell the dish to the customer. These words should make your customer’s mouths water by accurately describing the dish in an appealing way. Descriptive labels can boost sales and increase the likelihood that people will return and reorder dishes. Use a thesaurus to find a variety of adjectives so you do not have to repeat and overuse the same ones. Positive language can trigger positive intentions in customers. Descriptions connect with your guests and paint an accurate picture of your dishes. This is not a recipe and you do not need to include every ingredient, but highlight main ingredients and allergens. The trick is to use just enough to sell an item without overwhelming your customers. It can include a short story about a dish, where you may source some ingredients, highlight why your dish is special or describe cooking methods. When writing descriptive copy, it is a good idea to explore other menus for examples of well written descriptions. Chain restaurants typically do an excellent job of menu writing.

Writing Menu Copy

• Speak plainly
• Be creative
• Say what’s important
• Describe items completely
• “Less can be more”
• Use a variety of food related adjectives
• Say it correctly and accurately for legal reasons

Possible Information to Include in a description:

• Description of quantity that will be served
• Real Name of Item
• Cooking Method
• Main Ingredients; especially those that will impact the flavor
• Description of Sauce
• Accurate Quality or Grade
• Point of origin:  Geography of where ingredients came from (Example: Georgia Peaches)
• Name the brand of an ingredient if enhances sales (Example:  Ghirardelli Chocolate)
• Major allergens
• Unusual method of service
• Use food-associated words

Start a list of adjectives that you can use on your menu so every descriptions does not say. “Deep fried to a golden brown.” We need to describe the items in a way that differentiates them and causes customers to want to order those items.

Start with words such as succulent, signature, artisan, famous, fresh, sizzling, spicy, loaded and flavorful and expand from there. Descriptions should not be a listing of every ingredient in the recipe, but should give a great explanation of what the customer should expect and to get them excited about it.

Avoid

• Negative descriptions
•  Obvious descriptions

Consumer Advisories:

Include consumer advisories as needed. It is required by law for all establishments that foods of animal origin or animal ingredients are sold or served in a raw or under cooked form.

A disclosure statement must be on the menu in a readable font, that informs the customer that a particular food or menu item contains raw or under cooked animal ingredients. You can inform customers by various means, including menu statements, table tents, labels, brochures, or any other written method. The menu item that the description/warning refers to must be clearly identified.

Examples of foods needing a statement:

• Raw shellfish
• Meat served rare or medium rare
• Soft-cooked or over-easy eggs (not required for pasteurized eggs)
• Meringues
• Caesar dressing made with raw eggs
• Sushi
• House-made mayonnaise

Truth in Menu

Truth in Menu is an important topic for any menu writer. Lying on a menu about menu claims is illegal as it is false advertising. Doing this will damage your reputation. Be accurate in your descriptions about quantity, quality levels of foods, preparation method, brand names used, where the food is from, pricing, dietary claims, and properly identifying what products you are using.

Please click on the link below to explore this topic further.

Truth in Menus