reaperinvest Menu Design Brief
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when you need to:
- Create a comprehensive brief for designing or redesigning a restaurant menu
- Write menu item descriptions that drive sales of high-margin dishes
- Apply pricing psychology to menu layout and formatting
- Structure menu categories with dietary labels and allergen information
DO NOT use this skill for recipe development, restaurant business plans, or food photography. This is for menu copy, layout strategy, and design direction.
Core Principle
A MENU IS A SALES TOOL, NOT AN INVENTORY LIST — EVERY LAYOUT DECISION, DESCRIPTION, AND PRICE PLACEMENT SHOULD GUIDE THE CUSTOMER TOWARD HIGH-MARGIN, SIGNATURE ITEMS.
Phase 1: Brief
Required Inputs
| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant name and concept | "What is the restaurant and what type of cuisine?" | No default — must be provided |
| Menu categories | "What are your main categories? Appetizers, entrees, desserts, drinks?" | No default — list all |
| Menu items | "List all items with their current prices." | No default — must be provided |
| Star dishes | "Which 3-5 items are your highest margin or most popular?" | No default — must identify |
| Target check average | "What do you want the average customer to spend?" | No specific target |
| Dietary needs | "Do you need to label vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, allergens?" | Yes — standard dietary labels |
| Design direction | "What is the restaurant's visual style? Casual, upscale, modern, rustic?" | Casual modern |
GATE: Confirm the brief before writing descriptions or layout.
Phase 2: Menu Architecture
Category Order
Place categories in strategic order:
- Appetizers / Starters — first thing read, sets price anchoring
- Signature / Featured Items — highlight box or special section
- Entrees / Mains — largest section, organized by protein or style
- Sides — encourage add-ons
- Desserts — placed on separate card or at bottom
- Beverages / Cocktails — separate section or separate menu
Layout Psychology
- Golden Triangle: Eyes scan top-right, then top-left, then center. Place highest-margin items in these zones.
- No currency symbols: Use "12" not "$12" — currency signs trigger cost awareness.
- No price columns: Align prices at end of description, not in a vertical column. Columns invite price comparison.
- Decoy pricing: Place a high-priced item near target items to make them seem reasonable.
- Box or highlight: Draw attention to 2-3 star items with borders, shading, or icons — not more.
Item Count Guidelines
| Category | Ideal Count | Risk if Exceeded |
|---|---|---|
| Appetizers | 5-7 | Decision fatigue, food waste |
| Entrees | 7-10 | Slower kitchen, lower quality |
| Desserts | 3-5 | Items go unsold |
| Cocktails | 6-8 | Slow bar service |
GATE: Confirm menu architecture and star item placement before writing descriptions.
Phase 3: Write
Menu Description Formula
Each item description follows this structure: [Item Name] — [Preparation method] + [key ingredient highlight] + [flavor or texture descriptor]
Rules:
- 10-25 words per description (never a full paragraph)
- Lead with cooking method or origin when it adds value ("slow-roasted," "wood-fired," "house-made")
- Use sensory language: texture, temperature, flavor profile
- Name the source if it adds value ("local farm," "imported from...")
- Avoid generic words: "delicious," "tasty," "our famous"
Description Examples
Weak: "A delicious chicken dish served with vegetables and sauce." Strong: "Free-range chicken thigh, slow-braised in white wine with roasted root vegetables and fresh thyme jus."
Weak: "House salad with mixed greens and dressing." Strong: "Seasonal greens, shaved fennel, pickled red onion, and citrus vinaigrette."
Dietary Labels
Use consistent icons or abbreviations:
- (V) — Vegetarian
- (VG) — Vegan
- (GF) — Gluten-Free
- (DF) — Dairy-Free
- (N) — Contains Nuts
- * — Can be modified for dietary restrictions (note at bottom)
Place a legend at the bottom of the menu.
Pricing Format
- Drop the dollar sign: write "14" not "$14"
- No trailing zeros unless all prices use them: "14" not "14.00"
- Use odd pricing for casual restaurants (9, 12, 15) and round numbers for upscale (14, 18, 24)
- Do not right-align prices in a column
Phase 4: Polish
1. Design Brief for Designer
## Menu Design Brief
**Restaurant:** [Name]
**Concept:** [Cuisine type and atmosphere]
**Menu type:** [Single page, bi-fold, tri-fold, separate dessert/drinks]
**Dimensions:** [Standard sizes: letter, A4, or custom]
**Design direction:**
- Color palette: [Primary, secondary, accent colors]
- Typography: [Header font style, body font style]
- Paper stock: [If physical — matte, glossy, textured]
- Photography: [Include food photos? Yes/no, if yes which items]
**Layout requirements:**
- Star items highlighted with [border/shading/icon]
- Dietary icons included with legend
- No price column — prices follow descriptions
- White space between categories for readability
2. Menu Optimization Metrics
After the menu launches, track:
- Star item order rate (are highlighted items selling more?)
- Average check amount (is it trending toward target?)
- Food cost percentage by category
- Customer questions about menu items (indicates description gaps)
3. Quality Checklist
## Menu Design Brief Checklist
- [ ] All items have 10-25 word descriptions with sensory language
- [ ] Star items (3-5) are identified and positioned in the golden triangle
- [ ] Prices drop currency symbols and avoid column alignment
- [ ] Dietary labels are consistent and a legend is included
- [ ] Category order follows strategic placement (appetizers → entrees → desserts)
- [ ] Item count per category is within recommended range
- [ ] Decoy pricing is applied where appropriate
- [ ] Design brief includes dimensions, colors, typography, and layout
- [ ] No generic words ("delicious," "tasty," "our famous") in descriptions
- [ ] Menu tested for readability (font size, contrast, lighting conditions)
Example
Restaurant: Modern bistro, casual upscale
Star item description: "Braised Short Rib — 12-hour braised beef short rib, creamy polenta, balsamic-glazed shallots, and horseradish gremolata. (GF) 28"
Appetizer section:
## Small Plates
**Burrata** — creamy burrata, heirloom tomatoes, basil oil, grilled sourdough. (V) 16
**Tuna Crudo** — yellowfin tuna, sesame, avocado, crispy shallots, yuzu dressing. (GF)(DF) 18
**Roasted Beets** — golden and red beets, whipped goat cheese, candied walnuts, honey. (V)(GF)(N) 14
**Crispy Calamari** — lightly fried calamari, smoked paprika aioli, charred lemon. 15
**Soup du Jour** — chef's daily selection, ask your server. 10
Anti-Patterns
- Wall of text descriptions — more than 25 words per item slows down ordering and signals pretentiousness.
- Dollar signs and price columns — both trigger price-shopping behavior. Remove dollar signs, scatter prices at description ends.
- Highlighting too many items — if everything is a star item, nothing is. Highlight 2-3 maximum.
- Ignoring dietary labels — customers with restrictions will ask the server, slowing service. Label proactively.
- Trendy fonts over readability — the menu must be readable in dim restaurant lighting. Prioritize clarity over aesthetics.
Recovery
- Menu is too long: Cut items with the lowest sales volume and highest food cost. Aim for 7-10 entrees maximum.
- Star items are not selling: Check placement — are they in the golden triangle? Rewrite the description to emphasize the experience, not the ingredients.
- Customers complain about missing allergen info: Add a blanket disclaimer ("Please inform your server of any allergies") and add individual labels to items.
- Average check is too low: Introduce a "Featured" section with higher-priced items. Add a premium side or add-on category.