# Menu Design Brief > Creates restaurant menu design briefs with item descriptions, pricing psychology, layout hierarchy, and dietary labeling. Use when designing or redesigning a restaurant menu. - Skill: `reaperinvest/menu-design-brief` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add reaperinvest/menu-design-brief` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/reaperinvest/menu-design-brief/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: reaperinvest (https://skillmd.com/u/reaperinvest) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/reaperinvest/menu-design-brief --- # 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: 1. **Appetizers / Starters** — first thing read, sets price anchoring 2. **Signature / Featured Items** — highlight box or special section 3. **Entrees / Mains** — largest section, organized by protein or style 4. **Sides** — encourage add-ons 5. **Desserts** — placed on separate card or at bottom 6. **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.