Digital menu design: 10 tips that sell more

A menu is a journey, not a table

A guest's eye moves across the screen in seconds. Good digital menu design guides it gently: to the dishes you want to sell, then the add-ons, then dessert. Here are ten tips we build into LamsaQR templates and that you can apply to any menu.

1. Lead with your strongest section

The first section gets the most views. Put your signature dishes there, not "Starters" out of habit.

2. Three highlighted items per section

A "Bestseller" or "Chef's special" tag nudges the undecided. Do not tag everything or the tag stops meaning anything.

3. One honest photo

A real photo of your dish beats a perfect photo of someone else's. A guest who receives a plate that looks like the picture comes back.

4. Quiet prices

Clear numbers, no repeated currency symbol, no long dotted leader on a screen. Classic templates use dotted leaders on paper; on a phone, right alignment is enough.

5. One-line descriptions

Ingredient, method, the special thing. "Charcoal lamb with saffron rice" is enough.

6. Sizes and extras as options, not items

"Large / medium / small" and "extra cheese" belong inside the item, not as three separate items that stretch the menu.

7. Functional tags

Vegan, spicy, gluten-free, halal: small chips that answer the guest's questions before the waiter is asked.

8. Sold out, not deleted

When an item runs out, dim it with a "Sold out" tag instead of deleting it; guests learn it normally exists and come back for it.

9. Your brand colours, not the template's

The template is a starting point. Buttons should use your brand colour and the font should sit close to the restaurant's identity. Dark templates suit fine dining; light ones suit cafés and breakfast.

10. Test on your own phone

Open the menu on a small phone in daylight. If you cannot read a price within a second, the type is too small or the contrast too low.

Browse the templates on a live example and try these tips on your own menu.