Oct
23

4 Ways Your Menu Can Help You Earn More Money

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Ash Bennett

You may not realize it, but your cafe’s menu is one of the most effective tools you have at your disposal to increase sales and attract and keep a loyal customer base. The options on your menu should represent your best food and beverages; the menu itself should be appealing, and an accurate reflection of your brand. If it’s been a while since your menu got an update, consider these tips to help you build a menu that increases your customers’ satisfaction and your bottom line:

1. Position the highest-priced items at the top.

Rearranging your menu items from most to least expensive is the easiest and most effective way to increase your sales. Studies show that this simple edit leads to higher revenue because customers, who tend to start reading at the top, are likely to choose the first appealing menu item they see. Catch your customer’s eye right away with a higher-priced item, and they may not even read the rest of the menu.

2. Rethink your item names.

Do the names of your menu options reflect your brand? Do they sound appetizing? Are they descriptive and easy to pronounce? Make your menu items stand out with unique names, but don’t make your customers work too hard at sounding them out. They shouldn’t have to rely on Autocorrect for spelling when they mention it in the five-star review they leave you on social media. And speaking of social media …

3. Include a hashtag.

Whether your café has printed menus or a chalkboard above the counter, include your social media information and your unique hashtag somewhere on it. Not only is it a free and easy way to strengthen your brand, but letting people know how to find and talk about you on social media also increases the chances they will do so, giving you free advertising when they post your barista’s best latte art on Instagram.

4. Aesthetics matter.

When your customers come to your café, they are likely looking for a pick-me-up in the form of caffeine, a hearty snack, or a reprieve from their busy day. Whichever group you cater to most, presenting them a clean, well-designed, and easy-to-read menu is important for keeping them coming back.

If you print your menus, make sure they are always clean; nothing can make a person lose their appetite like holding a dirty menu that looks as though it’s been handled by hundreds of people before them. The font should be one that is familiar and easy to read, and in a size that is legible to most people. If you print out paper menus, try to use high-quality paper, rather than everyday printer paper.

If your menu is only on a board, the same rules apply. It should be easy to read, and look neat at all times. If your menu is handwritten, be sure the handwriting and spacing between words and letters create an overall legible presentation.

Depending on the format of your menu, you may consider hiring a graphic designer or chalkboard artist to design a template for your café.

Revisiting your menu design at least once a year will help you to make sure you’re using it to its full potential. By employing these techniques, your menu can help you gain new customers and make existing customers fall more in love with all your shop has to offer.