The Psychology of Menu Design: How to Influence Guest Choices

The Golden Triangle

Eye tracking studies show that guests typically look at the middle of the menu first, then the top right, then the top left. This is where your high-margin stars should live.

The Power of Anchoring

Place a high-priced item (the anchor) next to the item you actually want to sell. The $45 steak makes the $28 pasta dish look like a bargain, increasing its sales volume.

Data-Driven Design

Before you redesign your physical menu, you need data. Karu's Menu Engineering tool categorizes your dishes into:

• Stars: High Profit, High Popularity
• Plowhorses: Low Profit, High Popularity
• Puzzles: High Profit, Low Popularity
• Dogs: Low Profit, Low Popularity

Once you know which dishes are your 'Puzzles', you can use design techniques to highlight them—boxing them, using bold text, or removing the currency sign—to boost their popularity.

Remove the Currency Sign

Research from Cornell University found that guests spend significantly more when currency signs ($) are removed from the menu. It reduces the 'pain of paying' association.