The document outlines the principles of menu psychology, emphasizing that a well-designed menu can enhance customer experience and boost restaurant profits. Key tactics include using the 'golden triangle' for item placement, thoughtful color choices, strategic pricing, and limiting menu options to simplify decision-making for customers. It concludes that effective menu design is crucial for optimizing profitability and creating a compelling culinary narrative.

1. MENU
PSYCHOLOGY
PREPARED BY:
ANGELICA S.A REYES
MSHRM
Philippine Women’s University
1743 Taft Ave, Malate, Manila, 1004 Metro Manila
GRADUATE SCHOOL

3. •OBJECTIVES •
Introduction
The Golden Triangle
Color Choice Matters
Play with Money Appearance
Plan the Layout
Limit Choices
Tell a Story

4. • INTRODUCTION •
Menu is the first thing
a customer receives in
your restaurant.
If your menu is not
appealing, your
customer loses his
interest in eating and
this results in affecting
your economy.
Menu is something
which expresses your
restaurant’s personality.
Your menu should be
prepared according to
your business goals.
Menu is not about just
listing the items and
placing its prices. There
is a proper way of it. It
should be designed in
terms of the customer’s
psychology.
• MENU PSYCHOLOGY-Tactics that push your high
profit margin items while also creating a
relaxing, fulfilling customer experience.

5. • THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE •
• When a customer looks at the menu there is a
psychology involved in it. Their eyes first catch the
things written in the middle. Then they go to the top
right corner and finally to the top left corner.
• There is a difference between the most expensive dish
and the dish which provides the highest amount of
profit.
• Dishes which provide the highest profit are supposed
to come in this triangle. If your dishes don’t serve your
profitability goal, consider putting another dishes. By
this, you can monitor what actually belongs to the
golden triangle.

6. • COLOR CHOICE MATTERS •
Somethings are necessary to be paid attention when you are
planning the colors of your menu.
1. GREEN makes them think of the fresh food coming straight
from the garden.
2. ORANGE a light color filled with delicious qualities. It
stimulates the appetite. It is associated with healthy
food.
3. YELLOW grabs the attention and stimulates the appetite.
4. RED to make people order the dishes you want them to.
5. BLUE a soothing color. It creates a calming effect. But if you
want your customers to feel hungry, feed and go then
blue is a bad option.
*YELLOW and RED are said to be the best combination for a menu.

7. • PLAY WITH MONEY APPEARANCE •
• Some say that removing the money sign
help the customer spent more money
while some suggest that removing the
money sign makes them think that they
are not spending the actual money.

8. • PLAY WITH MONEY APPEARANCE •
• End your prices with .95. For example, make
your burger 5.95 instead of 6. This just seems
less expensive even though it really isn’t. Stay
away from prices ending in .99 because that
seems cheap.
• Serve food in two portions. It is a strategy
called bracketing. Serve small amount for less
price and a large amount for more price.
Customer will purchase small amount for less
price which will provide you profit.

9. • PLAN THE LAYOUT •
• The organization of your menu
works as a guiding factor.
• Never use columns in your menu.
The customer notices the price
directly.
• Make your menu clear and easy to
read. Use high-quality printing for
your menu. Print the pictures of High
Digital Quality.

10. • LIMIT CHOICES •
Operators often make the
mistake of developing large
menus with a “something
for everyone” approach.
Puts a strain on your kitchen
team and has the potential
to increase your wastage.
It also makes the customers
decision making process
much harder and runs the
risk of you losing the
customer all together.
Keep it simple for your team
and your customers - limit
your menu to 7 – 14 options
and rotate the selection
seasonally or more regularly
pending demand.
The idea is to create a
balance of choice, without
overwhelming the
customer.

11. • TELL A STORY •
• Use fancy language on your menu. The
adjectives and ingredients you include are
an important way to catch the customer’s
attention and begin the culinary journey.
• Make the names of your dish Nostalgic.
• We eat with our eyes, or so the saying
goes, this starts with what we read and
what the conjures up for us and how it
tempts us.

12. FINAL THOUGHTS:
THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF
DESIGNING YOUR MENU CAN’T BE
UNDERSTATED. A WELL-CRAFTED
MENU CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN PROFITS AND LOSS.
Reference:
• https://www.hospibuz.com/the-psychology-of-your-menu/
• https://futurefood.com.au/blog/2017/6/14/the-psychology-of-
menu-design
• https://restaurantengine.com/psychology-of-menu-design/