10 Layout Tips To Create Unforgettable Menu Boards Layouts
You can have the best food and the best service in any restaurant, but if customers can’t tell, it’s all for nought.
We have years of experience creating menu board designs. This article is here to show you what we’ve learnt in just a few minutes.
1. Master the Art of Visual Hierarchy
Any successful menu board layout starts with establishing a clear visual hierarchy. Your customers’ eyes should naturally follow in a predictable pattern when scanning information, and understanding the pattern gives you control over their attention.
Research shows that diners typically scan menu boards using either an “F” pattern or focus on a “golden triangle” – the centre, top right, and top left areas. Place your high-margin items and signature dishes in these prime locations, where eyes naturally land first.
Create distinct sections using borders, spacing, and varying text sizes to enhance readability and clarity. Your main categories should stand out clearly, with subcategories and individual items arranged in a logical flow. This systematic approach prevents the overwhelming feeling that comes with a cluttered menu board design.
2. Choose Fonts That Work From Any Distance
Typography plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of menu boards, especially for digital boards displayed on multiple screens. Select fonts that remain legible from varying distances – your display should be readable whether customers are standing directly in front of it or viewing from across the room.
Sans-serif fonts, such as Arial, Helvetica, and Verdana, consistently perform well for menu boards because they are legible. Try to avoid “aesthetic” fonts because they may look good up close, but take a few steps back, and it is impossible to read.
Font sizing should always be consistent throughout your menu. Follow this and you will be golden. Section headers should use the largest text, followed by item names, with descriptions and prices in smaller but still easily readable sizes. Remember, if customers struggle to read your menu, they’ll likely choose familiar items or, in the worst-case scenario, visit a competitor with more transparent displays.
3. Implement Strategic Colour Psychology
Colour theory is so important. Different colours evoke different emotions. Colour choices significantly impact both appetite and purchasing behaviour. Your menu board’s colour palette should align with your brand while keeping to psychological principles that encourage appetite.
Warm colours, such as reds and oranges, naturally stimulate appetite and create a sense of urgency. Cool colours like blues and greens convey freshness and health, which is why every health shop has those colours.
Maintain sufficient contrast between text and background colours to ensure optimal readability. High contrast combinations not only improve legibility but also help specific items stand out.
4. Make The Most of Your Board’s Real Estate
Every single pixel of your digital menu board represents valuable space that should serve a purpose. Many businesses fall into the trap of trying to cram in every possible item onto their display. Instead, focus on showcasing your most profitable and popular products or services. That will yield much better results.
Follow the “seven items per category” rule. Menu engineers recommend limiting each section to no more than seven choices. This approach reduces decision fatigue, making the selection process easier for customers. Having fewer menu items also simplifies kitchen operations and can improve service speed.
If you need to display more items, consider using multiple screens or implementing a rotating display schedule to accommodate them. Your content management system should allow you to easily update and schedule different menu layouts for other times of day, such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner options.
5. Balance Text and Visual Elements
Food is visually stimulating, so high-quality images are a must. People’s mouths should water at the sight of the images, and that can’t happen with blurry images. Having professional images of your dishes can increase sales by 25-30%.
Choose one standout image per category rather than cluttering your menu board with multiple photos. For example, a pizza restaurant might showcase images of its three most popular speciality pizzas while keeping standard toppings as text-only listings.
6. Create Effective Pricing Strategies
How you display pricing can influence purchasing decisions. Recent studies have shown that removing the currency symbol from menu items allows customers to focus on the food itself rather than the cost.
Use pricing techniques that guide the eye naturally from item to price. It boils down to trial and error, but with a digital menu board, it’s easier to see what works, as you wouldn’t have to discard menu boards that don’t meet the standard.
The most important factor is ensuring prices are clearly visible and associated with the correct items, preventing confusion during the ordering process.
7. Leverage White Space for Impact
Negative space improves readability and draws attention to important elements. Well-planned white space prevents your menu board from appearing cluttered, allowing customers to process information more easily.
Use spacing strategically to separate different menu sections and create breathing room around featured items. This approach makes your menu board feel organised and professional rather than cramped and overwhelming.
Digital signage offers particular advantages here, as you can easily adjust spacing and layouts without the costs of reprinting. Your digital media player should support flexible layouts that allow for optimal spacing across different screen orientations and sizes.
8. Design for Multiple Locations and Screen Types
If you operate multiple locations or plan to expand, design your menu board templates with consistency in mind. A content management system will allow you to maintain brand consistency while accommodating location-specific items or pricing.
Consider how your menu board design will appear across different screen sizes and orientations. A layout that works perfectly on a horizontal display might require adjustments for vertical screens. Modern digital signage software can automatically adapt content for different display formats.
Plan for instant updates across your entire network. Whether you need to change prices, add new items, or remove sold-out options, your system should enable quick updates that reflect immediately on all displays.
9. Incorporate Interactive Elements in Digital Signage
Digital menu boards offer opportunities for engagement that static displays cannot match. Consider incorporating subtle animations, rotating specials, or time-based content that keeps your menu board dynamic and attention-grabbing.
However, avoid overwhelming customers with excessive motion or complex animations. The goal is to enhance the ordering experience, not distract from it. Simple transitions between different menu sections or gentle highlighting of featured items can be effective without being distracting.
Audio elements can also enhance the customer experience when implemented thoughtfully. Background music or subtle sound effects that complement your brand can create a more immersive environment.
10. Test, Measure, and Refine Your Menu Board Design
The most effective menu board layout is one that has been tested and refined based on actual customer behaviour. Implement changes gradually and monitor their impact on sales, average order value, and customer satisfaction.
Track specific metrics like changes in overall sales, average ticket size, and the performance of individual menu items. This data will help you understand which layout elements drive results and which need adjustment.
Gather customer feedback through surveys or casual conversations. Sometimes, simple observations about readability or item placement can lead to significant improvements in the effectiveness of your menu board.
Create multiple layout variations and test them in different locations or periods. What works well during busy lunch hours might need adjustment for slower evening periods.
Bringing It All Together With DMX
See, menu boards aren’t as scary as they seem. All you need is a clear vision and goal that aligns with what you want to achieve. If you want to make your life even easier, contact DMX today, and we’ll create the perfect layout for your business’s menu boards.
Menu boards must strike a balance between visual appeal and functional effectiveness. Your menu board layout should reflect your brand personality while making the ordering process smooth and intuitive for customers.
