How to Write a Restaurant Menu That Answers Guests' Questions

The questions guests ask most

Before rewriting your menu, note down the questions guests regularly ask your servers or send by message. They usually sound like this:

• "What's in this?"
• "Is it spicy?"
• "How many people does this serve?"
• "Do you have anything without nuts or prawns?"
• "Does the price include tax?"
• "Is there anything for children, or something that isn't spicy?"

Every question that keeps coming back is information that should already be on the menu.

Dish names and descriptions

Creative names are fine, as long as a plain description follows. "Grandpa's Fried Rice" sounds appealing, but guests still need to know what is in it.

A good description answers three things in one sentence: the main ingredients, how the dish is cooked, and what it comes with.

Village Fried Rice: rice fried with shrimp paste, crispy anchovies, a fried egg, and prawn crackers. $9.50

Avoid empty adjectives such as "delicious" and "mouth-watering". Every restaurant says its food is delicious; guests are better served by information about ingredients and flavour.

Portions and spice levels

• Portions: for dishes meant for sharing, give the number of people, for example "serves 2–3", or the weight, for example "fish, 500–600 g".
• Spice: use a consistent scale, such as 0 to 3 chilli icons, and explain it at the top of the menu. Say whether the spice level can be adjusted.
• Dishes priced by weight: for seafood or ribs priced per 100 g, explain how the price is worked out and give an estimated price per portion.

Allergens and special ingredients

Many guests have allergies or dietary restrictions. Mark dishes that contain common allergens:

• Peanuts and other nuts.
• Prawns, crab, squid, and other seafood.
• Milk and dairy products.
• Eggs.
• Wheat or gluten.
• Soy.

Also mark ingredients that matter for religious or lifestyle reasons, such as pork and alcohol, including cooking wine or mirin used as seasoning, and show which dishes suit vegetarian guests.

Only use labels such as halal or kosher if your restaurant is actually certified. If it is not, describe the ingredients as they are rather than make a claim you cannot prove.

Add a line at the bottom of the menu: "Have an allergy? Please tell your server before ordering." The same kitchen usually prepares many dishes, so cross-contamination is still possible.

Children's menu and special options

Families with young children almost always ask whether there is something mild or a smaller portion. If you have a children's menu, give it its own section. If not, mark the dishes that can be made without chilli or ordered as a half portion.

The same goes for vegetarian options and dishes that can be made without a particular ingredient. Write down only what the kitchen can genuinely change, such as "can be made without prawns" or "no added MSG on request", and do not promise changes that are hard to deliver when the kitchen is busy.

Food photos

Photos help guests decide, especially for dishes with unfamiliar names. A few things to watch:

• Make sure photos match the real portion and presentation. Guests who receive something different from the photo tend to be disappointed.
• Not every dish needs a photo. Prioritise your signature dishes and the ones people ask about most.
• Update photos when the presentation changes, for example when the plate or the side dishes change.

Prices, tax, and service charge

Uncertainty about tax and service charge often leads to complaints in restaurant reviews. State it clearly at the top or bottom of every menu page, for example:

Prices do not include 10% tax and 5% service charge.

or

All prices include tax and service charge.

Tax rules for restaurants differ between countries and regions, so check what applies to you. Then make sure the figures on your menu match what actually appears on the bill.

Menu structure

Order the menu the way guests order:

1. Starters or snacks.
2. Main dishes, grouped by type: rice, noodles, chicken, fish, and vegetables.
3. Set meals or dishes for sharing.
4. Desserts.
5. Drinks, split into coffee, tea, juice, and others.

Mark signature dishes sparingly, one or two per category at most. If every dish is labelled "best seller", the label stops meaning anything.

Digital menus and QR codes

Many restaurants now offer their menu through a QR code on the table. To keep it comfortable to read:

• Use text, not a photo of the printed menu. Photos of menus are hard to zoom into and cannot be searched.
• Make sure the text is readable on a phone without zooming in.
• Keep printed menus available for guests who would rather not use their phone, or whose battery has run out.
• Update the digital menu the same day a price changes or a dish sells out.

Digital menus are often opened before guests arrive, for example when someone is choosing a restaurant for a family gathering. Put your opening hours, address, and how to book on the same page.

Checklist before printing

1. Does every dish have a description of its main ingredients?
2. Are spice levels and portions shown where they matter?
3. Are common allergens marked?
4. Is the note about tax and service charge clear?
5. Do the prices on the menu match the prices at the till?

Ask one or two people who have never eaten at your restaurant to read the menu and try ordering. The questions they ask show you which parts are still unclear.