Funworld April 2008

Spice Up Menu Design

by Christina MacDonald

IT COMES AS NO SURPRISE THAT MENU DESIGN has a proven impact upon sales. According to a recent survey conducted by Restaurants USA, menu redesign can improve sales an average of 2 to 10 percent. With these statistics in mind, menus might be viewed as an investment rather than a cost, and as a driving force behind profits. Mark Wijman, food and beverage manager for Kongeparken in Norway, shares his tips for developing menus and driving customers to your food outlets.

» Implement Food Maps: “We have two food maps placed strategically throughout the park,” says Wijman. “They highlight the two main options for lunch, as well as four other food outlets throughout the park. With this, we try to develop an additional food moment (an afternoon snack and a morning slush drink) for our guests.”

» Create in House: “Because we are a theme park and need to communicate with our guests differently, we feel it is important that the design of our signage is done in house,” says Wijman. “For us, this is also more time and cost-effective. Our staff has a better understanding of how things should look. In general, the only thing that we outsource when it comes to signage is the physical printing; larger items such as facades or figures are designed, constructed, and erected by our own staff, as well.”

» Design Approach: “When guests enter your outlet, they are familiar with similar restaurants that are found in the real world,” says Wijman. “One needs to design with this in mind, but also allow the special atmosphere of the leisure facility to shine through.”

» Food Item Placement: “When guests scan a menu in a fast food environment their eyes usually move from the center to the right and then to the left,” says Wijman. “This means items you would like to sell—because of their higher profits or lower costs—should to be placed either in the center or on the right. The most important items should always be placed centrally on the menu. Also, based on consumer research, diners tend to make their selections from the top and the bottom of a
category. So, logically, you want your highest gross profit items at the top and bottom of a list.”

» Less Is More: “Do not overwhelm your guests with options. Remember they are in a leisure facility and will most likely not want to spend more than 45 to 60 minutes of their day eating,” says Wijman. “Limit your menu items to a maximum of six starters, six main courses, and four desserts.”

» Make a Signature Dish: “One of our best-selling items this past season was our waffles. While we previously bought ready-made products, this year we developed our own recipe for the batter, made them on site in the direct view (and smell) of our guests, and had new toppings, including fresh strawberries. On our food map we included a little story about the waffles, including words like ‘crispy,’ ‘our own secret recipe,’ ‘fresh,’ and ‘seasonal.’” Those words tend to work very well. Another great example is Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner at Knott’s Berry Farm; it has become such a staple that without a visit to the restaurant a trip to the park almost seems incomplete.

» Distribute Menu Highlights at the Entrance: “When guests enter the park, our gate staff presents them with a coupon, informing them of the opening times and menu available at Jærgården. This has proven to be an extremely successful approach. Since this was introduced, income and profit have increased substantially.”

» Get Artistic: “In the past, we have used only photography in our food outlets’ menus and signage. In 2007, we designed one illustrated sign, which guests responded to very well; it makes menus look different than those found in the real world, while still keeping them easy to read. We plan to implement this drawn menu style throughout the park.”

» Sign Language: According to Wijman, place a number next to a food item so guests who don’t speak the language can use sign language to explain what they want. “I am against using a photo book in sit-down restaurants, no matter how well you theme it; it makes your place look like a tourist trap. I always tell my staff that when someone does not speak the language they can always get creative with it: sign language, making sounds, or drawing it themselves.”

Christina MacDonald is a native of Los Angeles, California, and has written for entertainment trade publications, including Amusement Business and The Hollywood Reporter. She can be reached at cmacdonald738@hotmail.com.