Asian restaurant and sushi bar: menu with numbers, spiciness and allergens

Numbers on the menu

Numbers are common on many Asian menus. They make ordering easier, especially when dish names are unfamiliar or when ordering by phone. To help rather than confuse, they should be systematic.

• Number ranges by category, for example soups from 10, appetizers from 20, main courses from 40.
• Leave gaps so that new dishes can be inserted appropriately.
• Keep numbers on printed and digital menus, cash register, and delivery platforms consistent.

For allergens, it is better to use letters instead of numbers, otherwise guests will confuse “23” (dish) and “6” (soy).

Degrees of sharpness

Spiciness is one of the most common questions in Asian restaurants. A uniform system saves follow-up questions:

• A scale with symbols, such as one to three chilies, is explained once on the menu.
• A note indicating whether sharpness can be adjusted as desired.
• Honest assessment: What is mild for the kitchen is already spicy for some guests.

Allergens in Asian cuisine

Asian dishes often contain allergens that guests do not expect: soy sauce (soy and usually gluten), fish sauce, oyster sauce (mollusks), peanuts, sesame, crustaceans in pastes. Careful labeling is particularly important here, as peanut and crustacean allergies can trigger severe reactions.

Same-QR recognizes allergen abbreviations in the additional line - letters A to R or numbers 1 to 14 - and displays a legend below in the language of the guest's mobile phone. In English, the US-standard terms such as "Peanuts" and "Crustacean shellfish" are used, which many international guests know.

Sushi piece counts

With sushi, portion size is crucial: How many pieces do I get for the price? Specify the number of pieces for each dish, e.g. "Maki Salmon, 6 pieces" or "Nigiri Tuna, 2 pieces". For platters, a short list of the contents is helpful.

For raw fish, specify the fish species and, if you know and can verify it, the origin. For vegetarian guests, cucumber, avocado, or tamago maki deserve their own line.

Images

For unfamiliar dishes, photos help – but only if they show what is actually served. A few good images of the most important dishes are better than one photo for each item. On mobile phones, many images load slowly and extend the menu.

Same-QR offers its own designs for Asia & Sushi, illustrated or with photo, whose fonts and colors you can customize.

Checklist for the Asia menu

• Number ranges by category, same across all channels.
• The sharpness scale is explained once and used consistently.
• Allergens completely, especially soy, sesame, peanuts, crustaceans, mollusks, and fish.
• Quantities for sushi and dim sum.
• Short explanations for unfamiliar dishes.
• Vegetarian dishes are clearly marked.

With these points, even a long menu becomes clear and easy to read. Guests order more confidently, and the team has to explain less frequently.

Frequently asked questions