Building a menu correctly: categories, order and scope

Classical order

The structure of a menu follows the sequence of the meal in most establishments. Guests are familiar with this order and intuitively navigate it:

• Appetizers and cold dishes
• Soups
• Salads, if they are offered as separate dishes
• Main courses, divided into meat, fish, vegetarian
• Side dishes and extras
• Desserts
• Beverages: non-alcoholic, beer, wine, spirits, coffee and tea

Deviations are allowed if they fit your concept. A pizzeria starts with pizza, a cafe with breakfast or cake. It is important that what most guests come for is easy to find.

How many dishes per category

There is no fixed rule. But each category should offer enough choice without overwhelming. A main course list that spans multiple screen lengths is rarely read to the end.

• Better to have few categories well stocked than many with just one dish each.
• Regularly check dishes that are rarely ordered.
• Summarize variants: one line “Pasta with tomato sauce, Bolognese or Pesto” instead of three.

Drinks: own menu or at the back

For small menus, drinks are listed at the end. If you have a large wine or cocktail selection, a separate drinks menu is worthwhile. A digital menu allows you to combine both: drinks as separate categories at the end, or a dedicated page that you link to.

In the menu template of Same-QR, appetizers, main courses, desserts, non-alcoholic, beer, and wine are already set up. You can add additional categories such as soups, salads, vegetarian, vegan, children's, cocktails, spirits, or coffee & tea with one click, and delete those you do not need.

Classify as vegetarian and vegan

There are two ways: a separate Vegetarian category or a symbol-based label within the standard categories. The separate category helps guests who are searching specifically. The label within the flow of the menu signals that vegetarian dishes are equally important. With only two or three dishes, labeling is usually the better choice.

Navigation on the mobile phone

On paper, the guest can see a double-page spread at a glance. On a mobile device, they only see a small section and scroll. Therefore, clear headings are particularly important there, and the menu should not be unnecessarily long.

• Short, unambiguous category names.
• The most important thing first, for example the daily offer at the very top.
• Keep descriptions concise so that prices do not get lost in text blocks.

Example of a clear structure

This is how the menu of a guesthouse could look that is open at noon and in the evening:

• Top: Daily offer with price.
• Appetizers and soups: four to six dishes.
• Main courses: House classics, then fish, then vegetarian.
• Side dishes and salads.
• Desserts.
• Drinks: non-alcoholic, beer, wine, coffee.
• At the end: Allergen legend and note on children's portions.

This system can be applied to almost any venue. It is crucial that it is identical on both the printed and digital menu so that regular customers can navigate easily everywhere.

Frequently asked questions