Dine-in Menus: 12 Design Tips and Tricks for Restaurant Digital Menus
By: Niña D.Update: May 29, 2023
While there are common menu templates and designs available online, you can create your custom digital dine-in menus using digital software to give your customers a pleasant ordering experience.
A custom digital dine in menu design doesn’t only look good, it also makes the ordering process as seamless and as smooth as possible.
Furthermore, a digital dine-in menu can be designed according to the five most common types of restaurant menus.
Here are the basic types of dine-in menus that restaurants commonly use.
Digital dine-in menus
A digital menu is a digitized menu that customers can access through a QR code. It provides convenient contactless online menu browsing.
Static dine-in menus
The most common and widely used menu. This menu is subdivided into categories like salad, pasta, drinks, desserts, etc.
Usually used by fast-food restaurants, this menu is rarely changed throughout the year, hence the name “static.”
Prix fixe dine-in menus
Prix fixe, which is French for “fixed price,” is a menu with, well, a fixed price. This menu offers limited choices per course.
Usually, a prix fixe menu comprises three to four courses—appetizer, salad or soup, entrée, and dessert—and provides two to five choices for each course.
This type of menu can be found in charity dinners and wedding receptions.
A la carte dine-in menus
A la carte, meaning “by the menu,” is a menu where menu items are listed and priced separately. Customers can combine different items on the menu to create an order.
For example, a customer can order caesar salad with garlic croutons, honey orange fish filet for entrée, a pineapple smoothie, and a red velvet cake for dessert.
This process makes their orders more expensive than a set menu meal but it is more customizable than other menus.
Du jour dine-in menus
Du jour, literally meaning “of the day,” is a menu that features meals exclusively for the day. This menu changes daily.
Digital menu: a QR code-powered dine-in pocket menu
Digital menus can be accessed through mobile devices, making them handy for your customers.
Using Android smartphone and tablet to scan a digital dine-in menu QR code
Note: Devices should have access to mobile data or be connected to a Wi-Fi connection.
1. Open your Android device’s camera app or use the Google lens app.2. Place your android camera in front of the menuQR code and check that it is in the frame.
A link to the restaurant’s website will appear if the QR code is easily scannable.3. Go to the restaurant’s website and check out their digital dine-in menu by tapping the link.4. After browsing the menu, place your order.5. Choose your mode of payment on the dine-in menu.Using an iPhone and iPad to scan a digital dine-in menu QR code
Note: Devices should have access to cellular data or be connected to a Wi-Fi connection.
1. Open your Apple device’s camera app.
2. Position your camera in front of the menu QR code and make sure it is within the frame. If the QR code is easily scannable, a link to the restaurant website will show.
3. Tap the link to the restaurant website and browse their digital dine-in menu.
4. Place your order on the dine-in menu.
5. Choose your mode of payment.
How to design dine-in menus
Here are tips on how you can have a dine in menu design for your restaurant:
1. Know your dining customers
Plan a menu according to the taste of your customer profileFor example, if most of your customers are office workers and people on the go, offer a menu item that is healthy and can be served fast like a tuna avocado sandwich for breakfast.
2. Use an interactive dine-in menu instead of a PDF menu
PDF menus are just software versions of your physical menu. Since they are already established, they are harder to update.
Level up your restaurant’s digital menu by using an interactive menu that goes beyond just presenting your digital menu design.
An interactive menu allows your customers to order and even pay directly on your websites’ ordering page, eliminating the need for restaurant staff.
Customers mostly scan through menus. For easy understandability, break down your menu into smaller sections.
Group each item into different lists like salads, pasta, chicken, fish, pork, beverages, desserts, etc.
4. Choose an interactive restaurant dine-in menu QR code software
This is a crucial part in creating a digital dine-in menuChoose the right tool that can cater to your restaurant’s needs.
MENU TIGER is a versatile interactive restaurant menu QR code software that can create an interactive digital menu design and build your own restaurant website.
In creating promotional banners, include specific times of the day and the duration of the promotional menu when customers can avail them.
Example:
Happy Hour every Tuesday and Thursday
Buy one cocktail get one free from 6 pm until 10 pm
6. Add appetizing images to your dine-in menus
Add appetizing images but keep them realistic. Aim for achievable photos.Customers expect to receive what they saw, so aside from providing appetizing photos, also make sure your dishes resemble the ones in the photo.
7. Use your brand assets
Create menu sets according to your brand image (casual dining restaurant, fine dining restaurant, deli, etc.)
Be creative but also keep your design coherent with your brand.
8. Food name and description on dine-in menus
Keep your food description short and simple. Use descriptive words like crunchy, crispy, zesty, tangy, and the like.Sensory descriptions are the greatest way to describe the sight, texture, and flavor of your restaurant food.
Additionally, an unimpressive menu description is one that is excessively long. Make your descriptions concise and engaging.
Knowing your audience, especially in terms of age and gender, might help you better plan how you’ll present your menu items to them.
9. Offer enough food options and arrange them strategically
Less is more. Limit the choices in each food category.
Bombarding your customers with a lot of food options will make their ordering decision more difficult.
Place your most profitable item first in the menu where customers can see them first.
Also, place a cheap item next to an expensive one so customers will think they are getting a good deal.
10. Cross-sell and upsell food items on your dine-in menus
Cross-sell items by pairing a lesser selling item to the main item.
Upsell some items by including menu modifiers like extra toppings and add-ons.
11. Create simple and navigational digital dine-in menus
Never assume that your customers are all tech-savvy.
Make your digital menu app as simple as possible to encourage positive customer purchasing behavior.
12. Customize the dine-in menu QR code
An attractive menu QR code is a scannable QR code.Customize the appearance of your menu QR code by adding colors, placing your logo, changing the patterns, and adding a frame and a call-to-action.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on creating a dine-in menu with MENU TIGER.
1. Sign up for a MENU TIGER account
Fill out restaurant name, first and last name, email, phone number. Add a password and re-type the password for confirmation.
2. Set up your store name on Stores
To input store details, click Stores then New. Add store name, address, and phone number.
3. Input the number of tables
Click Tables on Stores then set how many tables in your restaurant need a menu QR code.
4. Set the number of store users and admins
On Stores, click Users then Add on the dashboard. Fill out the first and last names of users or admins then choose access level.
A User has an access level limited to order tracking only, while an Admin can access the rest of the features except the ability to add payment methods and editing the restaurant website.
Then enter the email address, password, and confirm the password. Afterward, a verification email will be sent.
5. Customize and edit your dine-in menu QR code appearance
Customize QR code pattern, colors, eye pattern and color, and frame design, color, and call-to-action text on Customize QR.
6. Add new categories and modifiers
Click the Menu panel then choose Modifiers and click Add.
Modifier groups can be add-ons and extras or customization of menu items like steak doneness, sides, cheese, salad dressings, and drinks add-ons like ice and lemon slices.
Also on the Menu panel, add food item categories like salad, entree, soup, desserts, drinks, etc. First, click on Foods then on Categories click New.
7. Make your restaurant’s website unique
Go to the Website section of the control panel. Then go to General settings and add a cover image and the restaurant’s name, address, email, and phone number. Select the language(s) and currency(s) that the restaurant accepts.
After enabling the Hero section, enter your website’s title and slogan. Localize in the languages of your choice.
Enable the About section if you want to, then upload an image, write your restaurant’s backstory, and localize it in multiple languages.
For different campaigns and promotions your restaurant is now doing, click and enable the Promotions area.
Go to the Most Popular Foods section and enable it to see best-sellers, signature dishes, and unique items.
Once enabled, select an item and click “Featured.” Save to make the selected item the homepage’s featured item.
Set the Why Choose Us section and inform your customers about the advantages of dining at your establishment.
Change the fonts and colors on your website to match your brand in the Fonts and Colors area.
8. Go back to the Store section and download and deploy your QR code in each respective table
Customize the menu QR code by adding your restaurant logo or any image, changing the QR code pattern and colors, QR code eye pattern and color, and modifying frame design, color, and call-to-action text.
9. Finally, track and fulfill order
You’re all set. Now your interactive dine-in menu is good to go!
Start designing your digital dine-in menu with MENU TIGER today!
In conclusion, it is not only about creating a visually appealing digital dine-in menu but also about making the ordering process as seamless as possible.
A well-designed menu will always be a priority because it is what draws your guests to order from your restaurant.
You don’t have to be a design expert to create a great-looking digital menu design. With MENU TIGER, you can make sure your menu looks good and drives sales for your restaurant.
2. Place your android camera in front of the menu QR code and check that it is in the frame.
For example, if most of your customers are office workers and people on the go, offer a menu item that is healthy and can be served fast like a tuna avocado sandwich for breakfast.
Choose the right tool that can cater to your restaurant’s needs.
Customers expect to receive what they saw, so aside from providing appetizing photos, also make sure your dishes resemble the ones in the photo. 
Sensory descriptions are the greatest way to describe the sight, texture, and flavor of your restaurant food.
Customize the appearance of your menu QR code by adding colors, placing your logo, changing the patterns, and adding a frame and a call-to-action.
