Why Powerful Menu Descriptions Mean Profits
As you are putting the finishing touches on your Inlander Restaurant Week menu, make sure you pay as much attention to your written descriptions, as you do to developing the delicious dishes you’ll feature.
Research shows that a restaurant can increase sales by up to 30 percent just by utilizing enticing menu descriptions. Thirty percent! “Powerful descriptions are particularly important during a Restaurant Week promotion, because many diners are actively comparing your menu to other restaurants and selecting eateries solely based on menu offerings,” says Ricky Webster, Sysco Spokane’s Business Resources Consultant.
“It should tell your story with flair”
Challenge yourself to make your menu not just a list of items, ingredients and bland descriptions. It should tell your story with flair and tap into your customers’ emotions. It paints a picture. So if someone tells you a story about “walking” down the street — that story falls flat. However, what if your friend scrambled, crawled or sprinted down the street? Then a more vibrant picture is painted.
Last year, 16 restaurants featured Caesar salads in their first course offerings during Inlander Restaurant Week. Did yours stand out? Which Caesar salad would entice you — one without a description or one that features “fresh organic romaine tossed with our own Caesar dressing and housemade herbal croutons with fresh grated Parmesan cheese?”
“Exotic techniques and ingredients also give diners a new experience, in addition to meal,” adds Ricky. “Studies also show descriptive language also increases diner satisfaction.”