Warning: the following is an elaborate dramatization! Imagine this: you are starving, the kind of starving where your stomach is hurting. When you finally find a restaurant that’s open, the excitement is written all over your face as you leap through the front doors. The hostess greets and seats you in a matter of seconds, hands you the beautiful menu, and then it hits you – dozens and dozens of food choices. What will be the fastest for the cook to make while tasting better than anything you’ve ever eaten before and staying within your budget? If you don’t choose quickly, you just might pass out from the hunger pangs, but how can you possibly make an educated choice in a matter of minutes with so many options?
For the diner in this exaggerated experience, the consequences are limited. His hunger will subside no matter which dinner he chooses, but his unpleasant experience may cause him to skip right past your doors next time. The consequences of this little incident for the restaurant owner could be much more depressing, you may have just lost a customer.When planning out your menu, there are many areas of business and sciencethat need to be examined if you want to make the most money possible. Thanks to the “paradox of choice” theory, we know that the more choices a person has the more anxiety he feels. Guests who feel anxious about their dining experience aren’t likely to come back or recommend your restaurant. Menu consultants have come to the conclusion that somewhere around 7 items per menu category is ideal.
A smaller menu has many benefits to restaurant owners as well:
- Provide faster service
- Better quality of food
- Easier to prep and cook
- More consistency
- Easier to control costs
If your wear a chef coat, you might find that a small menu stifles too much of your creativity. Fortunately, there are simple ways to add your personal flare:
- Add one ‘signature item’ to each menu category
- Create daily specials
- Offer your take on classic dishes
When it comes to a restaurant menu, bigger is never better. Give guests a comfortable and simple dining experience by creating a smaller menu.