{mosimage}Did you know that 50% of the perception of your food's quality and taste will be formed before the first bite is taken? Make sure perceptions of your menu items are good ones by carefully crafting menu items descriptions.
All our senses contribute to the perceived flavor of our food. Make sure perceptions of your menu items are good ones by carefully crafting menu items descriptions that appeal to the full range of your guests' senses--sight, smell, texture, and taste.
When writing menu descriptions for your restaurant, imagine sitting down with the fully-prepared and plated menu item in front of you... or get the real thing and experience it with all your senses "on alert."
Take a close look at the dish's appearance. Is your club sandwich served open-faced and stacked high with thinly sliced turkey and smoky bacon? Are your Alaskan king crab legs a steaming feast on a platter? Are your specialty coffee drinks served in tall graceful glasses and lavishly sprinkled with cinnamon and chocolate shavings?
Take a deep breath. Smell the "fresh baked" brownies, or the spicy grilled meat from the sizzling fajita platter. There's nothing quite like the aroma of your freshly ground signature-blend coffee.
Visualize the texture of your menu items and ingredients. Are the peaches on your shortcake juicy, sweet and brightly colored? Is your BBQ sauce slow-cooked, thick and tangy, with just a bit of fire? Can your home-made potato chips be anything other than salty, hot and crispy?
The use of descriptive and evocative words when writing descriptions can make or break a menu item. The secret is to pick words that create the most powerful images. Writing effective menu item descriptions is both an art and a science. I like to call it "word-smithing." Help your guests imagine and anticipate the mouth-watering meal to come. Your menu descriptions should reflect your restaurant's personality, and create a higher value perception of your food.
Keep your eyes open for savory descriptive words. Here are some of our favorites:
| Fresh | Smothered | Creamy |
| Lavish | Sauced | Tangy |
| Velvety | Fluffy | Frothy |
| Oven-Fresh | Crusty | Crunchy |
| Baked Four Times Daily | Steaming | Bubbly |
| Substantial | Billowing | Sizzling |
| Chewy | Rich | Light |
| Airy | Decadent | Moist |
| Oven-Fresh | Finger-Lickin' | Tender |
| Tart | Tantalizing | Hearty |
| Melt-in-your-Mouth | Zesty | Moist |
| Juicy | Succulent | Luscious |
| Flaky | Organic | Aromatic |
| Delectable | Ambrosial | Fragrant |
Bill Main is a nationally-recognized author, consultant and speaker. His company, Bill Main & Associates, specializes in strategic growth plans for foodservice entrepreneurs. For information on how you can grow your top line revenues through innovative marketing, menu, leadership and training systems, visit www.billmain.com.
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