Are you getting ready to open a restaurant? There are a ton of things a restaurant owner must do before opening a restaurant to customers. After you have found a location, purchased top-of-the-line restaurant insurance, and decided on the foods you will serve, you have to create the menu you will present to your guests.

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While at first the menu may seem trivial, it is important to realize that your menu will be one of the first things that will convey the atmosphere of your restaurant to guests. It is important that the menu is visually pleasing, and that it accurately describes the food you serve.

If you want some basic tips to follow when creating your restaurant’s menu, try these:

• Be selective of the pictures you use. Avoid clip-art, and instead show pictures of a couple of your dishes. Make sure the pictures you use are attractive, with good lighting and delicious food.
• Know your audience. If you focus on a crowd that is just coming in for a hamburger, avoid too much industry jargon. If you cater more to foodies, using cooking buzzwords may be a good idea.
• While font can convey a lot about the mood in your restaurant, make sure that the one you pick is easy to read. Don’t frustrate guests by making the font too fancy.

And don’t forget: when in doubt, ask someone’s advice! If you want to know what people will think about a certain picture, or want to see if a font you like is readable, find friends or family to help you out!

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