Understanding Menu Psychology

Abstract For years, menu designers have operated on the premise that menu layout affects sales directly. The supporting research in this area has, however, been sparse. To evaluate this relationship empirically, an experiment was conducted in an independent, casual-dining restaurant located at a large, northeastern university. The first treatment integrated manipulations of price location on menus but did not result in significantly different average-check totals. The second tested the effects of displaying specific items more prominently on the menu. Again contrary to the hypothesis, this failed to affect the probability that guests would purchase either of the selected items. The concluding discussion addresses implications for restaurateurs and the future of menu design.