Menu magic… there’s a method to what lies inside
Who would have thought that there’s a “system” or psychology to writing restaurant menus? True. There’s a whole science to the way many establishments lay out their offerings, price them and entice you to order up.
According to Restaurants & Institutions (an industry trade association), the average person buys a meal away from home 2.59 times a week. Understand how menus try to woo you and you may order differently (and hopefully “healthfully”) the next time you eat out.
· Lineage lures us in. “Grandma’s meatloaf, Mom’s apple pie, Uncle Charlie’s BBQ ribs – denote a sense of heritage and tradition. We gravitate to the familiarity, wholesomeness and comfort these items imply.
· Adjectives sell. Brian Wansink, a food psychologist at CornellUniversity, compared the sales of menu items written simply, with basic names vs. those written with illustrative, enticing words (Seafood Filet or vs. Succulent Italian Seafood Filet). Foods with descriptive titles were picked 27 percent more often and were rated tastier and more appealing than the “plain Jane” versions even though the foods were prepared exactly the same. While every item on a menu may sound good, restaurateurs often put delicious detail to the items they’re hoping you’ll pick. Chances are those foods have a higher profit margin.
· Dollar signs ($) dampen spending. When prices on a menu have dollar signs in front of the numbers ($15 vs. 15) customers spend less. Simply listing the cost of an item (minus the “$”) spurs us to spend more.
· Color matters. Red and blue stimulate appetite; gray and purple trigger a sense of fullness and satisfaction. (Seen many gray and purple menus?)
· Location, location, location. Certain areas of a menu are prime real estate. The right side, just above center page, is the sweet spot. Items listed there are the ones a restaurant (at least those that know how to sell food) are hoping you’ll choose. People also tend to remember the top two items on a list of foods and the last item. Restaurants place foods they wish to "move" there vs. mid-list.
Hoping to eat out healthfully?
Besides the usual tips to split an entrée; remove the bread basket from the table; ask for salad dressing on the side… add these to the list:
· Dine with lighter eaters. When you eat with a group, how the group eats influences how you will eat. Eat with people who have lighter appetites... you'll eat less. Eat with people who have big appetites... you'll be right there with them.
· Try TV-free restaurants. Eat with a TV on (think sports bars and grills) and you’ll nibble well past full.
· Munch at a leisurely pace. Several studies show you eat less if you take your time (at least 15-20 minutes for a meal).