How to Write a Menu Description

In addition to effective menu engineering, good descriptions are important if you want to boost sales at your restaurant. Most customers will skim through the list of items quickly, so you need to describe your offerings creatively and concisely. If you need tips on how to write a menu description, this guide will help you craft attention-getting text that will maximize revenue.

Be Concise

A MenuTech.com article states that most restaurant guests spend less than 2 minutes reading the menu. Since customers are going to skim through your menu rather than read every word, it’s best to keep your menu descriptions to no more than one-sentence long so diners don’t gloss over the key information that will encourage them to order.

Use Captivating Adjectives

Strong adjectives are arguably the most important part of an effective menu description. You need to give enough details to make your customers’ mouths water without being too wordy, so make sure each adjective is descriptive. As the following example shows, using the right adjectives can make the dishes on your menu sound a lot more enticing:

Instead of:

• Chicken Salad: chicken breast, Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions, croutons

You might want to say:

• Chicken Salad: juicy chicken breast, crisp Romaine lettuce, fresh tomatoes, diced onions

Describe All Aspects

Additionally, instead of just focusing on flavor, you should describe multiple aspects of your restaurant’s dishes. The cooking method, texture and other qualities all contribute to the overall experience, so mentioning them will help diners get a better idea of what eating that dish will be like. If you need ideas on good adjectives to use in your menu descriptions, see the list below:

• Flavor: zesty, tangy, sweet, salty, savory, spicy, lemony, buttery, umami, chocolatey, tasty


• Texture: creamy, silky, succulent, crispy, crunchy, juicy, tender, flaky, velvety, diced, chopped, shredded


• Cooking Method: slow-roasted, flame-broiled, oven-baked, steamed, sautéed, smoked, braised


• Quality: house, handmade, artisanal, homestyle, old-fashioned, rustic, classic, traditional


• Healthy: organic, low-carb, low-fat, free-range, pastured, grass-fed, cage-free, non-GMO


• Environmentally-Friendly: sustainable, local, responsibly-raised 


• Feeling: sinful, indulgent, satisfied, delightful

Consider the Tone

Every business has a target audience and a brand image, so keep those in mind when writing descriptions for your restaurant menu. For instance, a fine dining menu should emphasize things like quality and use more formal words, while a family restaurant might focus on flavor and creating nostalgic images in customers’ minds: it all depends on the clientele.

Call Out Ingredient Sources

Do you use Alaskan salmon, North Atlantic cod or Florida oranges in your food? Are the organic ingredients from a well-known local farm? If so, mention that in the description because giving guests more information about your dishes builds trust, encouraging them to order more items.

Mention Brand Names

Research shows that diners are more likely to order items if they see brand names in the description. If your cheesecake’s crust is made with the crumbs of a popular cookie or your steak is coated in a famous spice mix, be sure to mention that in the description: when people see that a dish is made with an ingredient they know and trust, they’ll be more likely to try it.

Utilize Photos Effectively

Make sure your menu also has at least a few eye-catching photos. The old saying “less is more” holds true, so remember that crowding your menu with too many pictures not only takes away from your descriptions but also makes each photo less effective. Instead, only include photos of your most profitable menu items so diners focus on–and will be more likely to buy–those dishes.

Leverage ChatGPT

Be sure to take advantage of AI tools like ChatGPT to help you write menu descriptions. Having trouble thinking of adjectives to describe French fries? Ask ChatGPT for “adjectives to describe French fries.” Does a sentence seem a bit off? If so, type the text into the message box, then ask ChatGPT to look for any grammar errors. When used correctly, AI tools can be very helpful when writing copy for your business.