Online menu: how to write dishes that get ordered

How to write dish descriptions, take photos and declare allergens so guests actually order.

Ordering online is a screen decision

Restaurant diners see the dish, get a recommendation and smell it. Online customers see a name, a photo and a few lines. Those tiny differences decide whether a dish gets clicked. A well-kept online menu is its own sales tool, not just a digital copy of the printed card.

Why the online menu is more than a PDF

Customers search on their smartphones first, before they phone or pop in. A good online menu answers three questions in seconds: what is on today, what does it cost, and can I eat in, order, collect or reserve. Anyone who answers clearly wins orders. A simple scan of the printed card loses guests, because the layout breaks on a phone and allergens or delivery options are missing.

Description: short and to the point

These building blocks work well:

• Main ingredient and method, for example "rice with chicken and vegetables stir-fried in a wok" rather than just "rice and chicken".
• Provenance where it matters, such as "beef from Switzerland" or "regional organic tomatoes".
• One precise detail that makes the dish stand out, for instance "home-made gnocchi".
• The price clearly visible next to the dish.

Avoid long marketing sentences and technical terms. If it is unclear what is in the dish, customers will click the dish they already know.

Tip: Active voice and concrete ingredients. Too many adjectives dilute the message.

Photos: one good image beats three adjectives

Observations from online ordering platforms show that dishes with a photograph are ordered more often than those without one. There is no single uniform percentage, but the trend is clear.

For a photo to actually sell, it must be right:

1. Daylight, indirect, no artificial flash.
2. As little background as possible, the dish fills two thirds of the frame.
3. Honest depiction, no decorative plate you would never serve.
4. Identical format and size for every dish.

Tip: Guest photos often feel more authentic than staged studio shots. Real table photos can build trust.

Allergens: declare correctly rather than answer ad hoc

In Switzerland, 14 groups of allergens have had to be declared since 1 May 2017: gluten-containing cereals, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soya beans, milk (including lactose), tree nuts, celery, mustard, sesame seeds, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, lupin and molluscs. The aha! Swiss Allergy Centre explains these duties within Swiss food legislation in force since May 2017.

The declaration can be given in writing or orally. According to GastroSuisse, the decisive point is: if information is oral, a clearly visible written notice must indicate that staff will provide information on request, and a knowledgeable person must answer before the order is placed.

For the online menu the written variant is safer:

1. Mark the 14 allergens in the dish with letters or numbers.
2. Link or print a separate allergen legend ("A gluten-containing cereals, C eggs, G milk …").
3. Declare additives and the origin of meat and fish where the law or guests expect it.

Tip: Keep the list current. Update declarations as soon as a supplier changes a recipe.

Structure of the online menu

People do not read online menus line by line, they jump around. A simple order helps:

• Vegetarian and vegan dishes as their own section.
• Daily specials and seasonal promotions at the top.
• Prices always in the same column or at the end of the line.
• On the smartphone everything must scroll with one thumb.

Tip: Test the menu regularly on your own smartphone, ideally on a colleague's.

Delivery area, collection and reservation

Decide which ordering channels you want to offer:

1. Delivery: how far do you deliver? Minimum order value?
2. Collection: how much notice do you need? Can guests choose a pickup time?
3. Table reservation: can guests request or book a table from the menu?

These details belong on the online menu like the dishes themselves. If none applies, say so clearly.

Maintenance as a routine

A menu is never finished. Carry out a short weekly check on the same day:

• Are all current dishes listed with photo and description?
• Are allergens and additives up to date?
• Do the prices match?
• Are delivery area, pickup time and reservation details current?

Tip: Fifteen minutes a week are enough if you have a clear process. Short and regular maintenance beats a big quarterly effort.

How SparissimoFood helps

SparissimoFood turns your menu into an ordering channel:

• Guests order directly via your website, Facebook or app.
• Getting started is free of charge (freemium).
• Each order carries a fee of 5–8 %. This amount goes into advertising on Google and social media that brings you new guests.
• Hardware and installation are handled on site.
• Table reservations are possible too.
• Through ClickandFood, your guests receive cashback on their orders.

The best way to start is with your 10 to 15 most important dishes, properly described, with a photo and allergens, and then to extend the menu step by step.

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This article does not replace legal advice. The information on allergens and labelling is based on material from the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV) and the industry body GastroSuisse.