Menu Design
Common Chinese Restaurant Menu Problems
Many Chinese restaurant menus lose sales because the food is hard to understand, not because the food is bad.
Problem map
| Problem | Result | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Long undifferentiated menu | Diners default to familiar items. | Create clear sections and house-specialty paths. |
| Literal translations only | Diners misunderstand dishes. | Use functional English names plus Chinese and pinyin. |
| No dietary signals | Diners ask repetitive questions or avoid ordering. | Disclose common ingredients and preparation risks. |
| Too many photos | Menu feels cluttered and slow. | Use fewer, accurate, high-quality photos. |
| PDF-only online menu | Poor mobile use and poor search visibility. | Use HTML text with a printable version. |
| No first-order guidance | New diners under-order or choose poorly. | Add suggested orders by group size and format. |
Diagnostic question
Give the menu to a diner who has never visited the restaurant. If they cannot identify the restaurant's best dishes, mild options, shared dishes, and dietary risks within a minute, the menu is doing too much work poorly.