Is a picture really worth a thousand words? For restaurants, food pictures are worth at least that much, as they'll lead to more online orders.

An online ordering customer will only remember 10% of what they read on a website, such as food descriptions. But show diners a picture, and their recall grows to 65%!

And because a restaurant's online menu is usually a customer's first stop, including tasty food pics can make a whole lot of difference.

Menufy's web designers and industry experts have seen the good and the bad when it comes to menu photos. Below, they passionately share the many reasons why food pics are so important and give some advice to help restaurant owners in the process.

3 reasons why food photos are so important for online menus.

Senior Web Designer Erin Trampel has a simple answer as to why food pics are so important: 

"Because photos make people hungry, and hungry people order more food." 

She's right. But there's more to the story.

1. Help online customers make informed choices.

Customers want all the information they can get before clicking "add to cart."

A menu picture will build trust with the customer by answering any questions they may have about the quality of a dish.

Also, a lot of menu items can have multiple preparation methods or come with different toppings, for example. Including food photos will remove a customer's doubts about what they're ordering.

"Food pictures are a vital part of any online menu because they add a visual reference for customers to see what they’ll be getting. They help give customers the confidence to try different menu items rather than just sticking to what they already know." -Ashley Gloeckner, Menufy Graphic Designer

2. Stand out in a world of text-only menus.

What makes hungry customers place orders on one site instead of navigating to another? 

It starts with an eye-catching website that features online ordering and, you guessed it, food pictures. 

A restaurant needs more than just a delicious dish description to entice a customer to make a purchase. If an ordering website lacks images, patrons may search for another restaurant where they can do more than just read about a menu item. 

Menufy experts know that food pics are the easiest way to make a restaurant's online menu stand out.

"Including food pictures adds color and interest to an online ordering page. It's a game-changer. -Ashley Gloeckner

3. Increase your customer’s appetite and the ticket size!

A picture can persuade a customer to add an extra app or dessert to their order. Food images generate far more excitement and hunger than just the name and written description of a dish can.

"I always tell my customers that people eat with their eyes. And when they are able to see pictures, they are more likely to order. -Karen Throckmorton, Menufy Sales Executive

In simple words, show your dishes, don't just talk about them. Pictures will motivate people to order more!

Advice from our experts.

Menufy design and restaurant success teams get a lot of the same questions from restaurants regarding food images. Find answers and advice from the experts below:

Can I use stock photos on my restaurant's online menu?

"No, stock photos give customers a false sense of what their food is going to look like when they get it and will lead to the restaurant getting more complaints and lower reviews." -Erin Trampel

Do I need to hire a professional to take food pics?

"Most smartphones take pretty decent pictures. Restaurants don't need to spend money hiring a professional to snap photos. I tell restaurant owners to practice taking pictures in their location. Follow these tips to learn how to produce quality food pics on your own!" -Karen Throckmorton

What should be shown in each menu item photo?

"Your food is the main character, not the table or utensils. Make your dish the primary focus of the photo. For best results, eliminate unnecessary items from the shot (such as hands or place settings), as these might draw attention away from your dish. To ensure customer satisfaction, the picture of the food should be consistent with what a customer will get." -Nikki Finley

Does my restaurant need an image for every item on our online menu?

"Online menus don't need photos for every food item. Restaurant owners can forgo adding pics of side sauces and common drinks. But it's a good idea to have photos of all of the main dishes, especially popular ones or those that are unique to their restaurant." -Erin Trampel

What else can I use food photos for?

"If a restaurant is going to take the time to snap menu photos, I advise getting multiple versions of each dish in the same photo shoot. That way, they'll have a bank of ready-to-go photos to promote their restaurant across social media, email campaigns, and platforms such as Yelp and Google." -Nikki Finley

The Final Course

A restaurant may have an amazing and tasty menu, but how can it attract new customers or convince loyal patrons to try something new? 

Adding food photos is the most direct way to stir up customer interest and make diners' mouths water. An online ordering menu featuring photos helps customers understand what they are ordering and entices them to order more! 

Photos do a lot more than just make customers hungry. They can also increase a restaurant's brand awareness and digital presence. 

And, if your restaurant uses Menufy online ordering, managers can upload pictures to their online menu via the Manager Portal.

Start snapping food pics today to take your online ordering menu to the next level.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melissa Dimmitt, Marketing Manager

Melissa began her digital marketing career over a decade ago at a restaurant group. She worked with restaurant managers and executive chefs while coordinating seasonal menu releases, executing photoshoots, and creating fresh digital content.