7 Tips for Crafting the Perfect WooCommerce Restaurant Menu

| April 11, 2023

7 Tips for Crafting the Perfect WooCommerce Restaurant Menu

| April 11, 2023
restaurant menu website design

If you’re running your own restaurant website or looking to create a WooCommerce restaurant menu for a restaurant owner, this article is for you.

👋 In this guide, we’ll walk you through creating a WooCommerce restaurant menu from scratch with 7 tips to make your restaurant menu irresistible.

The best part? This guide is beginner friendly and practical, so you’ll be able to create a restaurant menu for your food-ordering website in no time at all.

woocommerce restaurant menu

Tip 1: Use a WooCommerce plugin to make menu creation easy

First things first, to create a WooCommerce restaurant menu that helps you sell more dishes, looks attractive, and does a good job of representing your business, you’ll need a little more than a PDF menu.

If you want to:

  • Easily add WooCommerce products and display them in a restaurant menu.
  • Customize your menu layout with starters, mains, desserts, and any other categorization you’d like.
  • Add this menu to any page of your choice.
  • Allow customers to select menu items, customize them with add-ons, and then take online payment at a checkout page.
  • And more.

You’ll need a WooCommerce restaurant menu plugin to do it. In this case, we recommend Orderable.

product options in the cart

Why use Orderable to create your WooCommerce restaurant menu?

Orderable is a game-changer for restaurant owners who want a user-friendly online menu that not only looks great but also helps boost sales.

This WordPress plugin takes the hassle out of menu creation and management, giving you more time to focus on what matters most – serving up delicious dishes to your customers.

Orderable can handle everything from easy menu creation to seamless online ordering, all without charging any additional fees. So you’ll keep all your hard-earned cash while still offering a top-notch online ordering experience.

WooCommerce restaurant menu burger side

One of the coolest features of Orderable is its mobile-first design, ensuring your menu is easy to navigate and looks fantastic on any device.

Plus, with flexible product/menu layouts, you can create a beautiful restaurant menu that truly represents your brand, all without needing any coding expertise.

How to create a restaurant menu with Orderable

Creating a WooCommerce restaurant menu with Orderable is straightforward. Once you’ve installed the plugin, there are only a few steps you need to take to get it up and running.

  1. First, you’ll need to add your restaurant menu dishes. These are added just like WooCommerce products with names, prices, images, and more.
add food dish in WooCommerce
  1. Once you’ve created your dishes, it’s time to put together your menu. Orderable comes with an easy layout builder which you can completely customize to suit you. This includes:
    1. How products/dishes are displayed.
    2. Which categories you want to show and how they work. These are usually things like starters, mains, desserts. You can display them as tabs and decide where those sit.
    3. If you want the featured image to display.
    4. If you want the card to be clickable instead of the button.
    5. Where you want your product labels positioned, we’ll talk about these later!
product layout product label position
  1. Once you’re happy with your layout (you can preview it in the section below), click Publish.

Next, we need to add this layout to a page. To do this, you create a page in your WordPress site, give it a name (usually Menu or Food Menu), and click the black + symbol to add a block. You can alternatively use a shortcode here.

orderable menu layout block

Search Orderable in the search bar, and you’ll see Orderable Product Layout. This is your restaurant menu. Click on it to add, and make sure you have the right menu selected on the right-hand side.

orderable restaurant menu page

Then publish your page, and your new restaurant menu will be ready to go.

So now we know how to create a fantastic restaurant menu with Orderable. Let’s go through a few tips that will make your restaurant menu even more irresistible. 👇

Tip 2: Capture your dishes with stunning photography

It goes without saying that good food photography can make or break an online menu.

After all, the menu within your restaurant doesn’t need photographs, so it relies on text alone. But for your online menu, the photographs are the star of the show.

They show customers what they can expect, tempt them to buy, and showcase your care for your food items.

So, to make your food photography the best it can be, here are a few tips.

Use natural lighting

While taking shots of your dishes, make sure to use as much natural lighting as you can. Harsh lighting can make food look unappealing, so to keep your dishes looking as genuine as possible, go for softer, more natural light.

💡 Top tip: If you can, shoot your dishes near a large window and cover the window with sheer fabric or translucent paper to diffuse the light and make it softer.

food photography example

Keep it simple

Customers only care about one thing – the food. So keep that center stage.

The food should be the prominent focal point of your shot. The dish it’s in, and the accessories you pair with it, should all complement the dish, not overshadow it.

So pick tableware that shows off the food to its fullest and a background that, although simple, gives the shot some atmosphere.

food photography example 2

This can be done using a colored tile, sheet of paper, or tablecloth underneath the dish. Then sit your dish on top. Other dishes, sides, or condiments can be displayed around, but the main dish should be the focal point.

Choose the right angle

Depending on the dish, the angle in which it’s taken, can make a huge difference to how it comes across on camera.

This is where you’ll need to experiment. Take photographs overhead and at a 45-degree angle and see which you like more.

If you’re unsure which looks best to you, show them to staff and customers to get a better idea.

food photography angles

Tip 3: Showcase special dishes to attract new and existing customers

Now you’ve created your menu, it’s time to give it some life. The best online restaurant menus offer something a little different that you may not be able to get when ordering in-store.

If you’re looking to freshen things up a bit, or give your customers something new and exciting to sink their teeth into, here are some creative things you can do with Orderable’s features:

Offer a ‘surprise me’ option for customers who want to try something new

Sometimes new or existing customers just don’t know what to order. Either that, or they like the idea of the chef picking for them. Add this option to your menu and surprise customers when their order arrives.

surprise menu item

Create a secret menu with exclusive items that customers can only order online

We’ve all heard of those secret menus. Ones that only specific people have access to. They’re a fantastic way to reward loyal customers or use as promotional material on social media.

With Orderable, you can create a ‘secret’ menu and embed it into a ‘secret’ page that can only be accessed with a password (WordPress built-in settings). Or keep it off your main menu so only those with the link can find it.

Create a virtual tasting experience for customers who want to try a bit of everything

Just like the ‘surprise me’ option, this fun menu item could offer customers a tasting experience of some of your best dishes and/or drinks. This way, if a customer is new or wants someone they know to experience your food, they can try a lot, all at once.

Use Orderable’s notifications to send thank-you messages to customers

If you’re delivering items to customers, nothing tells them you value their order more than a thank you message. With Orderable’s order notifications, you can send these as soon as your team has changed the order status to ‘Completed.’

Use this space to add a coupon for their next order, ask for feedback, ask them to post on social media, or just show your gratitude.

Offer a ‘build-your-own’ menu option, allowing customers to choose their own ingredients and create a unique dish

We’re back to the fun menu items, and this one is a build-your-own option. By using Orderable’s product add-ons, you can create more than just customizable pizzas.

Get creative with hampers, drink pairing, sharing platters, and more.

product customization woocommerce restaurant menu

Tip 4: Organize your WooCommerce restaurant menu for easy navigation

We mentioned it earlier, but Orderable allows you to create different categories for your dishes and then add these categories as tabs on your WooCommerce restaurant menu.

This technique is usually used for adding sections for your starters, mains, and desserts. But that’s not all you can do.

Using this feature to the fullest, you can add the following to your restaurant menu:

  • A category/section for special offers, so customers can see your deals in one handy location.
  • Specific menu sections for dietary needs such as Vegan/Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Halal, and more.
  • A category/section for the chef’s choice or daily dishes.
  • Specific menu sections for food from specific regions. For example, if you serve Indian dishes, you could have sections for Northern India, South India, New Delhi, and more.
  • A category/section for items that are only available at specific times of the day. For example, a breakfast or lunch menu.
  • A section for themed or seasonal dishes to keep them separate from your standard dishes.
special menu categories

Tip 6: Include clear allergen and dietary information

Once this is done, we’ll turn to allergen and dietary information.

Adding labels to your dishes is vital when ordering online. When used correctly, product labels can help customers with specific dietary needs see what’s available to them at a glance.

Should a customer have to click on each item to see if they can eat it, they may well look elsewhere. To combat this, dietary labels are a great solution, and with Orderable, you can add them in just a few clicks.

how to make a food ordering website

You’ll be able to create unlimited WooCommerce food labels that you can apply to each and every one of your products. These food labels are custom to you. So if you need something a little unusual, you can create it.

product label display option

You can also create labels for marketing/promotion too. So if you have new dishes, popular ones, or a dish you want to promote as the chef’s choice, you can do so. Just create your label and assign it to the right product.

allergen information woocommerce

Allergen information is the next step. If you want customers to feel truly safe when ordering from you, including this information on the dish page is vital. Orderable allows you to do just this, getting as detailed and specific as you want.

Tip 6: Offer appealing menu customization options

Then let’s talk customization. No WooCommerce restaurant menu would be complete without the ability for dish customization. We’re talking about adding toppings, sides, condiments, and more.

Anything you’d like customers to tweak about their dish, you can add with Orderable.

product options

In fact, you’ll be able to add as many customization options as you like. Adding images, descriptions, additional fees, and more.

You can also boost your average order value by offering order bumps, which suggest additional items, sides, or sauces during checkout.

order bumps

Tip 7: Offer a seamless online ordering experience

Once you have your restaurant menu looking great and making you sales, it’s time to fulfill those orders. This is where your online ordering system comes into play.

An online restaurant menu is great, but if you want customers to order food for takeaway, or food delivery, you’ll need something a little extra.

How Orderable works for the customer’s ordering experience

In this case, the restaurant ordering plugin Orderable takes care of the online ordering process for you. Making it user-friendly and easy to set up.

Here’s how it works:

  1. A customer selects the dishes they want and heads to the checkout of your WordPress site.
  2. Because you’re using Orderable, they’ll be presented with a custom checkout that has been designed specifically for restaurant websites.
  3. Here they’ll see your payment options and delivery options.
    1. Because you’re using WooCommerce, the payment gateways you choose are up to you. You can have anything from cash on delivery, to PayPal, Stripe, Apple Pay, and more.
    2. At this point, they can either order food for delivery or local pickup.
    3. No matter which they pick, they’ll be able to pick from some delivery time slots for their order.
    4. Lastly, they’ll have the option of leaving you a tip before completing their order.
delivery slot at checkout
  1. Once completed, you’ll be able to send them order notifications to keep them in the loop and manage their order all within WooCommerce.
woocommerce sms

How Orderable works for the store owner’s experience

Of course, that’s how it works for customers, but what about the store owner?

With Orderable, you’ll be able to completely tailor your food ordering system to you. So if you want to set a completely unique, ever-changing, and flexible delivery schedule, you can.

delivery schedule woocommerce

You’ll be able to customize everything from closing times, lead times, ASAP delivery, holiday dates, and so much more.

By using Orderable as the online food ordering plugin for your ecommerce store, you’ll have the greatest possible flexibility, all while remaining fully in control of your profits.

custom order status

The best part? Orderable not only has a responsive design (which means mobile ordering is covered), but it works with any page builder (like Elementor), or WordPress theme. So you can have it up and running in no time at all.

Create your perfect WooCommerce restaurant menu today

By using the tips within this guide, you should have a good idea of what you need your WooCommerce restaurant menu to achieve and what you need your restaurant ordering system to do for you.

Setting up a WooCommerce restaurant menu shouldn’t be difficult. And with Orderable in hand, you’ll not only have a restaurant menu setup within minutes, but you’ll have an online ordering system that will scale as you do.


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