Your Menu Is More Than a List, It’s Your Pitch, Your Story, Your Soul
Let’s cut through the noise:
Your menu isn’t just what you serve.
It’s who you are—written in food.
And if yours reads like a greatest hits playlist from every place you’ve ever worked, it’s no wonder your guests aren’t connecting. Or coming back.
I’ve been there. I’ve done that.
At Kapow, we thought we were writing a menu. What we were really doing was writing a mission statement. One that said: “We’re serious about Asian flavors, but not precious. We’re for the people who want sake without a seminar. Fusion without the ego. And fun without sacrificing quality.”
The food just delivered the message.
The Brutal Truth Most Operators Miss
The average guest spends 2 minutes looking at your menu.
That’s 120 seconds to either:
Sell your concept
Confuse the hell out of them
Or make them wonder if you’re running a Groupon special
And here’s the kicker—most menus are trying to do everything for everyone.
So you’ve got a burger next to poke next to pasta… and nobody knows what the hell your point of view is.
That’s not a menu. That’s a panic attack on paper.
A Great Menu Doesn’t Just Feed—It Frames the Experience
The best menus do three things:
Tell a story
Build trust
Guide behavior
And not in some fluffy “our founder loved soup” kind of way.
I’m talking about:
The dish names
The structure of the sections
The margin logic
The emotional flow of the guest journey
All of it needs to align like a well-run line on a Saturday night.
What’s Your Menu Really Saying?
Here’s what I ask every consulting client when we look at their menu:
“Can I tell what this place is about without setting foot inside?”
Because if I see “Truffle Fries,” “Kimchi Fried Rice,” and “Lobster Mac” on one page…
I’m not thinking, wow, they’re creative.
I’m thinking they have no idea who they are.
Let me give you an example.
When we opened Penelope, it wasn’t just about blending French and Southern cuisine.
It was about telling the story of collision: cultures, flavors, people.
The menu leaned into that.
Frog legs with creole butter. Duck fat biscuits with plum compote. A wine list that told the same story.
Nothing was on that menu by accident.
It read like the concept. It tasted like the brand.
The Menu Is Where Strategy Becomes Real
You want higher check averages? Write descriptions that sell, not just describe.
You want better margins? Position your highest-margin items as signature dishes.
You want to reduce decision fatigue? Cut your list in half and structure it around mood, not meal part.
Want to see if your team actually understands the concept?
Ask them to describe the menu in one sentence.
If you get blank stares or “uhhh, we have something for everyone,” you’ve got work to do.
How to Tell a Real Story Through Your Menu
1. Kill the Frankenmenu
If it doesn’t align with your concept, it doesn’t belong. Full stop.
2. Write with purpose
Your descriptions should educate, entice, and sell. Don’t list ingredients—paint a picture.
3. Build in your voice
Are you refined and elegant? Fun and punchy? Cool and mysterious? Your language should reflect it.
4. Sequence matters
Lead with your winners. Position your margins. Think like a merchandiser, not just a chef.
5. Tell the why
Got one dish that’s deeply personal or tied to your origin story? Highlight it. Frame it. Make it your guest’s first conversation piece.
Here’s the Real Test
Open your current menu.
Now ask yourself:
Does this feel like us?
Would a first-time guest understand what we stand for?
Are we showcasing what makes us different, or what makes us safe?
Because if your menu looks like it was built by a committee trying to please Yelp reviewers, you’ve already lost the game.
What We Learned at Kapow
People didn’t come back because of the pad Thai (though it slapped).
They came back because we created an experience.
We used the menu to build rhythm. To pace the meal. To sell the sake. To bring curiosity and connection to the table.
And that didn’t happen by chance.
We engineered it.
That’s the level you need to play at now. Especially if you want to grow. Especially if you want inKind funding. Especially if you want to stop playing restaurant whack-a-mole every week.
Your Next Move
Stop tweaking dish prices in isolation.
Stop adding items to “see if they’ll sell.”
Start building a narrative from the ground up.
Your menu is your brand’s most visible strategy document.
Treat it like it.
Grab the Free Menu Narrative Builder
This week’s tool is a game-changer.
It’ll help you align every word, section, and dish to the story you’re actually trying to tell.
Download it. Print it. Scribble on it.
Then book a call with me. Let’s turn your menu into your sharpest weapon.
