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Drink menu design and ideas that increase sales

Last Updated: October 8, 2024

A drink menu plays a pivotal role in enhancing your customer base. It serves as a marketing tool for bars, pubs, and other food and beverage businesses.  

Customers usually go through the entire menu before deciding what food and drink to order. With a well-crafted drink menu, establishments can get people to order more drinks, increasing their average check size.

For that reason, restaurants must create an enticing QR code menu to leave a great first impression on customers.

Here are some must-know tips on designing your bar's drink menu and what content to include.

Digital drink menu design that maximizes profitability 

Drink menu design is an important thing you should pay attention to because it can greatly impact your sales. Every detail of the menu matters—colors, fonts, images, and food descriptions.

A Gallup poll found that the average guest only spends about 109 seconds looking at menus. When designing your QR code menu, you must strategically consider the customers.

Here are the steps on how to create a drink menu for a better customer experience:

Know your clientele

Menu QR code on table tent

When you create a drink menu, it's important that you know your audience.

Conduct market research to discover your target market. Run surveys and ask for opinions and feedback directly from consumers.   

By knowing the demographics — age, gender, marital status, income, hobbies, and interests — you can understand the wants and needs of the individual audience. 

And with the information you've collected, you'll be able to create a menu that fits the tastes of your target market.

Add a new drink category to your QR code menu

If you're thinking of adding a temporary drink category to your menu, you may do so using MENU TIGER. You can also add choices and add-ons to your online menu, which is a plus for generating more income. 

Attract your diners’ attention by making a catchy name for the new category, like “Today's Special Drinks.” 

If you want to know how to create your bar's drink menu using MENU TIGER, follow these steps:

1. Go to Menu and click Foods in your account. Then, hit the Add button beside Categories.

Food categories

2. Choose the Store where you will add another category. Fill in the Name and Description of the category.

QR code menu food category

3. Select Modifier groups that apply to the category. Then, select Tax categories.

Menu QR code food section

4. To save the changes, click the Add button. 

QR code menu food section

Highlight high-profit drinks

Featuring particular items on your QR code menu—especially those high-profit items—can help increase sales. It can indirectly influence customers to purchase them.

You can easily highlight drink items using MENU TIGER. Here's how to do it:

1. On your Dashboard, go to Menu and click the subsection Foods.

2. Then, choose the Category and click the Edit icon beside the item you will highlight.

3. Scroll midway, look for Featured, and tick the box beside it.

4. Finally, click the Update button. 

Write a simple drink and beverage menu description

Designing a menu for your drinks requires you to know how to write a menu description.

It should paint a picture for the reader of what the drink looks like and how it tastes. An appetizing food description can induce 45% of people to buy a certain item. 

To better illustrate the drink's taste, you can use sensory words such as sweet, tangy, refreshing, fruity, and others. Here's a guide to updating your drink item's description:

1. Go to the Menu section and proceed to Foods

2. After that, look for the category the item belongs to, then click the Edit symbol beside the item. 

3. Find Description, then you may start updating the item's description.  

4. Once done, remember to click Update at the bottom.

Add perfectly shot drink images

Photos have the power to attract a person's attention and influence their purchasing behavior. Drink images can stimulate customers' taste senses and convince them to buy.

A study confirms that consumers manifest a more positive attitude when provided with food pictures along with descriptive food names than those without pictures.

Always check the quality when adding pictures to the digital beverage menu. The recommended size is 400px x 300px. This will help convince diners to buy your drink items.

With MENU TIGER, you can better represent food and drinks since it lets you add up to three images for every item.

Here's how to add images to your digital menu:

1. On your MENU TIGER account, go to Menu and click the subsection, Foods

Food section of QR code menu

2. Choose the category you will go to, then click the Edit icon on the right side of the drink item.

QR code menu food category

3. Scroll down and upload/drag the file. Hit the Update button. 

Edit food section

Bar drink menu ideas you can offer to customers

There are several classic cocktails, but few have solid staying power. Its timeless flavors make it a comfortable drink for many. 

But if you prefer to give the classics and well drinks a little twist, here are suggestions you can add when you create a drink menu. Take a look at the following:

1. Negroni

Negroni

Negroni is a popular, easy-to-make, and refreshingly bitter drink. It's a sophisticated aperitif made from a balanced mixture of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth.

There are many ways you can tweak Negroni. You can shake and strain them into a cocktail glass and garnish them with a lemon twist.

This Italian cocktail is well-known for its bright red color, which makes it a great addition to your menu, especially for parties and holidays. Its incredible taste will undoubtedly leave an impression on the guest. 

2. Daiquiri 

Daiquiri

Daiquiri is an extremely easy-to-prepare drink that requires only three ingredients: rum, sugar, and lime. 

You may give your classic daiquiri a tropical twist by adding banana liqueur to make a banana daiquiri.

Another recipe variation you can try is strawberry daiquiri which is perfect for summer. This drink recipe highlights fresh lime juice and sweet strawberries.

When mixed properly, it can create a transcendent experience. Having this classic cocktail will go down a storm at any party. 

3. Red Sangria

Red sangria

Sangria is a perfect drink you can offer to your guests this cold season. Play off the red wine by adding seasonal fruits such as citrus, pomegranate, pears, and cranberries. 

You can also add complementary fruits: apples, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, peaches, blackberries, and pineapples.

You can't go wrong by following the classic rule of pairing meat and wine pairing. This fruity, boozing, refreshing drink goes well with a tender steak. So, why not suggest this perfect pairing to your guests?

4. Gimlet 

Gimlet

Who would forget the gems among the classic cocktails? Making a gimlet won't require much since you will only need gin/vodka, lime, and sugar.

If you're feeling extra creative, you can try other Gimlet recipes—like the Vodka Gimlet.

Add herbs like basil or rosemary, and include some botanicals such as peppercorns, cardamom pods, and dried ginger for extra flavor. Then muddle in a few slices of fresh cucumber.

This thirst-quenching drink is perfect for enjoying with friends on late summer evenings.

5. Blue Lagoon Mocktail

For guests who crave a sweet, refreshing drink but don't want alcohol, the blue lagoon mocktail is perfect for them. 

Blue lagoon mocktail

Everyone will love the delicious citrus flavor and striking blue hue of this drink; a good addition to your drink menu.

This four-ingredient drink will surely taste good when made properly. It will only take minutes to prepare this non-alcoholic beverage ideal to be enjoyed during summer.  

Champagne drink menu list and pairings to celebrate Global Champagne Day

Freshen up your digital menu and celebrate Global Champagne Day. This is an excellent opportunity for any drinking establishment to boost revenues through cross-selling.

To empty out your cellar, know what food matches every type of champagne. So, for your reference, we've listed some pairings you can add to your champagne drink menu list.

Rose champagne

Rose champagne has higher acidity, making it ideal for greasy and spicy dishes. This is perfect for drinking while having smoked salmon, tuna steak, spicy barbecues, ducks, and seafood, especially shrimp. 

For endings, this sweet and savory drink complements well with chocolate and raspberries. It’s also perfect when paired with chocolate-dipped berries.

Sweet champagne

Sweet champagne pairs well with many fruits like lemons, berries, and peaches. It also goes well with desserts and cheese. 

Demi-sec (semi-sweet) champagne complements bittersweet and zesty desserts like lemon pie and tiramisu.

Dry champagne

Dry champagne with rounded acidity goes well with seafood like fish, lobsters, shrimp, and oysters. For mains, you can go with any pasta or risotto with mushroom sauce.

Desserts such as shortbread and pound cake pair well with champagne.

Tart desserts such as lemon meringues and cheesecake could work too.

Highlight your drinks with MENU TIGER 

A well-thought-out drink menu ideas heavily impacts your profitability. Customers will get excited as they read your menu when it has a compelling and lively design. 

Good thing there’s MENU TIGER, a QR code menu where you can customize your online menu and choose from many designs.

You can update your menu at any time and set the design based. You can build a digital drink menu that converts sales.

You won't have to spend anything when you update your menu, making it a cost-efficient asset for your business. 

Sign up with MENU TIGER today! No credit card required.

Junah Cen

Junah Cen is the type of Content Writer who uses her teaching profession to weave digestible and accurate content filled with SEO-friendly magic for the SaaS and Hospitality Industries. Off-duty, Junah's zeal for church activities, connecting with youth, and voracious reading define her vibrant world.