How to design digital layouts for short and extensive menus
Assess menu length beyond the product count. Organize categories, description density, and product-finding tasks on a phone for short and extensive menus.
A menu with few products is not always easy to use, and one with many products is not always difficult. A short list of unclear names can make customers hesitate, while a well-grouped extensive menu can lead them directly to the item they want. Design decisions need to consider variety, the need for descriptions, and the visitor’s task alongside product count. Reducing a menu’s range and organizing it more clearly are separate decisions.
Contents
First identify what makes the menu long
One menu may be long because it contains many products; another may feel dense because of the descriptions and images in each card. Repeating size options on separate lines also extends the display. First identify which element makes it harder for customers to reach the information they seek.
If entries repeat the same product under different names, correct the content inventory. Do not combine genuinely separate products merely to make the menu appear shorter. The range a business offers and how it is displayed on screen can be considered together, but a decision about one does not automatically determine the other.
Match description density to the product’s needs
Not every product needs a description of the same length. Size or serving details may be enough for a familiar drink, while a dish whose name does not explain its ingredients may need more. Adding unnecessary sentences to make every card the same height does not give users new information.
Put important differences at the start of the text. Review sentences that repeatedly list the same ingredients or offer only praise. When shortening content, however, retain portion details, included accompaniments, and option information that affect the customer’s decision. Concise text should not become incomplete text.
Compare layouts through tasks using your own menu
Ask one user to find a product they already know and another to choose something new. The first task reveals navigation, while the second shows how well differences between products are understood. Measuring total scrolling length alone cannot explain both experiences.
Evaluate changes to category order and product content in Orvunai’s phone view. Write down which problem a change is intended to solve and repeat the same task. If the business needs to change its product range, consider that together with kitchen and service input; design can provide concrete observations to support the decision.
Explore the relevant Orvunai product guide to put these steps into practice with your own menu.
Explore QR code menus for restaurants and cafés