When an owner decides to create the menu in a second language, they usually start with a translation. This is a necessary first step, but often it is not enough. The translation says what the dish is called, while a foreign guest wants to know what they will get at the table.
Example scenario: one evening, three tables
This is an invented but realistic situation. The restaurant has traditional cuisine, and the menu has an English translation, literal and accurate. At the same time, three groups of guests from different countries are sitting on the terrace.
The first table orders “Shopska salata”. The translation reads “Shopska salad”. The guests know neither what is in it nor whether it is large. The waiter explains: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and cheese. Only then do they order.
The second table sees “Tarator” and understands “cold soup”. Nobody has been warned that it contains yoghurt and garlic, and that it is served cold. One of the guests expects a hot soup and sends the plate back.
The third table chooses “Kavarma” and asks what quantity it comes in. Two order one each, while the third wonders whether it is for sharing. The portion turns out to be large and part of it is left over.
What the three cases have in common is that nobody made a mistake in the translation. What was missing was a description, the portion and the taste. And the waiter has spent the time on explanations instead of on serving.
What they need besides translation
A short description of what the dish is
One sentence next to the name: what it is made of and how it is served. “Shopska salata: fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper and grated cheese” is more useful than a translation of the name. This way the guest decides on their own, without waiting for the waiter.
The main ingredients
Not all the ingredients are needed. The ones that decide the order are enough: meat, fish, milk, garlic, nuts. If you describe allergens on the menu, edit them at the dish itself and check what is needed for your venue when informing guests. There is more about this in the article on allergens on the menu.
The portion
Foreign guests may have no idea whether it is 150 grams or a whole tray. A simple note is enough: “for one person”, “for sharing”, “side dish”. If you state a weight, it must match the actual one.
The taste
One word often prevents an unpleasant surprise: light, spicy, sour, smoked, sweet. Especially for dishes that are traditionally served cold or with yoghurt.
The usual notes for guests
For some dishes, one note is enough: “served cold”, “with bread”, “served with lyutenitsa on the side”. This way there is no need to explain separately at each table.
Where to start
Do not translate or describe everything at once. Do a small exercise over a day or two:
- Make a note of which dishes guests ask about most often.
- Take the first ten and write two short sentences for each: what it is and what the portion is.
- Ask the waiters whether the description matches what they say at the table.
- Add the taste and a serving note only where there really are questions.
- After a week, check whether the questions have become fewer and add ten more.
This way the menu grows according to real need, not according to a list that nobody reads.
How to keep it alive
Descriptions only make sense if they are correct. When you change the recipe or the supplier, change the text too; when the portion changes, update the note. How to keep translations from going out of date is the subject of a separate article on the menu in more languages; here is just one rule: better two languages that are up to date than five that go out of date.
A quick check for the owner
- Does the guest understand what the dish is without asking?
- Does the guest know the portion?
- Does the guest know the main ingredients and the taste?
- Is the description correct today?
- Can the team update it on its own?
Where ISKA Menu helps
ISKA Menu can show the menu in several languages in the Plus plan (up to 4 languages); ISKA Restaurant · Pro supports up to 10 languages. The description, photo and allergens are edited at the dish itself, from the portal or from your phone. Changes are drafts until published, and the link stays the same, so the QR code on the table does not change (the QR code is in the Plus plan; the free plan has no QR). The guest opens the menu in the browser, with no app. Plan prices are on the pricing page.