A hotel guest does not come to the restaurant as a regular customer. They do not know what is on offer, are often a foreigner, and look for answers to simple questions: when is breakfast, what is included, is there something for a child or for a vegetarian. The menu should answer these without you having to be asked.
1. Arrange the menu by moment of the day
A town restaurant menu is usually by type of dish. In a hotel the guest thinks in hours, so start with breakfast.
- Breakfast: what is offered, at what hours and whether it is included in the price of the night. If something is paid extra (for example an omelette made to order), separate it clearly.
- Main dishes and à la carte: the usual categories, as in any restaurant menu.
- Drinks: coffee, soft drinks, wine and beer. Hotel guests often order only drinks on the terrace or in the lobby.
Each category is a separate section, and their order follows the guest's day: breakfast first, then main dishes and drinks.
What not to write if you do not offer it
If you do not offer room service, do not mention it in the menu. Let the guest see only what they actually get. If you do offer it, describe the hours and how to order; the simplest way is to give the reception phone number.
2. Breakfast included in the price
When breakfast is included, the guest does not pay, but still wants to know what there is. Describe it in a line or two: buffet or served, hours, where it takes place. Add what is available for an extra charge. That way you reduce the questions to reception in the first hours after check-in.
Allergens and dietary needs
At breakfast, guests often ask about gluten, lactose and nuts. Allergens are marked on each dish. Check the composition and the labelling rules for your property; the menu only shows what you have entered.
3. Foreign guests
Guests from abroad read the menu on their phone, and do not want to look for a waiter who speaks English. As a minimum, accept Bulgarian and English.
- Translate the descriptions too, not only the names.
- Keep the original name of local specialities and add a short explanation.
How translations and languages are maintained is described in the separate article on a menu in more than one language.
4. How the guest gets to the menu
It is best if the guest does not have to search. Put the same link in several places.
- Reception: a small sign with a QR code and a short text “The restaurant menu”.
- Room: a card by the television or on the desk, which also says how to get to the menu.
- Table: a stand or sticker, as in any restaurant.
- Message at check-in: the link in an email or in a conversation at reception.
The guest opens the menu in the phone's browser, with no app. If you change a price, the link and the code stay unchanged, so the signs are not reprinted. Exactly how this works is described in the article on how a QR menu works.
5. Connect the menu to the website and the guide
The menu works on its own: it does not require a website or a reservation system. If the property does have a website, though, the menu link can sit on it, so guests see it even before they arrive. If you use a digital guest guide, add a link to the menu in it, so that it is in one place together with the Wi-Fi password and the house rules. That way the guest does not receive five different links.
If you often have to answer the same questions from guests about hours and services, read the digital guest guide guide.
6. Keep it up to date
- Change seasonal dishes and prices from the portal; changes are a draft until you publish them.
- Review the menu once a week, especially if breakfast changes.
- Check how it looks on a phone before you publish.
The little time this takes reduces printing and inaccuracies in front of guests.
How it works with ISKA Menu
Categories are arranged from the portal, including from the phone, and the free plan has no limit on their number; the sections by category are shown on the paid plans. The free plan has no QR code, but the menu has a link; one QR code for the menu comes with the Plus plan. A second language is available from the Plus plan (up to four languages including Bulgarian); the free plan is in Bulgarian only. ISKA Restaurant · Pro is a separate product on request. Prices are on the pricing page.