Step-by-Step Guide to Designing a Drinks Menu That Increases Orders

The Overlooked Revenue Engine: Your Drinks Menu

Most restaurant owners invest significant time engineering their food menu but treat their drinks list as an afterthought. This is a costly mistake. Beverages typically carry profit margins of 60-80%, compared to 25-35% for food items. A well-designed drinks menu does not just list what you serve; it actively guides customers toward higher-margin selections, encourages pairings, and creates a sense of occasion that elevates the entire dining experience.

On a digital menu accessed via QR code, drinks compete for attention on a small screen. Customers scroll quickly. If your drinks section is a flat, alphabetical list of names and prices, you are leaving significant revenue on the table. This guide breaks down the exact structure, hierarchy, and design techniques that increase beverage orders, backed by menu engineering principles and real-world results from hospitality operators.

Step 1: Establish a Clear Drink Hierarchy

Drink hierarchy determines what customers see first, what gets the most visual weight, and what fades into the background. Your hierarchy should be driven by two factors: profit margin and customer decision patterns.

The Optimal Category Order

The sequence in which drink categories appear on your menu matters more than most operators realize. Eye-tracking studies on digital menus show that the first two categories receive 3-4 times more attention than categories placed lower on the page. Structure your menu in this order:

1. Signature cocktails / house specials — these are your highest-margin, most distinctive offerings. They should always appear first. They set the tone, differentiate your venue, and cannot be price-compared with competitors because they are unique to you.
2. Wines by the glass — wine by the glass carries exceptional margins and appeals to a broad audience. Placing it second captures guests who may not want a cocktail but are open to something more interesting than a beer.
3. Craft and premium beers — list craft and premium options before standard lagers. Customers anchor on the first prices they see. If craft beers appear first at 9-12 EUR, a standard lager at 7 EUR feels like a reasonable choice rather than the default cheap option.
4. Standard beers and ciders — these are your volume sellers. They do not need prime placement because customers who want a basic beer will scroll to find it regardless.
5. Wine bottles — bottle wines appeal to groups and longer dining occasions. They belong after individual-serve options because most QR menu interactions are individual.
6. Spirits and classic cocktails — standard spirits (gin and tonic, rum and coke) are low-consideration orders. Customers who want them already know what they want.
7. Non-alcoholic beverages — soft drinks, juices, mocktails, water. Place these last in the hierarchy but do not neglect them. A well-crafted non-alcoholic section shows inclusivity and can carry strong margins on mocktails and specialty drinks.

Within Each Category: The Decoy Principle

Within each category, list items strategically. Place your highest-margin item first, your second-highest-margin item last, and use a mid-range option in between. This exploits the "decoy effect" — the middle option feels like the sensible choice, but it is still a high-margin selection for you. The expensive first item makes the middle option feel reasonable by comparison.

Step 2: Build Pairings and Recommended Combos

Pairing suggestions are one of the most effective upselling mechanisms on a digital menu. When a customer is browsing the food menu and sees "Pairs beautifully with our Sancerre by the glass" beneath a seafood dish, the suggestion feels like expert advice rather than a sales pitch.

How to Implement Pairings

• Food-to-drink pairings: Add a short pairing note directly on food items. Keep it to one sentence. Example: "Our sommelier recommends the 2022 Chablis with this dish." This works exceptionally well on digital menus because the recommendation is always present — unlike a verbal suggestion from a server who may forget or be too busy.
• Drink-to-food pairings: On the drinks menu, add a line beneath premium wines and cocktails suggesting food matches. Example: "Outstanding with our grilled lamb chops or aged cheddar board."
• Combo deals: Create explicit bundles. "Any burger + craft beer: save 2.50" or "Dessert + dessert cocktail: 15.00 (save 3.00)." Bundles increase the perceived value and make the decision simpler.
• Group packages: For venues that host groups, offer drink packages directly on the menu. "Bottle of Prosecco + 4 appetizers: 45.00." These are high-value orders with strong margins and they appeal to the person organizing the evening.

The Data Behind Pairings

Restaurants that add pairing suggestions to their digital menus typically see a 15-22% increase in beverage attachment rate (the percentage of food orders that include a drink order). For wine specifically, pairing notes increase wine-by-the-glass orders by up to 28%. These are not trivial numbers on a busy venue.

Step 3: Use Icons and Visual Cues for Clarity

On a digital menu, customers scan rather than read. Icons serve as visual anchors that communicate information instantly without requiring the customer to read descriptive text.

Essential Icons for Drinks Menus

• Spice/heat level: A chili icon for spicy cocktails (jalapeno margarita, spicy paloma). This sets expectations and attracts adventurous drinkers.
• Alcohol strength: A simple scale (light, medium, strong) using one to three filled dots or a gauge icon. Customers appreciate knowing whether a cocktail is a gentle aperitif or a potent after-dinner drink.
• Vegan/vegetarian: Many cocktails use egg white, honey, or dairy-based liqueurs. A vegan icon removes ambiguity for guests with dietary requirements.
• Staff pick / house favorite: A star or badge icon indicating "Staff Pick" draws attention and builds trust. Customers often order what the staff recommends because it signals insider knowledge.
• New addition: A "New" badge on recently added drinks creates urgency and curiosity. It also signals that your menu is actively maintained and evolving.
• Gluten-free: Relevant for beers and certain cocktails. A "GF" icon is a small gesture that matters enormously to customers who need it.

Implementation Tips

Keep your icon set to a maximum of 5-6 distinct symbols. More than that creates visual noise and defeats the purpose. Each icon should be immediately recognizable without a legend, though including a small legend at the top of the drinks section is good practice.

Step 4: Highlight Premium Options Strategically

Every drinks menu has a range from value to premium. The way you present premium options determines whether customers see them as aspirational choices or irrelevant price points. The goal is not to push every customer toward the most expensive option. It is to make premium selections visible, desirable, and easy to choose for customers who are inclined toward them.

Visual Differentiation

• Feature boxes: On a digital menu, a premium cocktail or reserve wine can be placed in a visually distinct card with a subtle background color or border. This separates it from the standard list without being garish.
• Descriptive language: Standard items get functional descriptions ("Gin, tonic, lime"). Premium items get evocative descriptions ("London dry gin, hand-cut ice, Mediterranean tonic, fresh juniper berries and a twist of grapefruit"). The added detail justifies the higher price by communicating craft and care.
• Origin stories: For premium spirits and wines, a one-line origin note adds perceived value. "Single estate mezcal, hand-roasted agave, Oaxaca" transforms an expensive pour from overpriced to justified.
• Photo treatment: If you photograph your drinks (and you should), give premium items larger or more prominent photos. A beautifully lit image of your signature cocktail with smoke drifting over the glass sells itself in ways that text cannot.

The Price Anchoring Technique

Place your single most expensive item at the top of a category. This is not because you expect everyone to order it. It is because it reframes every price beneath it. When the first wine a customer sees is a 22 EUR/glass reserve Barolo, the 14 EUR Chianti below it feels like a smart, moderate choice rather than a splurge. Without the anchor, the 14 EUR glass might feel expensive in isolation.

This technique is well-documented in behavioral economics and is used by every high-performing beverage program. On a digital menu, it is even more effective because you control the exact scroll order — there is no chance of the customer's eye wandering to the bottom of a printed page first.

Upsell Prompts

Digital menus allow for upsell prompts that are impossible on print. When a customer selects a standard gin and tonic, a well-designed digital menu can suggest: "Upgrade to Hendrick's for +2.50." This micro-upsell feels like a service, not a sales tactic, and conversion rates on spirit upgrades typically run between 18% and 30%.

Step 5: Create a Dedicated Seasonal Cocktails Section

Seasonal menus create urgency, generate social media content, and give returning customers a reason to explore rather than defaulting to their usual order. A dedicated seasonal section on your drinks menu is one of the most effective tools for increasing per-visit spend.

Why Seasonal Sections Work

• Scarcity drives action. When a cocktail is labeled "Available through March" or "Winter 2026 Menu," customers order it now because they know it will not be there next time. This is loss aversion in action.
• Higher perceived value. Seasonal cocktails can be priced 15-25% above your standard cocktail range because they are positioned as limited, crafted, and special. Customers accept the premium willingly.
• Content engine. Every seasonal menu change is an opportunity for social media posts, email newsletters, and QR code re-engagement. "Our spring cocktail menu just dropped" gives customers a reason to scan your QR code again.
• Ingredient optimization. Seasonal cocktails let you use ingredients at their peak availability and lowest cost. A summer menu built around fresh berries and stone fruits takes advantage of seasonal pricing while delivering better flavor.

Structuring Your Seasonal Section

1. Limit to 4-6 cocktails. Too many choices creates decision paralysis. A tight, curated selection feels premium and intentional. Each cocktail should be distinct in flavor profile, base spirit, and visual presentation.
2. Name them memorably. Seasonal cocktails deserve creative names that evoke the season. "Midnight Orchard" (apple brandy, cinnamon, walnut bitters) tells a story. "Apple Cocktail #3" does not.
3. Write tasting notes, not ingredient lists. Instead of "Vodka, elderflower, cucumber, lime," write "Crisp and floral with a clean cucumber finish — the essence of a summer garden." Follow with the ingredient list in smaller text for those who want specifics.
4. Include one non-alcoholic seasonal option. A seasonal mocktail signals that your creativity extends beyond spirits and makes non-drinking guests feel included in the seasonal experience.
5. Add a visual header. Use a category banner image that reflects the season. Warm amber tones and spices for autumn, bright citrus and florals for spring. This visual framing primes the customer for the experience before they read a single word.

Rotation Cadence

Change your seasonal menu quarterly at minimum. Many successful bars operate on a 6-8 week rotation for their cocktail specials, with the broader seasonal theme lasting a full quarter. On Scan2Order, updating your seasonal section takes minutes through the menu editor — no reprinting, no waste, no waiting for a designer.

Putting It All Together

Here is the complete structure for a drinks menu optimized for digital ordering:

1. Seasonal Specials (4-6 items, prominent placement, photos, tasting notes)
2. Signature Cocktails (6-10 items, your permanent house originals, detailed descriptions)
3. Wines by the Glass (8-12 selections, organized by style: sparkling, white, rose, red, with pairing notes)
4. Craft Beer (6-10 options, style icons, ABV displayed, local/regional highlighted)
5. Standard Beer and Cider (4-8 options, concise listings)
6. Wine Bottles (organized by region or style, vintage and producer noted)
7. Spirits and Classic Cocktails (base spirit categories, upgrade options noted)
8. Non-Alcoholic (mocktails first, then soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas)

Measuring Success

A well-designed drinks menu is not a one-time project. It is an ongoing optimization process. Use your analytics to measure what is working and what needs adjustment.

Key Metrics to Track

• Beverage attachment rate: What percentage of orders include at least one drink? Industry benchmark is 65-75% for dine-in.
• Average beverage spend per cover: Track this weekly. Your menu changes should move this number upward over time.
• Category mix: What percentage of drink orders come from each category? If 80% of orders are standard beer and 5% are cocktails, your cocktail section needs work.
• Seasonal item sell-through: Are your seasonal cocktails actually selling, or are they being ignored? Low sell-through suggests positioning, pricing, or description issues.
• Pairing conversion rate: When a pairing is suggested, how often does the customer add the recommended drink? This tells you whether your pairing copy is effective.

Common Drinks Menu Mistakes

• Alphabetical ordering: Never list drinks alphabetically. It is the laziest possible structure and ignores every principle of menu engineering. Your menu order should be intentional and margin-driven.
• No descriptions on cocktails: A name and a price is not enough. Customers who do not recognize a cocktail name will skip it entirely. Every cocktail needs at least a one-line description.
• Hiding non-alcoholic options: Burying mocktails and non-alcoholic drinks at the very bottom, after the spirits list, sends a message that these guests are an afterthought. Give non-alcoholic options their own clearly labeled section with the same descriptive care as alcoholic drinks.
• Ignoring price formatting: On digital menus, prices should be clean and consistent. Use the same decimal format throughout. Do not use currency symbols on some items and not others. Small inconsistencies erode the perception of professionalism.
• Static menus: If your drinks menu has not changed in six months, you are missing the single biggest advantage of digital menus: the ability to update instantly. Rotate specials, adjust prices, add seasonal items, and remove underperformers continuously.

Key Takeaways

Your drinks menu is a profit center that deserves the same strategic attention as your food menu. By establishing a clear hierarchy, building in pairing suggestions, using visual icons, highlighting premium options with anchoring techniques, and maintaining a rotating seasonal section, you transform a passive list into an active sales tool.

The beauty of a digital menu on Scan2Order is that every one of these strategies can be implemented today and refined tomorrow based on real data. There is no print run, no sunk cost in outdated menus, and no delay between idea and execution. Start with the structural changes outlined in Step 1, measure the impact over two weeks, and then layer in the remaining strategies progressively.