Restaurant aesthetic for social media: crafting menus and spaces people want to share

Today the success of a restaurant extends far beyond serving great food. Dishes not only need to taste amazing, but they also need to look good enough to make it onto Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest.

In fact, 79% of diners say user-generated content, such as social media posts, significantly impacts where they choose to eat. And 70% of millennials say they are likely to visit a restaurant if they saw it on social media.

The aesthetic experience of dining, from menu design to interior decor, plays a massive role in encouraging customers to snap, post, and share their meals with their online communities.

Restaurants that nail their aesthetic become destinations for diners, influencers, and foodies who want to show off their experience.

If you want to transform your restaurant into an Instagrammable hotspot and organically grow your online presence, focusing on branding, design, and presentation is key. This guide will explore how you can craft an aesthetically pleasing restaurant through menu design, spatial layout, and branding, so you can entice customers to post about your establishment without being asked.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

1. Creating a strong restaurant brand identity
2. Crafting aesthetic menus that encourage sharing
3. Creating Instagrammable spaces that invite online sharing
4. Encourage organic social media sharing
5. FAQs about how to encourage organic online sharing

Let’s get started.

The Power of Aesthetic in the Restaurant Industry

Aesthetic appeal is essential in shaping a diner’s experience. Approximately 70% of diners have posted a photo of food or a drink on social media, and the prevalence of “foodstagramming” shows how intertwined the visual aspect of food and dining has become with the customer experience.

In fact, 38% of adults aged 18-34 choose restaurants based on how “Instagrammable” they are, and 63% of diners say they would pay more for a meal if they felt it was worth posting on social media. This means everything from the food presentation to the lighting, furniture, and even the menu design must appeal to the camera and, by extension, social media users.

But how do you create a space that will organically encourage customers to pull out their phones and share their experience? It begins with your restaurant’s visual identity, which is built on three main pillars: cohesive branding, menu design, and interior decor.

1. Create a Strong Restaurant Brand Identity

Your restaurant’s brand is the foundation of its aesthetic. It’s the personality and story behind the food, decor, and menu that ties everything together. A strong brand identity helps you stand out in a crowded market and ensures your restaurant is memorable to diners—both in person and online.

Here are three tips for building a brand identity that makes your restaurant instantly recognisable:

Tip 1: Know your audience

A strong brand is one that resonates with its target audience. Before diving into any design work, take the time to define who your ideal customers are. Are they young urban professionals looking for a trendy brunch spot? Families seeking comfort food? Foodies interested in experimental, high-end cuisine?

Understanding your audience helps you create an experience that appeals to their tastes and habits. For instance, a trendy brunch spot might focus on minimalistic, modern decor with a playful menu, while a family restaurant might emphasize warmth, comfort, and approachability in both its design and service.

Tip 2: Consistency is key

Your brand identity should be cohesive across all touchpoints. This includes the visual elements (logo, colours, lighting, typography) as well as the background music you play in the restaurant, the tone of your messaging, the style of your service, and the overall dining experience. While playing brand-fit music, sales can increase up to 9.1%, it can also inspire the perfect song choice for an Instagram story.

Brand quality and consistency builds recognition and trust with your audience, making your restaurant more memorable.

When designing your space, menu, and even social media posts, ensure that everything fits within your brand’s visual and emotional guidelines. If your restaurant prides itself on offering a luxe, fine-dining experience, avoid quirky or overly casual design choices that might dilute your image. Conversely, if you’re going for a fun, laid-back vibe, keep things playful and colourful across all platforms.

Tip 3: Create a story around your brand

People love a good story, and a brand with a compelling narrative will always stand out. Whether your restaurant is rooted in family tradition, sustainable practices, or culinary innovation, find a story that captures the essence of what you do and why you do it.

This story should permeate your restaurant’s brand identity—whether it’s in the design of the space, the names of your dishes, or the way you interact with customers online. Use your brand’s story as a framework for everything from menu descriptions to Instagram captions.

For example, a restaurant that prides itself on using locally sourced ingredients could incorporate elements of its farm-to-table philosophy into its decor (rustic wood tables, earth tones), menu design (highlighting the origins of ingredients), and online marketing (sharing stories about the farmers and suppliers).

2. Craft Aesthetic Menus that Encourage Sharing

Let’s start with the most important part of the dining experience: the menu. While the food itself may do the heavy lifting, the menu is what sets the stage. A well-designed menu can immediately communicate the tone and style of your restaurant, while also encouraging customers to interact with it—and maybe even post a picture of it on social media.

Why menu design matters

A restaurant’s menu isn’t just a list of food items; it’s a representation of the restaurant’s brand, mood, and experience. It sets expectations for customers before they even order. When menus are thoughtfully designed, they convey professionalism and attention to detail, enhancing the perceived value of the dishes.

The layout, fonts, and colours should work in harmony to reflect the type of experience diners can expect. A chic bistro might use elegant serif fonts with minimalist black-and-white designs, while a laid-back burger joint may lean into fun, bold fonts with vibrant colours. Consistency in aesthetics reinforces your restaurant’s identity and keeps it memorable.

Design Instagrammable menus

To create a menu that people want to share, focus on the following elements:

• Typography: Use unique and striking typography that complements your restaurant’s style. Handwritten fonts or elegant script can add a personal touch, while bold sans-serif fonts give off a more modern, clean vibe.
• Colours: Stick to a limited, cohesive colour palette that reflects your branding. This makes your menu not only visually appealing but also consistent with your restaurant’s overall theme. Neutral tones with pops of colour can highlight key items.
• Layouts and icons: A cluttered menu is a turn-off for diners. Keep your layout clean and easy to read, with plenty of negative space. You can add playful icons or small illustrations to enhance the theme and catch the eye. For example, small sketches of food items. Consider seasonal menus that feature Instagrammable style elements relevant to the season.

Emphasisze unique dishes

Highlight your restaurant’s signature or Instagram-worthy dishes by giving them visual prominence on the menu. Use special typography, place them in a box, or add an image next to the item to draw attention. People are more likely to share a photo of a dish that feels like it’s been carefully curated and presented.

3. Create Instagrammable Spaces That Invite Online Sharing

The atmosphere of your dining area is just as important as the food when it comes to encouraging organic social media sharing. The goal is to design a space that feels inviting, interesting, and visually stunning so that people want to document their experience and share it with the world.

Key elements of a shareable space

• Lighting: This is arguably the most important factor when it comes to creating a space that looks great both in person and online. Natural light is ideal for enhancing food photography, but if that’s not available, warm ambient lighting works wonders. Avoid harsh, overhead lighting that casts unflattering shadows.
• Textures and materials: Incorporate different textures like exposed brick, wood, or tile to create depth and interest in your space. Mixed materials—like marble tables and velvet seats—offer tactile variety and give guests visually stimulating backdrops for their photos.
• Feature walls and art installations: A “wow” factor, like a stunning mural, neon sign, or even a quirky piece of art, is a great way to make your space memorable. These elements become focal points where people want to take pictures or selfies, generating free social media exposure for your restaurant. Think about creating a photo-worthy corner or backdrop that’s begging for an Instagram moment.

Tablescapes and plateware

The table setup plays a big role in creating an aesthetic that people want to share. Think about everything that lands on the table—plates, cutlery, glasses, and napkins.

• Plateware and glassware: Opt for unique plateware that complements your food presentation. Mismatched ceramics, stoneware, or minimalist designs can make a dish pop. Instagram is full of close-up shots of meals, so the surface it’s served on matters.
• Tablescapes: Consider the details—tablecloths, placemats, and centerpieces—that add to the overall experience. Fresh flowers, candles, or even quirky salt-and-pepper shakers can all contribute to making your space feel distinctive and photogenic.

4. Encourage Organic Social Media Sharing

Once your restaurant’s aesthetic and brand are on point, it’s time to think about how to leverage these elements to encourage organic online sharing. While creating a beautiful space is half the battle, you’ll need to give customers a little nudge to get them to share their experience.

Research shows that 93% of people make buying decisions based on online reviews, and an organic social media post is essentially a positive review. Further, 82% of potential customers trust recommendations from people they actually know more than advertisements. Seeing a friend or family member posting an Instagram story of themselves having fun and enjoying the food at a restaurant ticks both of these boxes.

Here are a few subtle ways to encourage diners to post about your restaurant:

• Create shareable moments: Research shows that 73% of consumers are likely to order food that they saw on social media to post about it themselves. Design specific aspects of the dining experience that are intended for sharing. This could be a dramatic presentation of a dish (think smoking cocktails or over-the-top dessert towers), a branded hashtag or sign in the background, or even something interactive like a photo booth.
• Offer free Wi-Fi: This is a no-brainer. People are far more likely to share their experience in real time if they have easy access to Wi-Fi. Include a reminder on your menu or table tent that encourages customers to post photos and tag your restaurant. Include your official social media handles and any branded hashtags you want to promote.
• Engage with diners online: If a customer posts about their visit, make sure to engage with them. Approximately 70% of diners are more likely to choose a restaurant if they respond to social media comments. Like, comment, and share their post to show your appreciation. This creates a positive feedback loop and encourages more guests to share their experiences in the future.

Conclusion

In an era where the visual appeal of a restaurant is almost as important as the food itself, focusing on the visual and experiential aspects of your restaurant can turn diners into loyal ambassadors who help promote your business through their social media channels.

With these strategies, your restaurant will be well on its way to becoming a hotspot for foodies, influencers, and anyone who can’t resist snapping a quick photo before digging in.

FAQs (how to encourage organic online sharing)

1. Why is the aesthetic of a restaurant menu important?

The menu sets the tone for the dining experience. A well-designed menu not only enhances the restaurant’s brand but also makes a lasting impression on customers. Visually appealing menus encourage diners to share their experiences online, turning the menu into a social media feature. Highlighting signature dishes or adding fun, interactive elements like QR codes for digital content can also drive sharing.

2. What elements make a restaurant space Instagrammable?

The right lighting, unique design features, and visually striking decor can inspire diners to make snaps, reels, and stories about their experience. Natural or soft ambient lighting helps diners capture better photos of their meals, while statement pieces like murals, neon signs, or feature walls encourage customers to take and share photos. Thoughtful details like textured surfaces and eye-catching table settings also enhance the shareable experience.

3. How does branding tie into menu and space design?

A restaurant’s branding should be consistent across all elements—menu, decor, and online presence. A strong brand identity, reflected in the style of the menu and the design of the space, creates a cohesive and memorable experience for diners. This consistency encourages customers to associate your aesthetic with your food, making them more likely to share online.