The first item on a menu can be the starting point from which customers assess a restaurant’s price range and positioning. If sales are underperforming, operators should examine whether the first information shown aligns with the core menu and target price range. They should also confirm whether it reflects the value the brand intends to communicate. However, changing the placement alone should not be assumed to improve sales.
Why Review the First Item?
The provided book excerpt explains that the first piece of information can become a reference point for subsequent judgments. From this perspective, customers may compare later items with the first menu item and price they see.
The first item may therefore be more than a simple editorial choice. It can establish the initial perception of pricing and serve as the first signal of the restaurant’s value. Director Kang Jong-heon advises operators to assess whether pricing and brand standards are aligned rather than simply placing the highest-priced item first.
Impact on Price Comparisons
The book excerpt interprets the first information shown through the concepts of the primacy effect and anchoring. It explains that the first price customers see may make subsequent menu items seem expensive or reasonably priced. The menu name, photo, description, and price can collectively create this reference point.
If the first item does not align with the restaurant’s actual core menu, customers may have difficulty understanding the pricing structure. For example, the first screen may create a low-price image while later screens present higher-priced items. The same problem may arise when an accessible, mainstream restaurant displays a high-priced item first without explanation.
Relationship to Brand Perception
If the first item is a low-priced convenience meal, customers may perceive the restaurant as casual and approachable. If the restaurant first highlights the ingredients and preparation method of its signature item, customers may be more likely to associate it with expertise. This may also contribute to a premium image.
This is the perspective presented in the provided book excerpt and does not mean that every customer will respond in the same way. Operators should assess whether the target customer, actual core menu, and restaurant atmosphere all point in the same direction.
Results That Cannot Currently Be Verified
No actual restaurant menu or order records were provided for this review. There is also no performance data from before and after a menu change. Therefore, there is no basis for concluding that changing the first item improved order volume or average transaction value.
Restaurants can begin by identifying the items customers see first. Both printed menus and the first screen of self-service kiosks should be reviewed. Featured items on food delivery apps and tabletop promotional materials should also be included.
Director Kang Jong-heon’s Review Criteria
- Alignment with the core menu: Is the first item connected to the key menu item the restaurant actually intends to sell?
- Alignment with pricing: Does the first price fit the overall price range intended for the target customer?
- Alignment with the brand promise: Do the menu name, photo, and description communicate values consistent with the restaurant’s atmosphere?
- Connection to the comparison structure: Do the subsequent prices and descriptions help customers understand the initial reference point?
- Operational feasibility: Can the restaurant consistently support the highlighted item in terms of ingredients, preparation, and service quality?
Review and Revision Process
- Record the first menu item and price shown on printed menus, self-service kiosks, and food delivery apps.
- Compare that item with the core menu, target price range, and brand promise.
- Review the price differences and the flow of descriptions for the menu items that follow.
- Organize available internal records from before the change, including items ordered, customer selection patterns, and average transaction value.
- After the change, continue recording results using the same criteria and time periods, then compare the differences.
- If changes appear, also review pricing, quality, service, the local trade area, and promotional factors.
Points to Consider When Applying This Approach
There is no need to place the highest-priced item or the item the restaurant most wants to sell first in every case. If there is insufficient justification for the price difference, customers may simply be left with an expensive impression. The restaurant should be able to explain the reason for the price difference through the ingredients, preparation method, or composition of the offering.
Operators should also avoid highlighting an item that is difficult to provide consistently. False scarcity claims should likewise be avoided because they can undermine trust.
It should not be assumed that every customer reads the menu from the first line. A large photo, bold text, or the center of a screen may function as the first item customers notice. Visual attention patterns may vary by customer segment and ordering channel. Actual responses should be verified through observation and internal records.
This article is based on a relevant excerpt from the book Why Does That Store Succeed? Use Psychology in Business, Part 1. The excerpt explains the influence of initial information based on the primacy effect and anchoring. No verification data from an actual underperforming restaurant was provided. Specific cases and performance results require further confirmation.