WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Turns out, everything.
If you’ve ever skimmed a menu and skipped the “Vegan Burger” in favor of something that actually sounded tasty, you’re not alone.
The truth is, menu naming can make or break a dish.
Especially when it comes to plant-based.
We’ve seen this firsthand. Two dishes, same build. One called “Pulled ‘Beef’.” The other, “Shiitake Carnitas.”
One hit 1% of total sales. The other? 8%.
Same product. Just two different words.
That’s not a typo. That’s an 8x difference.
Why? Because when language lacks flavor, so does the perception of the dish.
Words like “vegan,” “meat-free,” or “plant-based” don’t help people imagine what they’re eating.
But “Teriyaki Glazed” or “Smoky BBQ” does.
Research from the World Resources Institute also suggests this:
Descriptive, craveable menu language boosts appeal (and sales) far more than health-forward or dietary terms.
So if your dish isn’t flying off the pass, it might not be the product.
It might just be the name.
and we tested this for ourselves.
Over 2 months, 8 different menu names, and hundreds of tacos later…we uncovered the consumer insights that would later turn our business completely around, and for those we partnered with.
We’ve packaged the full insights to help you avoid the same pitfall and drive raging success from your menu.
