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There is something special about food that someone else cooks for you. It tastes better, lasts longer and probably has fewer calories. If you weren’t born into the family of an oil mogul or a software monopoly, your best bet for food prepared by others is at your local restaurant.

As the restaurateur, you have many responsibilities to juggle but one of the most important is how you translate the succulent dishes prepared by your chef into mere words for your menu.

How can present the meals on your menu in such a way that customers not only want to but have to eat at your restaurant?

The simplest way is to take a photo of the dish and put it on the menu. Unless you’re running a diner or specialize in serving customers whose main communication style is to point, it’s probably not the best choice.

When you’re looking to order menus, pick a place who specializes in menu printing and delivers quality work. Even if you add photos along with your prose, you want it to look good.

Descriptions of the meal should match the style of your restaurant. If you’re a Texas Steak House, add lots of “Howdy” and “Whoop-ee-ti-yi-o little doggies”. If you specialize in healthy choices on the menu, add descriptions of the organic way the fruits and vegetables were grown. The rule of thumb is keep it short and simple. List the main ingredients (meat, seafood, pasta) and warn people if it’s going to be spicy.

Don’t forget your wine list and appetizers. That’s where you make some good profit.