Digital menu in 2026: trends that are transforming the restaurant landscape

Digital menus have exploded since 2020 and continue to evolve. By 2026, it’s no longer just a QR code replacing a paper menu: it’s a marketing tool, an upsell tool, and a tool for analyzing customer behavior. Restaurants that use digital menus report an average increase of 18% in their average basket size compared to static menus, thanks to automated suggestions, animated photos, and personalization.

The number one trend is real-time personalization. Connected digital menus can now display different suggestions depending on the time (quick lunch menu at noon, more elaborate menu in the evening), the weather (warm, comforting dishes in cold weather, salads and fresh dishes in summer) or even the customer’s order history (for regulars with a loyal account). This personalization increases the relevance of suggestions and the conversion rate.

Second trend: menus with short videos. Instead of a simple photo, a 5 to 10 second video showing the preparation of a dish or its visual flow can increase clicks on that dish by 40 to 60%. Platforms like Fooderise or digital menu tools like Flipdish are starting to integrate this functionality. The cost of producing a short cooking video is now accessible: a smartphone and good lighting are sufficient.

Third trend: allergen integration and food preferences. In 2025, consumers are increasingly attentive to what they eat. A digital menu that allows filtering by diet (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, kosher) and displays the allergens of each dish clearly has become a standard. In France, the display of the 14 major allergens is mandatory since 2014, and the digital format is the most practical for keeping it up to date.

Fourth trend: automated seasonal menus. Restaurants that regularly change their menus (every 4 to 6 weeks) see their customers returning more often. A digital menu tool with pre-configured seasonal templates allows you to quickly refresh the offer without starting from scratch. Some tools allow you to schedule menu changes in advance: on Monday, March 1st at 00:01, the winter menu gives way to the spring menu, automatically across all platforms.

Fifth trend: analyzing behavior on the menu. The most advanced digital menus include analytics: which dishes are viewed the most, which are clicked the most, what is the view-to-order conversion rate per dish. This data is a goldmine for continuously optimizing your menu. If a dish is very viewed but not ordered much, the problem is likely the price, the description, or the photo. These insights allow for rapid and data-driven iterations.