Why Illustrate Your Menus
An illustrated menu immediately enhances the understanding and impact of your offerings.
Adding photos allows you to:
Capture attention from the first glance at the menu.
Create a reassuring and professional visual experience.
Highlight your signature dishes and guide customer choices.
Strengthen your culinary identity with a coherent visual universe.
Before You Begin
Before adding photos, it's important to know two essential points:
Image activation by section: photo display is managed section by section. Adding an image to a dish is not enough if the concerned section has photo display disabled.
Mandatory image per dish: each dish must have its own photo to be displayed. Otherwise, your establishment's logo will appear instead.
Enable Photo Display in a Section
Photo display is managed in a few simple steps, whether you are creating a new section or modifying an existing one.
For a New Section
When creating the section, ensure that the option “Hide images” is disabled if you want to display photos.
If you do not want images for this section, leave the option enabled.
For an Existing Section
Access your detailed menu and open the menu sections.
Click on Edit Section.
Uncheck the “Hide images” option.
Save your changes.
Once activated, this option allows all images associated with dishes to be displayed automatically.
Add Photos to Your Items
Each dish must have its own image to appear in the menu. If a dish does not have a photo, your establishment's logo will be displayed instead.
Add a Photo to a New Item
When creating the dish, upload an image from your computer or select a royalty-free photo.
Save: the photo will automatically appear in the menu.
Add or Modify a Photo for an Existing Item
Open the relevant item.
Add or replace the image at the bottom of the page.
Save your changes.
Choose Which Sections Display Photos
CentralApp allows you to decide which sections will display images:
Display only for starters.
Hide for main courses or desserts.
Limit to “Suggestions” or “Specialties” sections.
This flexibility helps you to:
Highlight certain categories of dishes.
Simplify the menu reading.
Adapt the display to your visual strategy.
Expected Rendering Example
An illustrated menu features:
One image per dish, for each selected section.
A homogeneous layout, pleasant on both computer and mobile.
Smoother reading, facilitating customer understanding and decision-making.
Best Practices for Optimal Display
For a clear and professional rendering:
One image per dish: avoid sections with missing images.
Clear and readable visuals: prefer well-framed and bright photos.
Consistent style: use the same style throughout the menu.
Web-optimized files: overly large images slow down loading.