Guests taste with their eyes first
A meta-analysis of 17 brain-imaging studies found food photos light up the taste and reward regions of the brain, more so when people are hungry. [1][2]
RESEARCH · OCTOBER 2026
Why visual menus sell.
What studies say about food photos, ordering at the table and ordering together, and how strong each piece of evidence is. We grade every claim, so you know which numbers to trust.
Ordering on a screen lets people order what they want
The same households ordered pizzas about 15% more complex and about 4% pricier online than by phone. Without saying it out loud, people add the extras. [3]
Larger orders without a queue at the counter
Across 20 restaurants of one fast-food chain, orders placed on a screen were 14–16% larger than orders at the counter. [4]
Tables eat more together
A meta-analysis of 42 studies: people eat substantially more with friends and family than alone, with meals 29–48% larger in diary studies. [5]
Where a dish sits changes how often it’s ordered
Dishes at the start or end of their category were up to twice as popular as the same dish in the middle. [6]
A picture makes guests surer, and willing to pay more
For dishes with a clear, descriptive name, adding a photo raised purchase intent and willingness to pay. [7][8]
OUR GUEST SURVEY · OCTOBER 2026
What guests told us.
We asked 39 people who eat out regularly what gets in the way. A small, early survey, but it points the same way as the research.
check the menu before choosing where to eat, and 49% say the photos are missing online.
Every smask menu leads with photos.
say having to download an app is the worst part of QR menus.
smask runs in the browser. Nothing to install.
want to order only on their phone.
smask works alongside your waiters, not instead of them.
want to see what’s popular, the most wanted feature.
STRONG EVIDENCEIn a randomised study in a restaurant chain, showing the five most popular dishes raised orders of them by 13–20%. [9]
PSYCHOLOGY
Why it makes sense, psychologically.
Guests decide fast, on what they can see and feel. Psychologists call it System 1. [10] smask is built around these shortcuts, to make good choices easier, never to trick anyone.
SHORTCUTWHAT HAPPENS IN THE HEADHOW SMASK USES IT
Visual appetiteSeeing food lights up the brain’s taste and reward areas before we think about it.Full-screen photos of every dish.STRONG EVIDENCE [1]
Social proofWhen unsure, we pick what others picked.“Popular here”, built from real orders.STRONG EVIDENCE [9]
Ordering freelyWe hold back orders we’d feel judged for saying out loud.Guests add a side or a dessert on their phone, at the table.STRONG EVIDENCE [3]
Eating togetherWe eat more with friends and family than alone.One shared order for the whole table.STRONG EVIDENCE [5]
Easy to readWhat’s easy to read feels easier to do. The same instructions in a hard-to-read font were judged harder.A clean layout on every phone. No PDFs.MODERATE EVIDENCE [11]
IN SMASK
Built on what the research supports.
Every dish gets its photoFull-screen and shot from above, with a clear name and a short description, the combination the research supports.
Ordering at the tableGuests add a side, a second glass or a dessert without flagging anyone down. Staff stay on hand for everything else.
One order for the tableThe table browses and builds its order together, where most of the spend happens.
Position you can testA feed is a list, so first and last places matter. smask can rotate which dish leads and show you what it changes.
AS A DESIGN PARTNER
Find out what works on your menu.
Answers from your own guests, not industry averages. We run these comparisons for you and show the results in your insights.
YOUR QUESTIONWHAT YOU’LL SEE
Do photos sell more of this dish?How often guests add it, with and without a photo.
Is a video worth it for desserts and drinks?How many tables add one.
Which dish should lead each category?Orders for every position you try.
Do tables order more together?Items and spend per guest.
Does a “Popular here” label change orders?Orders of the labelled dishes, with and without it.
What changed since smask?Average check, time to order and guest ratings, before and after.
Sources · 11
- van der Laan et al. (2011). The first taste is always with the eyes. NeuroImage 55. Tilburg University
- Brain responses to high-calorie visual food cues: ALE meta-analysis (2021). PMC
- Goldfarb, McDevitt, Samila & Silverman (2015). Management Science 61(12). RePEc
- University of Hamburg (2023). Human or machine: who do customers order more from? uni-hamburg.de
- Ruddock et al. (2019). Social facilitation of eating, meta-analysis. Am. J. Clinical Nutrition. University of Birmingham
- Dayan & Bar-Hillel (2011). Nudge to nobesity II. Judgment & Decision Making 6(4). JDM
- Hou, Yang & Sun (2017). Do pictures help? Int. J. Hospitality Management 60. Durham University
- Elder & Krishna (2012). The visual depiction effect. J. Consumer Research. BYU
- Cai, Chen & Fang (2009). Observational learning: evidence from a randomized natural field experiment. American Economic Review 99(3). NBER
- Kahneman (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
- Song & Schwarz (2008). If it’s hard to read, it’s hard to do. Psychological Science 19(10). DOI
Compiled October 2026 from published papers and university repositories. Guest survey: smask “Eating out tool”, 39 responses, 12–15 October 2026.