Color Psychology in Food Design Impactful Palette Choices for Menus and Restaurant Ambiance
The selection of colors for a restaurant, including the design of the menu, holds significant importance. Often referred to as „chromatics,“ color influences the subconscious reactions of customers, affecting their emotions, behavior, and visual perception.
Red Color: It stimulates energy and passion, enhancing appetite by increasing heart rate and nerve impulses, signaling readiness for a meal and stimulating neurons. Many fast-food chains employ red in their logos, as it’s associated with tender meats, sweets, or strawberries.
Blue Color: Conservative brands often opt for blue, as it exudes security and trust. However, for restaurants, it might suppress appetite and hunger, rendering it less suitable. Initially considered unappetizing, the success of blue M&M’s changed perceptions. Nonetheless, blue often triggers associations with spoiled foods, although it can be suitable for low-calorie or weight-reducing food items.
Yellow Color: Known for its cheerful and uplifting characteristics, yellow might convey a sense of affordability. However, in the food industry, it can be linked to naivety or lack of sophistication.
Green Color: Associated with healthy, vegetarian, and fresh foods, green also evokes notions of nature and relaxation. Starbucks incorporates green in its logo, aiming to encourage relaxation and sitting down.
Pink Color: In the food domain, pink often suggests sweetness or even pork. It’s commonly used for feminine-oriented packaging.
Black Color: Menu developer Gregg Rapp suggests that black ink on white paper provides the highest contrast, ensuring legibility on menus. The simplicity of black and white in a logo emits sophistication. Absence of color exudes a chic aura. While black-colored foods might not be popular, certain items like squid ink pasta, charred ends, black licorice, Kalamata olives, and specific alcoholic beverages like Jack Daniels or black rum are acceptable.
Gray-Silver Color: Foods aren’t usually naturally gray, but when utilized, they’re often combined with accent colors to create an attractive contrast. Gray tea packaging, for instance, adds an earthy aesthetic, signaling natural ingredients. Dishes presented on stone-like plates often evoke a certain allure.
On the other hand, silver, signifying class and cleanliness, is reminiscent of stainless-steel countertops. Tin packaging and silver bottles signify hygiene and cleanliness.
