Do you know how the menu tricks you?

“That’s a fancy box at the top of the page, they must be the really good dishes.”
“Oh, the description makes it sounds so lovely and exotic. I’ll order that.”
Ever found yourself saying something like that when looking at a restaurant menu? If you have, there’s a fair chance that the person who designed it wanted to elicit those reactions. A recent study by Cornell University, as detailed on WSJ’s Marketwatch site reveals some of the tricks behind making restaurant menus irresistible.
Borders and elaborate descriptions, along with a high placement seem to be the place to find those high margin dishes whilst by denoting low calorie options, diners are more likely to stray from the healthy options with bland descriptions in favour of the less healthy dishes.
Have you ever noticed any of these tricks?