New Menu Surveys for Restaurants: Questions Before and After Launch

Before launch: learn about interest

If you ask before launch, describe the item clearly and ask about interest or preferences relevant to the menu decision. Treat stated interest as feedback, not as a guarantee of future orders.

After launch: ask about the experience

Questions may cover taste, portion, temperature, presentation, and price. Keep the focus on the specific item the guest tried.

Sample questions

Replace the bracketed text with the menu item name. Keep that name as the restaurant uses it.

• How was the taste of [menu item]?
• Was the portion right for you?
• Was the dish served at a suitable temperature?
• How did the price feel for this dish?
• Would you consider ordering it again?

Review responses with actual orders

Survey answers describe what respondents shared. Review them alongside sales and operational context before deciding whether to keep or change the item.

Name the menu item in the question

If guests ordered several dishes, ‘How was the food?’ may not reveal which one they are evaluating. Include the dish name, using the restaurant’s own name for it.

Run the new-menu questions for a defined period

If a new-item question remains in an everyday survey after the item becomes established, it can make the regular form unnecessarily long. Ask during a suitable review period, then return to the normal questions once the team has enough information.

Do not launch or remove an item based on one answer

A strongly worded free-text comment may not represent everyone who ordered the item. Consider order counts, the range of ratings, and whether similar comments recur before deciding to make it permanent or remove it.