6 Minute English
How the language of menus matters
Jan 25, 2024
Exploring the influence of language on menus. French words being phased out due to pretentiousness. Language affects perception of menus and switching to English and Portuguese sparked conversations about Brazilian dishes.
06:13
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Quick takeaways
- Restaurants use language on menus to make food sound more appealing, but French terms are becoming less popular due to their perceived pretentiousness.
- Using French names on menus can confuse diners and even lead to customers walking out, while using language like English and Portuguese can spark curiosity and conversation with waitstaff.
Deep dives
The influence of language in food descriptions
Restaurants carefully choose language to describe their food in order to make it sound more appealing and desirable. French words are often used to make dishes sound more exotic and gourmet. However, the use of French names on menus is decreasing as it can be seen as pretentious and turn some diners off.
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