223Kviews
Fails, Food
ADVERTIsem*nT
A guilty pleasure some of us have (and, we hope, some of you do, too) is reading through the entire menu at a restaurant or cafe, looking for odd slips, grammar mistakes, and hilarious Photoshop fails. You know, for r-research purposes of course (that was a lie, we enjoy feeling superior and poking fun at bsaic grremar mstakess and anyone who thinks that Photoshop is an actual store).
Some menus, however, are so incredibly bad, so magnificently funny that people couldn’t help but take a picture and share it online for everyone to shame! Shame! Shame! The Photoshop and grammar-loving team at Bored Panda has collected this list of the most egregious menu fails to raise your mood, so have a scroll through and upvote the best of the worst.
And remember, folks, to paraphrase our glorious culinary leader Gordon Ramsay, if the menu has pictures in it, it’s time to start panicking!
Bored Panda talked about editing, proofreading, and kerning (aka the spacing between letters) issues in restaurant menus with Lisa McLendon, the News and Information Track Chair at the University of Kansas and the Bremner Editing Center Coordinator. Read on for her insights and, if you happen to be working on a menu right now, her advice on how to best present the text so its readable, clear, and doesn't cause embarrassing misunderstandings.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
It's On Their Menu
POST
Raine Soo Raine Soo Community Member Follow
This is someone's idea of a joke because those words in red scream out at you.
Vote comment up
208points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
You May Also Like:
#2
The Peas Are Upside Down
POST
Serial pacifist Serial pacifist Community Member Follow
That's art.
Vote comment up
98points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
#3
The Sushi Restaurant, That I Went To, Accidentally Put A Picture Of USB Sushi On Their Menu
POST
RavenClaw RavenClaw Community Member Follow
It will give you perfect memory..especially with my ADHD ass.
Vote comment up
84points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
"Word placement, typeface, and kerning are crucial for effective, professional-looking logos and layouts," McLendon from the University of Kansas said. "If it’s just a few words, all-caps is fine, but it’s harder for people to read longer blocks of text in all caps. It’s also harder for people to read italic or highly stylized type, or type along a curve instead of a line." ADVERTIsem*nT She explained to Bored Panda that if you're working with words that are stacked or circled, you ought to look for all the various ways in which they could be misread or read out of order. "Make sure the starting point for readers is as clear as it can be," she said. ADVERTIsem*nT Meanwhile, if the kerning is too tight, the letters could run together and create some incredibly embarrassing misreadings. (Side-note: remember that if you ever write the word 'flickering' in capitals and don't want things to get out of hand fast.) ADVERTIsem*nT
#4
This Seductive Duck I Found On A Menu In Vietnam, Complete With An Excellent Typo
POST
Sarcastic Panda Sarcastic Panda Community Member
photoshop me like one of your french girls
Vote comment up
197points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#5
Translated The Menu, Boss
POST
Serial pacifist Serial pacifist Community Member Follow
Can I have a Dfgjkghjf Hdfhd with some kfjdrigld on the side, please?
Vote comment up
153points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
#6
This Menu
POST
Raine Soo Raine Soo Community Member Follow
Is it only supposed to appeal to children? I can't keep my eyes straight.
Vote comment up
134points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
McLendon said that, in her opinion, we should all give the people working on restaurant menus a break. "Especially if they’re not native speakers because their job is food, not language," she said about those employees who are asked to work on the menus because of budgeting issues. ADVERTIsem*nT "That said, a particularly awful or amusing typo can make a business go viral in a negative way—not something any business wants. The easiest thing is obvious, but many people forget to do it: run a spell-check. Spell-check will catch any typo that is a misspelling (most typos on restaurant menus are). But spell-check won’t catch typos that result in a word that is still a word, just not the word you want." ADVERTIsem*nT The solution? McLendon suggests having someone else proofread the menu text before sending it off for printing. "Some printing companies provide this service, plus there are freelance editors who do proofreading, and I’ve also heard of small businesses swapping services for work like proofreading." ADVERTIsem*nT
#7
This “Plane” On My Airline Menu
POST
Raine Soo Raine Soo Community Member Follow
It looks happy to see you.
Vote comment up
173points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#8
My Friend Is In Florence, Italy And This Restaurant He's At Has An Assassins Creed Screenshot As Their Menu Background
POST
Nubis Knight Nubis Knight Community Member Follow
Nice idea! :D
Vote comment up
79points
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
ADVERTIsem*nT
#9
Anyone Want Some Thai Food?
POST
Raine Soo Raine Soo Community Member Follow
The twist is that the cats are the chefs.
Vote comment up
147points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
Menus with pictures in them generally indicate that the place you’re eating at is a little bit on the cheap side. (If they’re laminated, get out of there, quick! Gordon Ramsay has a point, after all.) ADVERTIsem*nT Now, there’s nothing wrong with eating cheap food once in a while—who doesn’t enjoy a cheeky curry or a guilt-free kebab in the middle of the night when we’re peckish? But there’s something to be said for glancing a bit deeper into unchanging menus with low-quality pictures in them. ADVERTIsem*nT
#10
Subway Salad Menu
Raine Soo Raine Soo Community Member Follow
How lazy can you possibly be?
Vote comment up
92points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#11
This Was The Image Of Choice For An Ice Cream Menu In Austria
POST
Meike H Meike H Community Member Follow
Nooooo!!!!
Vote comment up
121points
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
#12
This Busy Ice Cream Shop In Seattle Put Their Menu On A Mirror So It’s Impossible To Read
POST
Serial pacifist Serial pacifist Community Member Follow
They are very transparent about their menu.
Vote comment up
84points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
However you might want to slice things (pun not intended), menus with pictures indicate that the owners of your chosen eatery aren’t investing a lot of money into the business, the staff, or the food. While this isn’t an automatic death sentence (plenty of businesses care about their employees, though, then again, plenty also don’t), it does mean that the quality of the food might be low. ADVERTIsem*nT Frozen, canned, and processed food is the norm. And if saving’s the main goal, you can bet your bottom dollar that leftovers will be reheated in microwaves and brought to you as though it was all fresh. ADVERTIsem*nT
#13
This Picture Isn't Blurry, That's How The Menu Looks
POST
Raine Soo Raine Soo Community Member Follow
If you think you're drunk enough, maybe you won't order so much.
Vote comment up
82points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#14
French Restaurant Menu
POST
Sarcastic Panda Sarcastic Panda Community Member
oopsie- 😬
Vote comment up
50points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
#15
"You'll Need To Use The Flashlight On Your Phone To Read The Menu" - Waitress
POST
SilverX SilverX Community Member Follow
Solution: Install some damn lights!
Vote comment up
106points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
Meanwhile, if the staff aren’t paid enough or motivated in some other way to act professionally, hygiene standards can drop. This can mean that the weirdly-photoshopped burger meal you’re laughing your head off at while flipping through the menu is an indication of low standards and nasty things crawling all over the kitchen. ADVERTIsem*nT What’s more, even if by some miracle the pics in the menu look terrific, there lies another problem: what you see and what you’re bound to get can be two completely different things. That’s why, personally, we’re in favor of small menus that only have words on them. If in doubt, you can always ask your server about each meal and they’ll be glad to tell you all about them. ADVERTIsem*nT
#16
Top-Notch Photoshop On This Greek Menu
POST
Sum Guy Sum Guy Community Member Follow
Stripper Merman?.. what are they trying to sell here
Vote comment up
122points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#17
An Online Menu For A Restaurant I Was Considering Eating At
POST
Raine Soo Raine Soo Community Member Follow
What menu?
Vote comment up
139points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
See Also on Bored Panda
6 Y.O. “Realizes Something Isn’t Adding Up” With Great-Grandparents Living Wealthy On Ordinary Jobs
Maine Coon Cats: Giant Kitties With The Softest Character
#18
This Menu
POST
chi-wei shen chi-wei shen Community Member Follow
Whoever created this was fully aware of what the image looks like.
Vote comment up
209points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#19
The Peas On This Menu Photo Are Photoshopped In
POST
Serial pacifist Serial pacifist Community Member Follow
Looks like miniature alien spaceship peas in formation.
Vote comment up
105points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
See Also on Bored Panda
“Bought The Property, Landscaping Included”: Woman Shocked By Ex-Homeowner’s Request 2 Years Later
Handyman Gives Squatters Their Own Medicine After They Take Over His Mom’s House
#20
The Motherlode Of The 90s Nightmares
POST
Truth Monster Truth Monster Community Member Follow
Someone is losing their sticker privileges
Vote comment up
123points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#21
Got Those Drinks On The Menu, Boss
POST
Wendillon Wendillon Community Member Follow
What? You guys don't drink entire pitchers of sour cream with your meal?
Vote comment up
97points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
See Also on Bored Panda
"As If I Had No Choice But To Move": Woman Refused To Switch Plane Seats
"We're A Movie Theater, Not A Free Babysitting Service": Karen Threatens To Sue Cinema For "Making" Her Kids Walk Home At Night
Small and clear menus don’t mean simple and boring! If it’s readable, approachable, and user-friendly, your clients are more likely to get to the meat of things (literally, if they’re not vegan) and leave a healthy-sized tip.
#22
This Restaurant Wraps Their Menu Around A Wooden Stick. There Was Absolutely No Explanation Or Purpose To It
POST
Sum Guy Sum Guy Community Member Follow
Everyone is looking for a gimmick
Vote comment up
82points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
See Also on Bored Panda
30 Of The Funniest Halloween Fails That People Couldn’t Resist Sharing
50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
#23
This co*cktail Menu
POST
Sum Guy Sum Guy Community Member Follow
That's very deliberate
Vote comment up
92points
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
#24
I Honestly Don’t Know What To Look At
POST
Kaspar Kristiansen Kaspar Kristiansen Community Member Follow
That's just slobby work....
Vote comment up
44points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
See Also on Bored Panda
50 Funny Bathroom Signs People Found Around The World
‘Sweet Grandma’ Librarian Turns To A Savage To Show An Entitled Mom Her Place
#25
I'm Impressed That This Thai Menu Has Text Cropping Both Over And Under The Image
POST
RavenClaw RavenClaw Community Member Follow
The sauce looks cool like it's popping out at you.
Vote comment up
39points
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26
This Menu That Seems To Be Upside Down At First Look
POST
Raine Soo Raine Soo Community Member Follow
It's not often that I see a menu that is right-margined.
Vote comment up
92points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
See Also on Bored Panda
“Everyone Went Dead Silent”: Family Dinner Ends In Tears After Woman Announces 7th Pregnancy
“I Find It Repulsive”: Guy Cancels Wedding After Uncovering Fiancée And Her Sister’s Secret
#27
This Restaurant Pirated The Pirate Bay Torrent Site Logo For Their Menu
POST
Meike H Meike H Community Member Follow
Very meta
Vote comment up
63points
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
#28
Seen At A Restaurant In A 5-Star Hotel In Los Angeles
POST
Raine Soo Raine Soo Community Member Follow
Read inspirational quotes whilst you decide or are waiting for your attendant.
Vote comment up
52points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTIsem*nT
See Also on Bored Panda
Man Stunned By His Neighbor’s Entitlement Who Designated His Home As A Drop-Off For His Deliveries
Boss Tells Woman To Keep Baking Pies Until She Arrives, Underestimates Her Efficiency
#29
This Is What I Found On The Menu Of A Pizzeria
POST
Hans Hans Community Member Follow
After her accident with the chainsaw, Lucy was lucky to find a surgeon who understand the profession. She thus could follow her dream career as a chef.
Vote comment up
160points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#30
This Salad Section On The Menu At The Pub
POST
Serial pacifist Serial pacifist Community Member Follow
16 bucks for a salad is just criminal. The salad is hiding in shame. And why do you pay extra 2 bucks for takeaway?! It's not like they are delivering it, you're taking it with you.
Vote comment up
59points
Vote comment down
reply
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
Note: this post originally had 113 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
ADVERTIsem*nT
Which menu fail was your favorite and why, dear Pandas? Why do you think so many menus out there have such basic mistakes? Do you think that menus with pictures automatically mean bad food? What’s the worst menu you’ve personally encountered when you could eat in, not just take food to go? We can’t wait to read what you think in the comment section! ADVERTIsem*nT
Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!
Follow Bored Panda on Google News!
Modal close
Add New Image
Modal close
Not your original work? Add source
Publish
Inga Korolkovaite
Author, Community member
Read more »
Inga is a List Curator at Bored Panda. She is a Creative Industries graduate and has a Bachelor's degree in Communication. This panda's mission is to find and cover perfect topics which would satisfy our readers' curiosity, kill the boredom, or simply make them laugh. As the topics of her lists are so broad, so is Inga's personal preferences. She loves dogs but can't resist snuggling a cat, she likes creepy docuseries but also cute animated movies like Zootopia, her music taste varies from Indie Rock to Pop and Rave, she likes relaxing crafts, yet she usually spends her evenings dancing.
Read less »
Inga Korolkovaite
Author, Community member
Read more »
Inga is a List Curator at Bored Panda. She is a Creative Industries graduate and has a Bachelor's degree in Communication. This panda's mission is to find and cover perfect topics which would satisfy our readers' curiosity, kill the boredom, or simply make them laugh. As the topics of her lists are so broad, so is Inga's personal preferences. She loves dogs but can't resist snuggling a cat, she likes creepy docuseries but also cute animated movies like Zootopia, her music taste varies from Indie Rock to Pop and Rave, she likes relaxing crafts, yet she usually spends her evenings dancing.
Read less »
Jonas Grinevičius
Author, BoredPanda staff
Read more »
Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real.At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design.In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle.I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.
Read less »
Jonas Grinevičius
Author, BoredPanda staff
Read more »
Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real.At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design.In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle.I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.
Read less »
What do you think?
POST
Rose the Cook Rose the Cook Community Member Follow
My favorite menu typo is a Beijing hotel with a neon sign on top of the building that declares in English, "We burn the steak every Thursday" to promote their grill night. The table menu offers "Lamp Chops."
Vote comment up
17points
Vote comment down
reply
Raine Soo Raine Soo Community Member Follow
I have mentioned this before, but my favourite typo was on a Chinese restaurant menu. There was human beef on it. My niece kicked up a fuss: "Ewwww! That's disgusting!" I told her that it was supposed to be Hunan beef. We still laugh about it.
Vote comment up
14points
Vote comment down
reply
Rhia Yao Rhia Yao Community Member Follow
but what if its human?
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
Load More Replies...
chi-wei shen chi-wei shen Community Member Follow
Proofreading seems to be a dying art.
Vote comment up
5points
Vote comment down
reply
Load More Comments
POST
Rose the Cook Rose the Cook Community Member Follow
My favorite menu typo is a Beijing hotel with a neon sign on top of the building that declares in English, "We burn the steak every Thursday" to promote their grill night. The table menu offers "Lamp Chops."
Vote comment up
17points
Vote comment down
reply
Raine Soo Raine Soo Community Member Follow
I have mentioned this before, but my favourite typo was on a Chinese restaurant menu. There was human beef on it. My niece kicked up a fuss: "Ewwww! That's disgusting!" I told her that it was supposed to be Hunan beef. We still laugh about it.
Vote comment up
14points
Vote comment down
reply
Rhia Yao Rhia Yao Community Member Follow
but what if its human?
Vote comment up
0points
Vote comment down
reply
Load More Replies...
chi-wei shen chi-wei shen Community Member Follow
Proofreading seems to be a dying art.
Vote comment up
5points
Vote comment down
reply
Load More Comments
Related on Bored Panda
Related on Bored Panda
Bored Panda's Original TV Shows
Trending on Bored Panda
Newsletter
Stay Tuned to Your Favorite Categories
More categories Subscription arrow right
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Also on Bored Panda