Designing visual menus for a sustainable future: The role of non-meat decoys

With a growing population and rising food demand, reducing the environmental impact of consumption has become critically important. Nudging methods can help encourage sustainable food choices. This study explored how adding a more expensive non-meat "decoy" option to visual menus influences preference for a target non-meat menu, using an online randomized experiment. It also examined how visual attention and key menu components—side dish, main course, and price—shape purchase intentions across different choice-based consumer segments. Purchase preferences between three menus, namely a target non-meat menu, a meat menu, and a decoy non-meat menu were measured in an online experiment and an eye-tracking experiment. The online study revealed that introducing the decoy menu significantly increased the selection of the target non-meat menu while reducing the number of participants choosing the meat option. Eye-tracking results indicated that although participants primarily focused on the main course, their attention to other menu elements are shaped by their purchase intentions. Participants who chose the meat menu fixated more on the side dish area, while those who selected the decoy menu fixated more on the prices. Our findings suggest that the decoy effect may promote non-meat food choices and facilitate the design of menu strategies to encourage sustainable food preferences. Emphasizing non-meat options in visual menus, optimizing the placement of side dishes for meat menus, and arranging general menu components strategically can enhance this effect. These approaches offer practical applications for restaurants aiming to encourage environmentally friendly dining choices through more effective menu design strategies. • A high-priced non-meat decoy in visually presented menus boosts non-meat choices and reduces meat consumption. • Eye-tracking shows diners first focus on the menu center, then the top, prioritizing the main course. • Meat choosers focus on side dishes, while decoy choosers fixate on price. • Strategic menu design using decoys and adjusting item placement can promote sustainable food choices.