Numerals vs Words on a Menu Price: Which Format Actually Sells More?

A 12-table tapas bar in Istanbul's Karaköy district changed "₺245" to just "245" on its menu. Three months later, the average ticket rose from ₺320 to ₺356 — about an 11% jump. When they tried "two hundred forty-five" written in words for a week, sales dropped. Price format matters far more than most operators assume.

Cornell Food Lab's Three-Format Experiment

Brian Wansink's 2009 New York restaurant study tested three menu versions: "$20.00", "$20", and "twenty dollars". The sym­bol-free "20" version increased average ticket by 8.15% versus "$20.00". The dollar sign primes financial pain — your brain treats the symbol as a loss cue. Removing it dampens that response.

Unexpectedly, the written "twenty dollars" version reduced spending. Spelled-out prices signal "fine dining" and intimidate casual diners. They either order less or skip the meal entirely.

The Karaköy Tapas Bar Case

This 12-table bistro ran a structured A/B test in March 2025:

• Version A ("₺245"): avg ticket ₺356, 2.8 items per table
• Version B ("245" clean): avg ticket ₺378, 3.1 items per table
• Version C ("two hundred forty-five"): avg ticket ₺298, coffee orders dropped 22%

They kept Version B. The number-only format preserves premium feel without intimidation, while words push guests into "this place is too expensive, order light" mode.

Match Format to Concept

Format must fit your positioning. For bistros and casual dining, symbol-free clean numerals (e.g. "245") are optimal — they reduce purchase pain while preserving accessibility.

For tasting menus or wine bars, "245.00" can reinforce premium signaling, but in a daily restaurant it backfires. Street food formats should keep the currency symbol ("₺245") because guests already expect explicit pricing there.

FAQ

Do written prices ever work? Only at $500+ tasting menus, omakase sushi, or Michelin-level venues where luxury expectations are already established — words reinforce that frame.

Should I include ".00" decimals? No. Use "245" not "245.00"; the decimals visually inflate the price and read as old-school. Reserve cents only when the price isn't a round number.

How quickly can I test this on QR menus? With thMenu's currency-toggle feature, you can A/B test in under a week and measure real revenue impact rather than guessing.

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