Five Checks Before Commissioning a Restaurant Menu Translation

If your restaurant serves international visitors, you may be considering an English menu or Japanese and Chinese versions too. Owners in areas such as Myeongdong, Hongdae, Sinchon, Itaewon and Seongsu often face that decision.

Before sending a file to a translator, organize what the menu needs to communicate. The customer needs enough information to choose and order, as well as a correctly translated dish name.

In our work on business profiles and menu information, we look at whether names, prices, photographs, portion sizes, heat levels and ingredient information agree. The restaurant needs to supply the facts the translator will use.

Start by checking the Korean source menu

A clear source makes it easier to produce an accurate translation. Look for gaps such as these:

The signature dishes are not clear.
Prices and portion sizes are difficult to find.
Heat level, meat or seafood information is missing.
The dish in a photograph has a different name from the menu entry.
The menu photographs on Maps are out of date.

1. Distinguish signature dishes from the full menu

Choose around five signature items as a starting selection, while keeping the full menu available. Five is a practical recommendation, not a requirement for every business.

Consider items that show the restaurant's strengths and can be explained clearly. Examples to assess, if the business actually serves them, include:

Barbecue: pork belly, pork neck, galbi short ribs, assorted Hanwoo beef cuts and soybean-paste stew. Specify the actual meat used for the ribs.
Korean restaurant: bibimbap, bulgogi, kimchi stew, stir-fried pork and seafood pancake.
Café: signature coffee, non-coffee drinks, desserts and seasonal items.
Bar: signature food, sets, draft beer, traditional drinks and highballs.

Tell the translator which items you want to highlight and why, rather than sending only an undifferentiated list.

2. Add descriptions alongside the dish names

A familiar Korean name can remain, with an explanation for someone encountering it for the first time. Where the descriptions match the actual recipes, examples include:

Kimchi jjigae: kimchi stew with pork and tofu.
Bulgogi: marinated grilled beef.
Doenjang jjigae: soybean-paste stew with tofu and vegetables.
Samgyeopsal: grilled pork belly.

Use the food type, main ingredients and preparation method to explain the item. These examples are not fixed recipes: the kitchen must confirm the ingredients, broth and sauces before they appear on your menu.

3. State prices, portions and minimum orders clearly

Customers need to understand conditions such as a two-serving minimum, one dish per person, separately charged rice or a 150 g meat portion before ordering. Use only the conditions that apply to your business.

Prepare these details for the translator:

Whether the price is per person, per portion or per table.
Whether a minimum number of diners or servings applies, and which one it is.
Whether rice, side dishes, sauces or drinks are included.
Takeaway availability.
Last-order and break times.

A two-serving minimum does not necessarily mean a two-person minimum. Explain the actual rule and any additional charges before the customer orders.

4. Verify heat levels and ingredient information

Confirm information customers may need to avoid an ingredient. Example labels include:

Spicy / mildly spicy / not spicy.
Contains pork.
Contains beef.
Contains seafood.
Contains shellfish.
Contains nuts.
Vegetarian option available.

These are possible labels, not a complete allergen list or proof of suitability. Stocks, sauces and fermented seafood seasonings can contain ingredients not obvious in a photograph. Verify the recipe and preparation with the kitchen, including relevant cross-contact information. Use a vegetarian claim only when the full ingredients support it; it is not an allergen-free assurance.

5. Align the translation with Maps information

Customers researching a visit may read the online menu before seeing the printed version. Keep the information consistent.

Google allows eligible food and drink businesses to add menu items, descriptions and prices, and to upload menu photographs or PDFs. Some features depend on the profile or provider. After translating, check what customers can actually see:

Upload a current menu photograph.
Match signature-dish photographs to the correct names.
Check opening hours, breaks and last orders.
Reply to relevant foreign-language reviews.
Look for outdated prices in photographs.

You can manage photographs you uploaded; an inaccurate customer-uploaded menu may need to be flagged. Do not assume that updating the restaurant's menu removes every older photograph automatically.

What to send the translator

Send the translator the following information:

The current Korean source menu.
A starting list of around five signature items.
Actual photographs of each dish.
The main ingredients for each item.
Heat levels.
Verified allergenic-ingredient information.
Prices and ordering units.
The business's concept and intended customer audience.

Keep one current source for prices and recipes, so later changes can be reflected in each language and online version.

How an owner can review the result

Read the translation as someone trying to place an order. Alongside language accuracy, check:

Can a customer understand the food without a photograph?
Are the price and ordering conditions clear?
Are the heat level and relevant ingredient details accurate?
Are the signature dishes easy to find?
Does the online menu give the same information?

Check the price, portion and ingredients as carefully as the wording. Ask the restaurant team to confirm those facts and a capable language reviewer to check how the wording reads.

What BlinkAd recommends

A translated menu helps customers understand whether the restaurant suits their plans. Its usefulness depends on the details they need, rather than the number of words translated.

Prepare the source information before commissioning the translation, then keep dish names, photographs, prices, ordering instructions and the profile consistent. Review replies should refer to the actual experience, rather than repeat menu keywords mechanically.

Frequently asked questions

Is an English version enough?

It depends on the actual audience. English is a useful starting point in our approach; consider Japanese or Chinese where customers need them. The neighborhood alone does not determine each visitor's preferred language.

Can we use a translation tool?

It can produce a draft. A person needs to check language accuracy, and the restaurant must verify dish names, recipes, ingredients and order conditions. Do not ask the tool to guess missing information.

Will a translated menu bring more international customers?

It can make the restaurant easier to assess, alongside accurate Maps information, photographs, hours and reviews. Translation alone does not establish a measurable increase in visits.

Should we put the menu on Maps too?

Use the available profile tools to provide current menu photographs, items or links where appropriate. Check that the information agrees with the in-store menu.

Need help with the menu and profile?

If you are unsure how to organize menu translations, profile photographs, review replies and business information, contact BlinkAd. We can review the search and menu information your customers see.

Sources

Google: the menu editor.
Google: representing your business accurately.
The ministry's April 2026 first-quarter tourism announcement (Korean). Historical background cited in the original article.

English edition checked October 31, 2026; original article May 24, 2026. Dish descriptions, portion sizes and order rules are examples to adapt to verified restaurant information.

BlinkAd is a Google and AI marketing agency helping businesses reach international customers through search, visits and inquiries.