Food photography for restaurants: for menus, social media and delivery

We eat with our eyes first. Someone deciding where to eat tonight looks at photos: on Instagram, on Google, on delivery apps. If your dishes look dark or dull, they will choose somewhere else, however good your food tastes.

Start with a list

Before the shoot, write down which dishes will be photographed and where each photo will be used. Your best sellers, your signature dishes and whatever you want to promote come first. A clear list lets the kitchen plate each dish at the right moment, so it is photographed fresh.

Light and timing

Food looks best in soft light from the side, usually next to a window. Light from directly above, or a flash, makes plates look flat. Timing matters: sauces dry, salads wilt and steam is gone within minutes. That is why a dish comes to the table only when everything is ready for the shot.

Three angles for every dish

• From above, for dishes with shape and colour, for the menu and for delivery apps.
• At table height, to show the volume of the dish and the room behind it.
• Close up, for texture: the crust, the sauce, the herbs.

Do not forget the room

Customers are not only buying a dish but an evening. Photos of the dining room, the tables laid, the light at dinner time and your people show the atmosphere. In the shoot for To Chalkino Katsaroli the dishes were photographed in the dining room itself, so the food and the room tell the same story.

Where the photos are used

• On the printed and the digital (QR) menu.
• On your Google Business Profile, where photos help people choose you from the map.
• On delivery apps, where a dish with a good photo stands out from the list.
• On social media, for posts and ads all year round.

Frequently asked questions

How many dishes can be photographed in a day?

It depends on the kitchen and the setup. Well organised, one day usually covers the main dishes on the menu and the room.

Do I need a food stylist?

For most restaurants, no. Your chef knows best how a dish is served, and the photographer takes care of composition, light and small adjustments on the table.

What time of day is the shoot?

Usually before opening or at a quiet hour, so there is daylight and the kitchen can prepare dishes just for the camera.

Refresh the photos whenever the menu changes. If you run a restaurant, taverna or café in Chalkida, talk to us about a shoot.