IRIS recommends six practical UI and content adjustments—placement, merchandising, filters, directory content, colour, and mobile-first hierarchy—to help hotel digital platforms drive orders, reduce friction, and increase average transaction value without new tech.
Place signature and high-margin items in prime mobile screen positions and use "Popular" badges to guide choices.
Enable detailed dietary and allergen attributes with side-panel filters to speed ordering and reduce staff questions.
Treat the digital guest directory as a single, media-rich destination by adding clear descriptions, links, and embedded PDFs.
# Summary Hotels often digitise menus and guest directories but stop at replication. IRIS argues that small, targeted UI and content changes to existing platforms can raise engagement and spend by making discovery and ordering easier on mobile devices. Jobie Yip, IRIS UX/UI Designer, outlines six design principles that are actionable for property teams without requiring major new technology investments.
# The six practical UI tweaks
Mobile screens have limited real estate. An uncurated alphabetical list increases cognitive load and decision fatigue. Position signature dishes, chef's specials, and high-margin items in clear visual focal points—a dedicated "Special Menu" or a top-of-screen slot—so guests see them immediately. Add a "Popular" badge to items you want to surface.
Dietary labels (vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free, halal) now shape dining decisions. Configure item attributes so guests can filter by dietary needs using a side-panel filter. This reduces the need to read long descriptions or contact room service and shortens the path to completed orders.
Make the guest directory a single, on-brand destination containing the information guests actually look for. Enrich entries with photos, concise descriptions, external links, and embedded PDFs so guests don't have to hunt across multiple pages or apps to find key details about services and facilities.
Allow flexible styling so the app reflects the hotel brand, but verify colour contrast against accessibility standards. IRIS recommends aiming for a contrast ratio aligned with WCAG AAA enhanced contrast guidelines (the article cites a 7:1 target) to keep navigation legible while maintaining brand identity.
Move heavy imagery off default mobile views. Reserve large hero images for high-margin signature items only. Keep mobile layouts lean and compress assets to improve loading speeds and reduce clutter. In mobile UX, fewer well-chosen visual accents work better than many large images.
# Copy and description guidance Avoid vague dish titles and missing ingredient notes. Use concise sensory descriptions that list key ingredients, flavour profiles, allergen notes, and transparent pricing. The same approach applies to other services: a clear spa description gives guests a reason to explore and book.
# Practical next steps for hoteliers Review the guest journey on mobile. Check what appears above the fold and whether item descriptions are persuasive. Configure menu item attributes for dietary filtering and create a short list of signature/high-margin items to promote. Verify colour contrast and compress images to speed up mobile load times. These are configuration changes that can be implemented on many existing platforms.
# Closing point Digitising menus and directories is only the first step. Thoughtful UI placement, filtering, descriptions, and performance tuning can increase conversion, reduce routine guest enquiries, and give hotel services a better chance to be discovered and purchased.
IRIS outlines seven mobile ordering strategies hotels can budget for in 2027 to convert F&B from a guest amenity into a profit centre, citing 20-40% increases in average transaction value among clients.
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