Sponsored by Capital Group ® Are you confused by long menus at a restaurant? Plan sponsors face the same challenges with their investment menus, which can lead to participant inaction and imbalanced portfolios. The science behind restaurant menus may provide some insight into how to combat this. The science of menu engineering Did you know menus are designed to make it easier for you to choose the meal you want? “The restaurant industry has probably spent tens of billions of dollars over the years trying to understand menu design, menu engineering and psychology,” according to restaurant consultant Aaron Allen. Every item you see on a menu is placed in a precise location to drive customer behavior, which often comes down to making difficult choices easier and quicker.