Translating Dish Names vs Descriptions: What to Keep, What to Change

Dish names often carry identity (and SEO/brand value), while descriptions carry clarity (and sales value). The mistake is translating both the same way. Some dish names should stay in the original language (with a short explanation), while others should be adapted so tourists instantly understand what they’re ordering. This page is part of the main guide Menu Translation & Localization for Tourists (Beyond “Multilingual Menu”)—because tourists don’t reward “more languages,” they reward more confidence.

A dish name is a label. It signals identity, heritage, and sometimes a restaurant’s signature style. A description is what makes a guest feel safe enough to order. Tourists read them differently than locals: they scan names for familiarity, then use descriptions to reduce risk. So when restaurants translate both in the same way (word-for-word), the result often becomes either confusing (“what is this?”) or generic (“sounds like everything else”).

A simple way to remember it:

Keep names when they act like a brand.

Change descriptions so they explain, not just translate.

If you first want to understand why literal translations fail, start with Why Direct Translation Fails (and what to do instead) and then come back here to apply the rules.

Keep the original dish name (or mostly keep it) when:

1) It’s a known cultural termWords like “shakshuka,” “schnitzel,” “tiramisu,” or “mezze” are often more trustworthy untranslated because tourists recognize them as “real.” Translating them can create a strange, artificial label.

2) It has brand/search valueIf tourists might Google it—or if it’s part of your restaurant identity—keeping it supports discoverability and authenticity. This is especially useful for signature items and local specialties.

3) Translating it would become misleadingSome literal translations sound wrong or change meaning (especially street-food terms or cooking styles). In these cases, the safest move is to keep the original and explain it clearly.

When you keep the name, you still need to “earn the order” with the description. Think of the name as the hook and the description as the proof.

Translate or adapt the dish name when:

1) The name is functional, not culturalIf the name is basically a category label (“grilled chicken salad,” “lentil soup,” “beef burger”), tourists benefit from immediate clarity. Keeping it in the original language adds friction without adding authenticity.

2) The name is vague or story-based“Grandma’s Secret,” “House Special,” “The Boss,” “Crazy Mix”—these may work locally, but they don’t help tourists decide. If you keep story names, add a functional anchor in the name or the first words of the description.

3) The name contains important dietary signalsIf the dish contains pork, shellfish, nuts, alcohol, or other ingredients that matter culturally or medically, hiding those signals behind an unfamiliar name increases risk and can reduce trust.

When you’re unsure, use a hybrid label that keeps authenticity while adding clarity. Examples:

“Koshari (lentils, rice & pasta bowl)”

“Molokhia (garlic green stew)”

“Kofta (grilled spiced meat skewers)”

This structure works because it gives the tourist an instant category clue without stripping the dish of its identity. It also translates well across languages because you can keep the “identity term” stable and only translate the explanation part.

Descriptions shouldn’t be “translated sentences.” They should be short decision tools. In most tourist-heavy restaurants, the winning structure is:

Cooking method (grilled / baked / slow-cooked)

Main ingredient (chicken / beef / eggplant)

Flavor cue (spicy / creamy / smoky / lemony)

Key sauce or side (tahini, yogurt, rice, fries)

One trust cue (mild heat, contains nuts, served cold)

You don’t need long text. One sentence is enough if it removes uncertainty. If you want to handle culturally specific words properly (tahini, sumac, mezze, etc.), you’ll get better results by using a glossary approach and keeping terms consistent across the whole menu. Many translation workflows recommend glossaries for consistency, and tools support them directly (example: DeepL glossary).

Mistake 1: Translating identity into awkward labelsTurning a cultural name into a literal phrase can feel fake and reduce perceived quality.

Mistake 2: Keeping story names with no anchorTourists don’t know what “The Legend” is. If you keep it, add a functional clue:“The Legend (slow-cooked beef with BBQ glaze)”

Mistake 3: Translating descriptions without adapting expectationsSome markets expect different cues. For example, spice level or strong garlic can be normal for locals but “risky” for visitors. Add micro-clarifiers to prevent disappointment and refunds.

Mistake 4: Inconsistent ingredient namingIf the same ingredient shows up as three different words across the menu, tourists lose confidence. Consistency matters more than perfection.

Use this quick decision framework for each dish:

Keep the name if:

it’s culturally recognized

it’s a signature/brand term

translating it would distort meaning

Translate/adapt the name if:

it’s a functional category label

it’s vague/story-only

it contains critical dietary signals tourists must see

Always localize the description to reduce risk:

method + main ingredient + flavor + sauce/side + trust cue

This approach also aligns with broader localization guidance: menus aren’t just “translated text,” they’re user-facing content that should be made usable in context—exactly the difference explained in W3C’s i18n guidance.

Even if you’re using Payload CMS, think in “fields” mentally:

Dish name (original or localized)

Short explanation (optional hybrid in the name)

One-sentence description (localized)

Tags (spicy / vegetarian / contains nuts / etc.)

This keeps translation scalable, because you’re not translating paragraphs—you’re translating structured information. It also makes it easier to QA quickly and keep languages aligned when items change.

Back to the pillar: Menu Translation & Localization for Tourists (Beyond “Multilingual Menu”)

Related: Why Direct Translation Fails (and what to do instead)