How to Build an Arabic–English Restaurant Menu Guests Can Actually Use

• Keep one shared item and price record across languages.
• Review Arabic in the real RTL interface, not a spreadsheet alone.
• Translate modifiers, errors, checkout, and status—not just titles.
• Include bilingual review in every menu release.

English and Arabic should describe the same item record, price, availability, tax treatment, variants, and modifier rules. Separate catalogs drift when one price changes or an item sells out. Use linked translations so operational data stays shared while guest-facing language remains natural.

Before translating hundreds of items, agree on brand names, cooking methods, cuts, sizes, dietary terms, and common modifiers. Decide which names remain transliterated and which should be translated. Keep a short glossary for future seasonal additions so different staff members do not produce conflicting terms. AI can create a useful first draft, but a fluent reviewer should approve ingredients, allergens, and culturally sensitive wording.

Arabic is more than right-aligned text. Check page flow, navigation direction, back arrows, quantity controls, mixed Arabic and Latin brand names, QAR prices, phone numbers, and form fields. Avoid narrow cards that force awkward wrapping. Use a readable Arabic typeface at the same visual importance as English.

On a real phone, switch languages after adding products and confirm the cart retains the same item IDs and totals. Test category names, descriptions, variants, required modifiers, notes, order types, promotions, tax, payment, confirmation, and tracking. Then confirm the kitchen and receipt surfaces show enough language for the staff who use them.

For every menu change, require price verification, source-language approval, translated copy review, RTL mobile preview, and one test order. Record who approved the change and when. This small workflow prevents the Arabic version from becoming an outdated secondary menu.