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For the most part, however, menu decoration followed the art movements of the time. The highly decorated late 19th century menus, which were influenced by Victorian art, gave way to modern art in the 20th century. Developments with graphics and printing allowed distinctive menu cover art. By the 1930s, the menu was seen as a part of the restaurant's plan to create a memorable meal. It could develop an appetite, tell a joke, explain a food item, create a mood, tell something of the history of the restaurant, and, above all, sell some food. Restaurant trade publications encouraged the use of the menu as part of the business strategy, and the National Restaurant Association promoted effective menu graphics in its annual competition of best menus in the nation. Its guidelines for judging included (One) originality. (Two) legibility, (Three) ease of handling, and (Four) sales effectiveness.
然而，多数情况下，菜单的装饰风格是随着时代的艺术潮流而变化的。19世纪后期的菜单，受维多利亚时代艺术的影响，装饰华丽，到了20世纪就被现代艺术所取代。平面造型艺术与印刷术的发展使得颇具特色的菜单封面艺术得以发展。 到了20世纪30年代，餐馆为打造令人难忘的美餐，把菜单看作是实施这种计划的一部分。菜单可以引起食欲，讲个笑话，介绍某食品，创造一种氛围，讲述一点饭店的历史，而且最重要的是，推销菜肴。餐饮业的出版物则鼓励把菜单作为经营策略的一部分。全国餐饮协会每年举办全国最优秀菜单竞赛，届时会有效地促进菜单平面造型艺术的发展。指导这种评比的标准包括（1）有创意（2）清晰易读（3）使用方便（4）销售效果好。