When you hear “hamburger menu,” you might think of food. But in the world of websites, it means something completely different! So, what is a hamburger menu on your WordPress website?
A hamburger menu is a type of menu icon used on websites, especially on mobile devices. It looks like three horizontal lines menued on top of each other, just like a hamburger. This small icon has become popular because it’s simple and easy to use and a must-have for website owners who want their site to look fantastic on mobile. It is primarily used for the main navigation menu at the top of a website.
How Does it Work?
A hamburger menu is a menu that stays hidden until someone clicks or taps on it. Instead of showing all the menu options at the top of the page, they are tucked away behind this three-line icon. When clicked, the entire menu pops up, showing all the options.
Most people already know what the hamburger menu symbol (☰) means because they see it on other websites and apps. This makes it easy to use and helps visitors move around your site quickly.
This design is especially important for viewing websites on mobile, where there isn’t much space to display everything at once. It helps keep websites organized while still making it easy for visitors to find what they need, such as your contact page, services, or blog.
Hamburger Menus (☰) Make Your Site More Mobile-Friendly
Using a hamburger menu as the main menu on the mobile version of your website makes it simple to navigate and engaging for visitors.
Many people who visit your website will do so from their mobile devices, so it’s important to make sure that your website is as mobile-friendly as possible.
Since smartphone screens are so much smaller than computers, a regular navigation menu with lots of links can take up too much space and make it harder to see your content. That’s why a hamburger menu is so helpful.
A hamburger menu keeps things neat by hiding the navigation behind a small icon. When someone taps it, the menu opens, letting them find what they need without cluttering the screen.
How to Add a Hamburger Menu (☰) in WordPress
Adding a hamburger menu to your WordPress website is easy. Here are a couple of options…
Option 1: First, Check Your Theme for Built In Hamburger Menus
Many popular WordPress themes already come with a built-in hamburger menu feature. To see if your theme includes this feature:
- Go to your WordPress Dashboard.
- Navigate to Appearance > Customize.
- Click on Menus or Header Settings (depending on your theme).
- Look for an option to enable a mobile-friendly or hamburger-style menu.
If your theme already supports a hamburger menu, you may just need to enable it in the settings.
Or just shrink your browser and see if one shows up!
Option 2: Use a Plugin
If your theme doesn’t offer a hamburger menu option, don’t worry! You can use a WordPress plugin to add one without any coding. Here are two popular plugins that make the process easy:
1) Responsive Menu – Create Mobile-Friendly Menu
By ExpressTech Systems
The Responsive Menu plugin makes it easy to add a mobile-friendly menu to your WordPress site. It’s simple to set up, highly customizable and requires no coding. People love it because it works smoothly on phones and lets you control colors, animations, and layout. Learn more about this plugin here: https://wordpress.org/plugins/responsive-menu/
2) WP Mobile Menu – The Mobile-Friendly Responsive Menu
By Rui Guerreiro
The WP Mobile Menu plugin is easy to use and lets you add slide-in menus, icons, and custom styling without coding. People like it because it improves phone navigation and makes websites look more professional. Learn more here: https://wordpress.org/plugins/mobile-menu/
Examples of a Hamburger Menu on a Mobile Device
1. Website Creation Workshop™ Blog
When the hamburger menu gets clicked on, the dropdown menu opens up:
When the hamburger menu gets clicked on, the dropdown menu opens up:
More Menu Icons: Kebab (⋮), Meatball (•••), and Bento Menu (
)
In addition to the “Hamburger” menu, the web world has 3 other menus: the “Kebab,” “Meatball,” and “Bento”. These are distinct types of icon-based navigation elements used to organize and access various options within the interface on the website.
Here’s a breakdown of the Kebab Menu, Meatball Menu, and Bento Menu, showing their differences.
1. Kebab Menu (⋮) – Three Vertical Dots
It’s called a “kebab” menu because the three dots look like pieces of food on a skewer! While the hamburger menu (☰) usually hides the main navigation, the kebab menu (⋮) is for extra options related to a specific action or feature. This menu helps keep the page clean and only shows options when needed!
Example: In Gmail, hovering over an email shows the kebab menu (⋮), offering options like “Reply,” “Forward,” or “Move to Trash.”
2. Meatball Menu (•••) – Three Horizontal Dots
A Meatball Menu is a button with three horizontal dots (•••). It’s used for extra settings or options for a section or tool, typically found in a toolbar or at the top of a webpage or app.
It’s usually used for general settings or extra actions that don’t fit on the main screen. Unlike the Kebab Menu (⋮), which is vertical and used for specific items, the Meatball Menu is horizontal and often found in toolbars or at the top of an app. It helps keep the screen tidy while still giving you access to important features!
Example: In Microsoft Word (Mobile App), the meatball menu (•••) in the toolbar opens more formatting options.
3. Bento Menu () – Grid of Square Dots (often 3×3 or 2×2 squares)
A Bento Menu is a type of navigation menu that’s often used on websites or in apps. It looks like a grid or a set of boxes, similar to a bento box (a Japanese lunch box with different food compartments). The Bento Menu is typically represented by a grid icon (a set of boxes) or a three-by-three grid, often shown as a small square divided into smaller squares. Each section of the menu holds different options or links, which are usually grouped by category. It’s a great way to keep the design clean while still offering a lot of options, making it easy for users to navigate between grouped options.
Example: In a shopping website, a bento menu might have categories like “Clothing,” “Electronics,” and “Home Goods,” each with sub-options listed inside.
Final Thoughts on Menus …
Remember, as a website owner, you should make it as easy as possible for someone to navigate your website. Otherwise, they’ll leave and go to another website to find what they are looking for.
A hamburger menu is an easy and efficient way to improve the user experience on your WordPress website, especially for mobile users. It keeps your site looking clean and professional while providing visitors with simple navigation.
Whether your theme has a built-in hamburger menu or you need to use a plugin, adding one is quick and can make a big difference in how your site functions. If you want to make your WordPress website more mobile-friendly and easy to navigate, consider adding a hamburger menu today.
How to Remember the Differences of the Menus:
- Kebab (⋮): Think of the kebab as “vertical” for actions tied to a single item.
- Meatball (•••): Think of meatballs as “horizontal” for extra options in a toolbar or section.
- Bento Menu: Think of the bento menu as a “grid” for grouped categories of options. Like a lunchbox with different compartments for different types of content!
- Hamburger Menu (☰): Think of the hamburger as a “stack” of three horizontal lines, symbolizing a menu that expands with more options. It’s like opening a sandwich with all the menu items stacked inside!
(Hamburger image by Image By KalWal – Creative Commons cc0)
