diff --git a/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.module.scss b/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.module.scss
index 7d9e8d5..e194e38 100644
--- a/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.module.scss
+++ b/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.module.scss
@@ -1,7 +1,17 @@
 @use '../../styles/variables' as *;
 
+@keyframes menu-backdrop-float {
+  0%,
+  100% {
+    transform: translateY(0) rotate(var(--icon-rotate, 0deg));
+  }
+  50% {
+    transform: translateY(-6px) rotate(calc(var(--icon-rotate, 0deg) + 6deg));
+  }
+}
+
 .backdrop {
-  position: fixed;
+  position: absolute;
   inset: 0;
   z-index: -1;
   overflow: hidden;
@@ -11,7 +21,12 @@
 .icon {
   position: absolute;
   color: $color-primary;
-  opacity: 0.08;
+  opacity: 0.16;
+  transform: rotate(var(--icon-rotate, 0deg));
+
+  @media (prefers-reduced-motion: no-preference) {
+    animation: menu-backdrop-float 5s ease-in-out infinite;
+  }
 
   svg {
     width: 100%;
diff --git a/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.tsx b/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.tsx
index 538ad43..5670449 100644
--- a/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import type { CSSProperties } from 'react'
+
 import styles from './MenuBackdrop.module.scss'
 
 const PizzaIcon = () => (
@@ -47,20 +49,17 @@ const ICONS = [PizzaIcon, BurgerIcon, FriesIcon]
 
 // Fixed, hand-placed positions rather than random ones — random values would
 // differ between the server-rendered and first client-rendered HTML and
-// trigger a hydration mismatch.
+// trigger a hydration mismatch. Positioned as percentages of the containing
+// card, not the viewport, so this only ever covers whatever box renders it.
 const PLACEMENTS = [
-  { top: '6%', left: '6%', size: 72, rotate: -14 },
-  { top: '14%', left: '86%', size: 56, rotate: 20 },
-  { top: '30%', left: '46%', size: 64, rotate: -6 },
-  { top: '46%', left: '10%', size: 52, rotate: 10 },
-  { top: '58%', left: '90%', size: 68, rotate: -18 },
-  { top: '72%', left: '30%', size: 58, rotate: 14 },
-  { top: '82%', left: '68%', size: 60, rotate: -8 },
-  { top: '4%', left: '40%', size: 44, rotate: 8 },
-  { top: '38%', left: '78%', size: 46, rotate: -22 },
-  { top: '64%', left: '52%', size: 40, rotate: 16 },
-  { top: '90%', left: '12%', size: 50, rotate: -10 },
-  { top: '20%', left: '20%', size: 42, rotate: 24 },
+  { top: '10%', left: '8%', size: 32, rotate: -14, delay: 0 },
+  { top: '14%', left: '82%', size: 26, rotate: 18, delay: 0.5 },
+  { top: '40%', left: '20%', size: 24, rotate: 8, delay: 1.1 },
+  { top: '55%', left: '80%', size: 30, rotate: -10, delay: 0.3 },
+  { top: '78%', left: '14%', size: 26, rotate: 16, delay: 1.6 },
+  { top: '82%', left: '58%', size: 22, rotate: -20, delay: 0.8 },
+  { top: '22%', left: '48%', size: 20, rotate: 6, delay: 1.3 },
+  { top: '62%', left: '44%', size: 24, rotate: -6, delay: 0.2 },
 ]
 
 export const MenuBackdrop = () => (
@@ -71,13 +70,16 @@ export const MenuBackdrop = () => (
         <span
           key={index}
           className={styles.icon}
-          style={{
-            top: placement.top,
-            left: placement.left,
-            width: placement.size,
-            height: placement.size,
-            transform: `rotate(${placement.rotate}deg)`,
-          }}
+          style={
+            {
+              top: placement.top,
+              left: placement.left,
+              width: placement.size,
+              height: placement.size,
+              animationDelay: `${placement.delay}s`,
+              '--icon-rotate': `${placement.rotate}deg`,
+            } as CSSProperties
+          }
         >
           <Icon />
         </span>
diff --git a/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.module.scss b/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.module.scss
index 503d804..5cc21b4 100644
--- a/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.module.scss
+++ b/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.module.scss
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 }
 
 .empty {
+  position: relative;
+  z-index: 0;
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   align-items: center;
@@ -31,6 +33,7 @@
   border: 1px dashed $color-border;
   border-radius: $radius;
   background: $color-surface;
+  overflow: hidden;
 
   @media (prefers-reduced-motion: no-preference) {
     animation: empty-state-enter 0.32s cubic-bezier(0.2, 0, 0, 1) both;
diff --git a/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.tsx b/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.tsx
index ddb69d6..5875ef3 100644
--- a/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { Link } from '@tanstack/react-router'
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 
+import { MenuBackdrop } from '#/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.tsx'
 import type { CustomerOrderSummary } from '#/domain/ordering.ts'
 import { formatPrice } from '#/lib/format.ts'
 
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ export const OrdersListView = ({ orders }: OrdersListViewProps) => {
       <h1 className={styles.heading}>Your orders</h1>
       {displayedOrders.length === 0 ? (
         <div className={styles.empty}>
+          <MenuBackdrop />
           <div className={styles.emptyIcon}>
             <OrdersIcon />
           </div>
diff --git a/src/routes/basket.module.scss b/src/routes/basket.module.scss
index 648a789..dd35430 100644
--- a/src/routes/basket.module.scss
+++ b/src/routes/basket.module.scss
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 }
 
 .empty {
+  position: relative;
+  z-index: 0;
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   align-items: center;
@@ -29,6 +31,7 @@
   border: 1px dashed $color-border;
   border-radius: $radius;
   background: $color-surface;
+  overflow: hidden;
 
   svg {
     width: 2.5rem;
diff --git a/src/routes/basket.tsx b/src/routes/basket.tsx
index d1b0203..5e18a7e 100644
--- a/src/routes/basket.tsx
+++ b/src/routes/basket.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { AnimatePresence, motion, useReducedMotion } from 'framer-motion'
 
 import { BasketIcon } from '#/components/basket/BasketLink.tsx'
 import { CheckoutSection } from '#/components/ordering/CheckoutSection.tsx'
+import { MenuBackdrop } from '#/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.tsx'
 import { AnimatedNumber } from '#/components/ui/AnimatedNumber.tsx'
 import type { MenuItemWithRecipe } from '#/domain/ordering.ts'
 import { useBasket } from '#/lib/basket.tsx'
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ const BasketPage = () => {
               exit={{ opacity: 0 }}
               transition={transition}
             >
+              <MenuBackdrop />
               <BasketIcon />
               <p className={styles.emptyTitle}>Your basket is empty</p>
               <p className={styles.emptyText}>
diff --git a/src/routes/index.tsx b/src/routes/index.tsx
index 7e9272e..d1f4018 100644
--- a/src/routes/index.tsx
+++ b/src/routes/index.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { createFileRoute } from '@tanstack/react-router'
 
-import { MenuBackdrop } from '#/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.tsx'
 import { MenuList } from '#/components/ordering/MenuList.tsx'
 import { useBasket } from '#/lib/basket.tsx'
 import { getBrand } from '#/server/brand.ts'
@@ -14,7 +13,6 @@ const OrderingPage = () => {
 
   return (
     <main className={styles.page}>
-      <MenuBackdrop />
       <p className={styles.intro}>
         Zero cooks, all machine. A robotic kitchen grills, assembles, and
         plates your tasty menu in real time — watch it happen live, from