diff --git a/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.module.scss b/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.module.scss
deleted file mode 100644
index 204519d..0000000
--- a/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.module.scss
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-.backdrop {
-  position: absolute;
-  inset: 0;
-  z-index: -1;
-  overflow: hidden;
-  pointer-events: none;
-  filter: blur(3px) grayscale(1);
-  opacity: 0.6;
-  background-repeat: repeat;
-  background-size: 340px 340px;
-}
diff --git a/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.tsx b/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index dddacf8..0000000
--- a/src/components/ordering/MenuBackdrop.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,72 +0,0 @@
-import styles from './MenuBackdrop.module.scss'
-
-// Rendered once as a tiny repeating SVG tile (not as individual DOM icons)
-// set as a CSS background-image, rather than one element per icon.
-const pizza = (color: string) => `
-  <path d="M12 3 3 20h18L12 3Z" fill="none" stroke="${color}" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" />
-  <path d="M4.5 17.5c2.5-1.5 4.5-1.5 7.5-.5s5 1 7.5-.5" fill="none" stroke="${color}" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" />
-  <circle cx="10" cy="14" r="0.9" fill="${color}" />
-  <circle cx="14.5" cy="15.5" r="0.9" fill="${color}" />
-`
-
-const burger = (color: string) => `
-  <path d="M4 10c0-3 3.5-5 8-5s8 2 8 5" fill="none" stroke="${color}" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" />
-  <path d="M3 10.5h18" fill="none" stroke="${color}" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" />
-  <path d="M4 13.5h16" fill="none" stroke="${color}" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" />
-  <path d="M3.5 16.5h17" fill="none" stroke="${color}" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" />
-  <path d="M4 19c0 1 .8 1.5 2.2 1.5h11.6c1.4 0 2.2-.5 2.2-1.5" fill="none" stroke="${color}" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" />
-`
-
-const fries = (color: string) => `
-  <path d="M6 9 5 21h14l-1-12Z" fill="none" stroke="${color}" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" />
-  <path d="M9 4.5v6M12 3.5v7M15 4.5v6" fill="none" stroke="${color}" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" />
-`
-
-const ICON_VARIANTS = [pizza, burger, fries]
-const ICON_COLORS = [
-  '#e2725b', // tomato
-  '#d9a441', // crust
-  '#e8c468', // cheese
-  '#7a9d6e', // basil
-  '#a5678f', // berry
-  '#8a5a44', // cocoa
-]
-
-// One icon centered in each grid cell within the tile, so they line up
-// evenly instead of clustering.
-const TILE_SIZE = 240
-const GRID_COLS = 4
-const GRID_ROWS = 4
-const CELL_WIDTH = TILE_SIZE / GRID_COLS
-const CELL_HEIGHT = TILE_SIZE / GRID_ROWS
-const ICON_SIZE = 30
-const ICON_SCALE = ICON_SIZE / 24
-
-const buildTileSvg = () => {
-  const instances = Array.from(
-    { length: GRID_COLS * GRID_ROWS },
-    (_, index) => {
-      const col = index % GRID_COLS
-      const row = Math.floor(index / GRID_COLS)
-      const x = col * CELL_WIDTH + CELL_WIDTH / 2
-      const y = row * CELL_HEIGHT + CELL_HEIGHT / 2
-      const rotate = ((index * 29) % 48) - 24
-      const color = ICON_COLORS[index % ICON_COLORS.length]
-      const icon = ICON_VARIANTS[index % ICON_VARIANTS.length](color)
-      const transform = `translate(${x.toFixed(1)} ${y.toFixed(1)}) rotate(${rotate}) scale(${ICON_SCALE.toFixed(3)}) translate(-12 -12)`
-      return `<g transform="${transform}">${icon}</g>`
-    },
-  ).join('')
-
-  return `<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="${TILE_SIZE}" height="${TILE_SIZE}" viewBox="0 0 ${TILE_SIZE} ${TILE_SIZE}">${instances}</svg>`
-}
-
-const TILE_DATA_URL = `data:image/svg+xml,${encodeURIComponent(buildTileSvg())}`
-
-export const MenuBackdrop = () => (
-  <div
-    className={styles.backdrop}
-    aria-hidden="true"
-    style={{ backgroundImage: `url("${TILE_DATA_URL}")` }}
-  />
-)
diff --git a/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.module.scss b/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.module.scss
index d21b6b9..10fe73e 100644
--- a/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.module.scss
+++ b/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.module.scss
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@
 }
 
 .empty {
-  position: relative;
-  z-index: 0;
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   align-items: center;
@@ -33,15 +31,12 @@
   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;
   }
 
-  // Direct child only — a plain descendant selector would also catch the
-  // backdrop's own icons (see MenuBackdrop), overriding their per-icon color.
-  > svg {
+  svg {
     width: 2.5rem;
     height: 2.5rem;
     margin-bottom: $space-2;
diff --git a/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.tsx b/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.tsx
index 5523033..bea2a4f 100644
--- a/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/orders/OrdersListView.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 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'
 
@@ -65,7 +64,6 @@ export const OrdersListView = ({ orders }: OrdersListViewProps) => {
       <h1 className={styles.heading}>Your orders</h1>
       {displayedOrders.length === 0 ? (
         <div className={styles.empty}>
-          <MenuBackdrop />
           <OrdersIcon />
           <p className={styles.emptyTitle}>No orders yet</p>
           <p className={styles.emptyText}>
diff --git a/src/routes/basket.module.scss b/src/routes/basket.module.scss
index 0822f76..648a789 100644
--- a/src/routes/basket.module.scss
+++ b/src/routes/basket.module.scss
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@
 }
 
 .empty {
-  position: relative;
-  z-index: 0;
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   align-items: center;
@@ -31,11 +29,8 @@
   border: 1px dashed $color-border;
   border-radius: $radius;
   background: $color-surface;
-  overflow: hidden;
 
-  // Direct child only — a plain descendant selector would also catch the
-  // backdrop's own icons (see MenuBackdrop), overriding their per-icon color.
-  > svg {
+  svg {
     width: 2.5rem;
     height: 2.5rem;
     margin-bottom: $space-2;
diff --git a/src/routes/basket.tsx b/src/routes/basket.tsx
index 5e18a7e..d1b0203 100644
--- a/src/routes/basket.tsx
+++ b/src/routes/basket.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ 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'
@@ -72,7 +71,6 @@ const BasketPage = () => {
               exit={{ opacity: 0 }}
               transition={transition}
             >
-              <MenuBackdrop />
               <BasketIcon />
               <p className={styles.emptyTitle}>Your basket is empty</p>
               <p className={styles.emptyText}>