Your menu says a lot to your customers the moment they lay their eyes on it. Make sure it’s clean, professional, simple, and screams your brand. Putting items on a list and saying how much they cost takes time and effort, so you want to do it right. Here’s what to consider when printing a restaurant menu.
Printing A Restaurant Menu
Give Specials Their Own Sheet
Having unique, fresh items that you don’t offer all the time keeps customers interested and checking in with your restaurant. Printing these ever-changing items on your main menu can mean lots of costly reprints. In turn, you may be less likely to want to update your specials regularly.
Instead, display your specials and seasonal items on a small insert that you can place inside your menu.
Isolate Upsell Items
Most restaurants want to sell more drinks and desserts. Chances are, you do too. If that’s the case, studies have shown that these items tend to sell better when they’re on a separate sheet. Limit the list to 4-7 items, though, so customers don’t feel overwhelmed.
Use Photos
People focus on images first. Tell a story that will make your brand memorable. For example, share photos of early founders of your restaurant for a little bit of company history, or show off some of your entrees. Be sure to keep it at 1-2 images per page to avoid clutter.
If you’re not feeling the pictures, you could always go for some nice illustrations to brighten up your menu. These are always a good alternative that can help with the character of your restaurant.
Choose a Clean, Simple Paper
If you print on white paper, you won’t have to worry about your colors not looking right while mixing with the color of the paper. You should also go for slightly glossy paper so your colors pop a little more.
Get It Laminated
Laminated Menus are much more durable than just paper, as the laminate is essentially a shield for the paper. It’s also lighter and easier for the host to carry than, say, a bulky cover – if you’re considering other options for protection. Your menus will also stay cleaner longer and will only need to be simply wiped off when you clean them. If you can clean them, that means you won’t have to be replacing them too frequently.
Consider Using Boxes
Boxes help group certain menu items together (pizzas, salads, pastas, appetizers, etc.). They are also often used by restaurants to promote dishes with the highest profit margins. In essence, they’re really good for organizational purposes.
Typography
Effective typography communicates your brand. It also means a legible menu, which is a plus. How do you choose which one to use? Selection will depend on a variety of factors, such as how much text you need to fit comfortably on a page. Using more than one font can help distinguish different menu items and guide customers through a menu.
Choose Appropriate Colors
Choose colors based on your target audience and the theme of your restaurant. Who do you want to attract and what do you want to say? Different colors have different psychological effects. This will help set the mood of your restaurant. It can also draw attention to certain food items.
Get It Professionally Printed
We can help you here! We offer professional restaurant printing that includes menu printing. To make things better, it’s quick and easy for you, so that’s one less thing you need to stress over. If you’re struggling with the overall design of some of your menu, we have graphic design professionals with years of experience under their belts who can answer your questions and provide feedback.
Do you have questions about what to consider when printing a restaurant menu? Let us know! Give us a call today at (615) 468-2679.
Whether you need digital printing or offset printing, the experts at The Print Authority will find the right way to get your job done so it is affordable and looks fantastic! We have over two decades of experience as a business printing company printing flyers, posters, brochures, business cards, training and marketing materials and much more. Our experts will make your company or organization look great in print. Contact us today for more information!
