5 Ideas to Create the Perfect Restaurant Menu

Are you getting ready to open a new restaurant or do you own a restaurant and thinking about updating your menu with a fresh new look?  A menu is one of the first impressions a customer has of a restaurant.  If your menu is well designed and printed professionally, it can be your main advertising tool to drive profits for your company.  



Keep it Simple
Customers appreciate a simple and to the point menu.  A menu that has the thickness of a book is not necessarily the best route to take.  This generally happens when restaurants include photos of each item they have on the menu.  Instead of photos try listing out the ingredients of the dish, that should help cut out a few extra pages within the menu.  If you insist on having photos of certain dishes, hire a professional photographer to capture the perfect image of the dish. 

Appropriate Sections
Think logically while designing the layout of the menu. The customer easily finding the dish they are looking for is very important.  A customer’s eyes will generally lead them to the middle of the first page on a menu.  This is a great spot to put any specials that the restaurant has.  The top right corner is the ideal placement for the entrees /main course.  Appetizers are a great way to increase your dollar per ticket.  Placing the appetizers section, a on the top left corner of the menu will catch the attention of a hungry diner.  Consider using boxes around dishes that you would like to promote.  This can help promote your dishes with higher profit margins. 

The Font is Important
Some restaurants use a fancy font that is hard to read.  If a customer can’t read what the menu says they may become frustrated.  Customers are looking for a menu that they can quickly look at the dishes a decide what sounds good to them.   You want the orders to come in and go out quickly to free up the table for the next guest.  It’s not good for the restaurant’s bottom line is it takes the customer 30 minutes to decipher the menu to place an order.   You can use color, bold type, and font size to distinguish the difference in sections, dish names, and ingredients included in the dish. 

Forget the Dollar Sign 
Although some upscale restaurants choose not to put pricing on their menu, most restaurants still do.  The dollar sign is a symbol that immediately allows the customer to realize they are spending money.  Taking the dollar sign out of the equation and only putting the numbers subconsciously allows the customer to have a different perception. 

Choose the Best Color Scheme
Picking out the color scheme for your menu is very important.  You want the colors to match the mood of your restaurant.  It also helps to pick colors that will go with the type of cuisine you are serving.  For example, great colors for a Mexican restaurant are bold and eye-catching.  You can have the main color and use a pop of color to draw attention to certain dishes on the menu. 


If you have the concept of your menu together and need help with the actual design and layout of the menu, Lake Printing has graphic artists that can sit down with you and discuss your vision.  Having a graphic artist do the actual design will help your menu stand out from your competition.  Our print team can help pick out the perfect material for your menu to stay beautiful for an extended period.   Contact the printing hub of the Midwest for all your print and design needs, www.LakePrinting.com





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573-346-0600


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