Menu Printing – How to Choose the Right Size and Paper

It is of great importance to design an eye-catching menu for your restaurant. The right takeout menu will increase your sales considerably, while simultaneously improving your image, up-selling customers, and fighting off national chains. The design of your menu can make or break your restaurant’s takeout and delivery business, particularly your delivery sales. However, a high-performing menu design does not mean that you have to pay through the roof for your menu design and printing services.

If you want to design a menu for your takeout restaurant, which will help you to increase your sales and profits, then you should start by selecting the correct menu size, paper, and the quantity that you wish to circulate. Apart from these, there are other secondary factors that need to be taken into consideration, for instance, the font size, fold type and color combinations. Selecting the incorrect menu size will spoil the look of your menu and could cause clutter, difficulty to readers, and an unattractive look.

If it is too large, customers will find it difficult to hold and keep in the kitchen cabinet. Alternatively, if it is too small your menu items will get jam-packed, which will make it difficult for customers to locate and read items. You have to know your menu items prior to deciding which, 8.5×11 or 11×17, works best for you. Always choose one of these two formats as recent research shows they outperform other sizes and are the current customer-preferred sizes.

Choosing the wrong type of paper, such as a non-gloss paper, will give an improper look to your menu. When it comes to food, image is everything. Glossy paper makes beautiful food photography “pop” and will enhance your sales. Who wants to look at a dull-colored pizza or appetizer?

When choosing menu printing paper, you need make sure that it is durable and will be able to give your menu a glossy professional appearance. Your menu should appear attractive, inviting and deliciously tempting. The standard gloss papers are 60# gloss for takeout menus and flyers, or 80# gloss for menus that will be used for direct mail via the USPS (mailing your menus to local households and businesses). If your takeout menu isn’t “quality,” then it won’t be able to hold its ground versus the cut-throat competition present in the food industry.

Remember, your takeout menus must be “sales magnets” that attract customers the instant they consider ordering takeout or delivery food. Cheers and good luck!