Selecting the right kind of menu design and print solution is key in curating a dining experience that aligns with your business. Below we’ve outlined some of the main kinds of menus, so you can figure out which option is best for you.

Menu covers

Menu covers come in a variety of shapes, sizes and finishes. With textured materials such as leather, linen, or wood, you can customise them to perfectly align with your branding and interior design. Special finishes including debossing and foiling can be added and hardware can be chosen from a range of metals, further elevating the branded feel.

One of the best reasons to invest in high-quality menu covers is flexibility. With printed menus, any changes require additional work for your staff to inform guests, and you can end up really restricted with altering ingredients, dishes and prices, usually requiring reprints of your menus with amended artwork. Menu covers allow you to print menus in-house, making these a perfect option for restaurants with variable or seasonal menus that are often subject to change.

These are a great choice for high-end restaurants or bars requiring food menus, wine lists, or bill presenters, as they create a highly impactful first impression for guests.

Unfolded or folded menus

These are the standard for more casual dining, offering durable finishes and bold colour payoff. We produce menus ranging from A5 1-page to A4 gatefold, A5 4-page, A3 double sided, and so many more! The format you select depends entirely on the extent of your offerings; a small cafe serving sandwiches and salads would most likely require an A5 menu, whereas a bar and grill with a lot of items on the menu may need a larger gatefold or an A3 menu.

The number of items on offer doesn’t necessarily dictate the size and format of the menu you select, however, as design aesthetics also have a big impact. For example, takeaways offer dozens of items, often hundreds, yet they are generally printed on 6-sided DL leaflets, making the most out of all available space with small font sizing. On the other hand, some restaurants with a small number of dishes may opt for an A4 single sided menu, utilising the space to create a more high-end experience with plenty of breathing room.

Finishing options including foiling, debossing and spot-UV create a more personalised result, while matt or gloss lamination can really change how your menus are perceived. Gloss tends to be more durable for restaurants and bars serving up food and drinks that lead to sticky fingers, due to its easy to clean finish, while matt feels softer to the touch and can be a nicer, more tactile experience, however it is harder to clean greasy fingerprints from.

Menu booklets

For restaurants and bars with a large amount of food and drink items, booklets may be the way to go. Stapled multi-page booklets allow for plenty of options to be included, yet are a bit less flexible when it comes to those last minute changes.

With the same finishing options as unfolded menus, you can create a completely unique menu that best fits your brand identity. Gloss, uncoated, silk or recycled paper are the most common paper types we see used for these booklets, which also offer plenty of opportunity to enhance the dining experience of your customers by creating a highly branded menu.

We especially see booklets being used for drinks menus, as you’re much less likely to change this every few weeks, but we also see some restaurants using them if they have a concrete food offering requiring little to no changes throughout the season.

Custom shapes

We can bring any vision to life, even if it doesn’t fit the above specifications. For seasonal dinners or events, custom shaped menus such as arches, ovals, flowers, or anything else you can think of can result in a really unique and effective menu. For weddings and parties, custom shapes are growing increasingly popular as they can be completely personalised to match your theme, beyond the design itself.

If you’re in need of menu design or print, get in touch today and our team can work out the perfect solution for you and your business needs.