What paper size is used for restaurant menus?
Well, to decide what paper size is used for restaurant menus…
…there are some things you need to consider.
Creating a menu for your restaurant may appear simple at first:
…list the meals, add a price, and let the consumer decide.
A menu can, in fact, be a strategic and persuasive tool.
However, it is up to you to choose your restaurant menu design…
…style, and size in order to guide eating decisions and maximize profits.
Let’s look at all the things you’ll need to consider to decide…
…what paper size is used for restaurant menus.
But, before move to the next section, let us hear Delilah’s story…
I once went to a small restaurant in Southeast Asia.
When I went to the restaurant, there was just me and no one else.
The owners are an elderly husband and wife.
I was given a menu paper which I believe has a boring design and doesn’t fit the format well.
I tried to ignore it for a moment.
I then tasted the food I ordered, and it was so delicious!
Then I remembered the menu paper they had, and I decided to redesign it.
Because it’s a shame that not many people come here just because the menu is unattractive.
I was contacted after I returned to Brooklyn,
and they sent me a picture of the situation in their restaurant,
which was getting overrun with customers. I am touched by it.
Let’s jump right in!
What Paper Size is Used for Restaurant Menus Based on The Length
Don’t start big.
Your first menu should be your Minimum Viable Product (MVP)…
…to borrow a concept from product theory.
According to The Economic Times…
…Minimum Viable Product or MVP is a development technique…
…in which a new product is introduced in the market…
…with basic features, but enough to get the attention of the consumers.
The final product is released in the market…
…only after getting sufficient feedback from the product’s initial users.
In order to meet customer expectations…
…and provide feedback for future product development…
…MVPs have the minimum features available that can satisfy customers.
According to this methodology…
…you should start with a small number of menu items…
…when developing a menu.
As soon as you begin selling and getting feedback from your customers…
…you can add to your product.
However, what paper size is used for restaurant menus…
…and menu lengths vary from concept to concept…
…depending on the type of restaurant you run.
Generally, menus are designed for 8.5″ x 11″ paper sizes.
When your menu is larger than 12″ x 18″…
…consider having separate menus for kids, wine, and dessert.
Your guests don’t want to feel overwhelmed.
You can use table tents, menu boards, or chalkboards to showcase dishes.
“There are three basic types of menu page and fold formats you can use on a menu. First is the single-page format in which the entire menu is contained on a single page or card. The area of sales concentration is in the top half of the page. Then there is the most common format of the two-page/single-fold menus. Menu size and shape will vary considerably. The National Restaurant Association conducts a menu contest every year during its annual convention in Chicago and has found that the most common sized menu was 9 inches by 12 inches. This is the result of no other reason than to accommodate the standard paper size of 8.5 inches by 11 inches.”
Dr. David Pavesic, a former restaurateur and retired professor at the Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality at Georgia State University in Atlanta
Get to know our best recommendation for waterproof paper menu here!
Number of Items
Next thing to consider when choosing what paper size is used…
…for restaurant menu is the number of items.
Menu engineers recommend that each menu category…
…should have no more than seven items:
seven appetizers, seven main courses, seven desserts, seven cocktails, etc.
A less-is-more approach to menu planning has replaced old menu strategies…
…that tried to include something for everyone.
If diners have fewer options to choose from…
…the selection process is much easier.
Having fewer menu items is also easier on food costs…
…kitchen prep, and make service faster.
Keep reading…
Ways to Lay Out Your Menu
By order:
- Organise items in the order they would be ordered by diners. A starter should follow a main course, followed by dessert.
By category:
- Organize menu items by logical groups. Add additional categories for salads, pasta, seafood, and other specialty grouped items, like tacos, wings, etc., to the appetizers, mains, and desserts. A dish that can be prepared and served in any number of different ways.
By column:
- You should use columns and rows to structure your content. Order items in separate categories, such as appetizers, with columns. Each menu item should be separated by rows. This makes understanding the menu easy at a glance. Don’t just scatter menu items across a page haphazardly. Provide logical categories for your menu so that the reader can find them easily.
By where the eye falls:
- When diners read your menu, their eyes naturally gravitate to certain areas of the page, usually the top. It is prime real-estate in these areas. Their menu items should have the highest margin and profit potential.
If there are items you would like to draw attention to, consider using a call-out box.
Framing is another name for this practice.
You can grab the reader’s attention by presenting one…
or more items within a frame.
Put your best-selling items or dishes with higher profit margins in these spaces…
…like pasta or rice bowls.
This is in line with menu engineering best practices.
Use call-out boxes sparingly when directing diners’ eyes.
Call-out boxes become less effective as they become more numerous.
Branding Your Menu
Restaurant menu design contains the following elements that serve two purposes.
While reinforcing your restaurant’s brand, they describe your menu items.
You should also make your item titles, descriptions…
…and look and feel tongue-in-cheek if your brand is.
If your brand is elegant, then the same elements should be more formal.
For example, ‘rump roast’ may be appropriate for some menu items…
…while ‘pork butt’ might be appropriate for others.
Go on…
Naming
You should name the dishes to emphasize a particular feature of the dish…
…whether it’s an ingredient, a texture, a taste, etc.
In the minds of diners, the name sets the experience of eating that dish up.
Describe things in any style you like.
You can experiment with different naming strategies…
…as long as you keep the larger design format in mind.
Description
Descriptions of menu items should be concise.
The main purpose of the description is to inform the diner what is in the dish…
…how it was prepared, and what it comes with.
Be brief if you choose to add to your description.
It should include additional information…
…about sensory/cultural/nostalgia descriptors, craftsmanship…
and any other noteable differentiators.
Photos
Photos are eye-catching, just like callout boxes.
Most restaurants with a high-end reputation don’t use photos.
It’s no secret that many diners and chefs associate photos…
…with cheap or low-quality restaurants…
…although they can also be found in chain or family-style restaurants.
Photos are subjective, which is why they are dangerous.
There is no universally appealing photo.
For most restaurants, it is better to show your guests a dish …
…as it is carried by, accompanied by the smell…
…and ambiance rather than clutter your menu with images.
Do not use more than one photo per panel if you do use photos.
Make sure the photos are professional and do not use free images.
Illustrations would be a better alternative to photos.
They still draw a diner’s eye to a particular area of your menu…
…but they are easier to adapt to your brand…
…and more universally appealing.
Well..
Hire a Graphic Designer
Taking your concept and menu items into account…
…your graphic designer creates a menu based on your concept.
You should hire a professional designer…
…who understands the psychology of menu engineering…
…also known as restaurant menu design.
Pros
A graphic designer creates materials with your brand in mind.
In order to meet both your aesthetic and practical needs…
…they have the technical skills to use programs.
Their goal is to create a menu that is unique to your concept…
…and they will work with you until you are satisfied.
The majority of the time, they’ll provide you with both digital…
,,,and print formats, and some of them may even handle…
…the printing process for you.
Cons
You will have to rehire the graphic designer each time you change the menu items.
Phew, that’s quite a list…
Waterproof Restaurant Menu Paper?
Waterproof paper is made up of strong, securely connected…
…fibers that keep the paper from getting wet. Fibers like these…
…keep the paper from breaking down, dissolving, or changing shape.
To make paper waterproof, many types of coatings are sometimes utilized.
Waterproof paper can be laminated with synthetic materials…
…like plastics to repel water and avoid harm to the paper.
Waterproof paper is appropriate for use in situations where…
…printed papers will be handled often or exposed…
…to harsh external conditions. Waterproof paper is tear-resistant…
…and long-lasting, as well as grease- and chemical-resistant…
…and engineered to tolerate extreme temperature changes.
In addition, waterproof paper has the same picture quality and printability…
…as regular paper. It can be folded, punched, or die cut to fit a variety of needs…
…making it useful in a wide range of applications.
- WEATHERPROOF PAPER: 200 sheets of white 20# Copy Paper per pack. This paper that won’t turn to mush when wet and will repel water, sweat, grease, mud, and even survive the accidental laundry mishap and more.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
To Sum Up
Restaurant menu design can be considered the heart of the restaurant…
…if the food is its soul. It is both a science and an art to design menus.
Your best lure for profits comes from creating a menu…
…that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Conclusion
In addition to receiving an answer to the question…
…”what paper size is used for restaurant menu?”…
…you now know what else you should consider before creating one.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this article…
…so please leave a comment below!
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Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
