Restaurant Menu Printing Options
By Mike Bannoura
A restaurant menu does more than list dishes and prices. It is one of your most important sales tools, guiding customers toward profitable items and shaping their perception of your brand. The paper stock, coating, and format you choose directly affect how your menu looks, feels, and holds up under daily use. At PostNet Denver, we print menus for restaurants, cafes, food trucks, and bars throughout the Denver metro area.
For dine-in menus that will be handled by hundreds of customers, durability is the top priority. The most popular option is 16pt cardstock with a matte or gloss lamination. Lamination creates a waterproof, stain-resistant surface that can be wiped clean between guests. For an even more durable option, synthetic paper like Yupo is completely waterproof, tear-resistant, and can be sanitized. It costs more but lasts significantly longer than paper-based menus.
Takeout and delivery menus have different requirements. They need to be cost-effective since many will be discarded after a single use. A single-sheet menu on 100lb gloss text stock hits the sweet spot between quality appearance and affordable per-unit cost. For folded menus, 80lb gloss text folds cleanly without cracking. If you are including your menu in delivery bags, consider a half-sheet (5.5 by 8.5 inches) that fits easily alongside food containers.
Menu format depends on how many items you offer. A single laminated card works for focused menus with 15 to 20 items. A bi-fold (four panels) handles 30 to 50 items comfortably. For extensive menus, a saddle-stitched booklet gives you 8, 12, or 16 pages to work with. Many restaurants use a combination: a main laminated menu for the table plus a separate dessert or drinks card.
Design tips that increase sales: place high-margin items in the top right corner of each page, where eyes naturally go first. Use boxes or borders to highlight specials. Avoid dollar signs, which remind people they are spending money. Include appetizing descriptions rather than just listing ingredients. And always include your logo, address, phone number, and website for reorder and takeout potential. PostNet Denver can design and print your complete menu package. Visit us at 1312 17th Street or call for a quote.
