Choosing a new menu design can be an exciting yet daunting task. It’s the one thing in your venue that the patron will undeniably see and the perfect place to make your brand’s voice clear, but the possibilities are infinite… as are the potential costs if you go about it the wrong way. Whether you’re approaching opening night or are an old-hand just updating the wine list, choosing the right menu design for your business is crucial.
Top 6 Menu Design Tips:
1. Make sure your font is readable
And we don’t just mean forgoing the Edwardian Script for something less curly. Opt for a nice neat font, in a larger size. It needs to be clear for everyone: your more mature customers can sometimes forget their reading glasses, while dim lighting and flickering candles can leave the most eagle-eyed diner squinting.
2. Be organised
Costs can ramp up quickly when your designer has to rearrange the entire menu to accommodate a single forgotten beer. Make sure you have everything from sauces to dietary information compiled before sending it on to avoid unnecessary costs and surcharges.
3. Do your research
Graphic designers are creative people who are great at what they do, but they’re not mind readers. While they can design fantastic material from scratch, sending an email saying “here’s the wine list and our logo, we like the colour green” could lead anywhere, and not always where you want to go. Search for examples to provide inspiration and direction, like these menu designs by Liquidity.
4. Proofread the menu
Chefs are notorious for their creative spelling. Go over the final menu design with a fine-tooth comb to make sure you don’t spend hundreds of dollars on typo-ridden printing.
5. Pick the right paper
If your menu will be leather-bound and safely whisked off the table long before any food appears, the luxurious textured paper will look great. If beer spills and sauce splatters are inevitable, opt for an affordable but hardy paper: polyester NeverTear by Xerox is a good option. Check it out in action here.
6. Do a test print before ordering 10,000
This goes hand-in-hand with proofreading. Your menu will look different on paper to how it does on the computer screen, so make sure you’re happy with your samples before committing to your quarterly order.
Launching a new venue or thinking of giving your old menu design a makeover? Get in touch with Liquidity and our talented design team today.