A restaurant menu provides the first impression people have of your restaurant. It doesn’t matter if you run a fast food joint or a fine dining restaurant; how you present your menu items informs how diners choose their meals. Follow these restaurant menu ideas to get started crafting your meal selection. If you still need some help, scroll to the end to see the customizable menu templates GotPrint’s professional design team made.
How to Design a Menu
The main design elements when you set out to make a menu are your branding, structure/formatting, and descriptions. For branding, that will depend on the vibe of your restaurant. Fast food, fast casual, take-out, food trucks, and fine dining establishments will all need to have different design styles for their food menus. If you’ve already established colors, fonts, and images that define your restaurant, then make sure to stick with those visuals on your menu.
Group Food or Beverage Types
Pair food types together so people can order accordingly. Appetizers, main courses, and desserts should all have distinct sections on your food menu. This is where it’s easy to follow the structure of your menu format. Folded brochures provide obvious spaces for each food type. You can break down the categories further. Main courses can be separated into meat dishes, seafood, pasta, etc. Drinks can be categorized into wines, beers, and non-alcoholic options. Use simple yet effective descriptions when listing the dishes. You don’t want to crowd the menu and overwhelm readers. Make sure to include ingredients and dietary information.
Create Visual Structure
With your content established, you can use different colors and design blocks to help create a visual structure. If you have, for example, a black background, you can use blue color blocks to organize the sections. This helps section off different food types so people can find what they’re looking for.
Use Eye-Catching Fonts and Typography
Another way to separate your menu offerings is by using a variety of fonts and colors. Have different courses in a large font that is a different color from the rest of the menu, so it is easier for diners to find the section they’re looking for. Different meals can also be in a different font from the listed ingredients or description. This creates a visual hierarchy that guides viewers through your menu. When selecting fonts, make sure that they are easy to read. People might not pick menu items if they can’t figure out what the name is. Avoid overly complicated cursive fonts. Don’t use too many different fonts, as that can quickly become overwhelming to read. And keep your restaurant aesthetic in mind. A fast food restaurant probably shouldn’t use an elegant script, while a luxury dining restaurant shouldn’t use Comic Sans.
Add Appetizing Food Photos
Sometimes, a visual representation of what their meal could look like will influence what diners select. Upload high-definition food images that make your dishes look mouth-watering. The food should be well-plated and fresh. You don’t have to include photos of everything on your menu. Select the most popular dish or menu item you’re most proud of. After all, in the social media age, aesthetic food photos can help people decide where they want to eat.
Add a QR code
QR codes are a great way to provide more information for diners. Add it to your menu to direct people to your website. This could help them get to know more about the restaurant. You can also list more specific information about your food, such as the full ingredients list or where you sourced the ingredients.
Free Templates
Use GotPrint’s online menu maker to get started on your custom menu design. Still need design inspo? Browse some of our best free menu templates that you can easily customize online. Our menu designs are sure to entice diners.
This to-go menu is perfect for American cuisine. The black background on the to go menu lets the yellow and white text stand out. Add a food image to the top of the menu layout that will spread across the back of the menu. Upload photos of two more dishes on the inside. Add your address, phone number, and website to the template.
This drink menu template is perfect for promoting happy hour. The outside has a cocktail image and beer and wine listings. Inside, list your cocktail menu and prices in the custom text boxes.
Customize this drinks menu to showcase your best craft cocktails and fancy drinks. The sleek and sophisticated menu design features cute drink illustrations next to your fun beverage names.
Use this pizza menu template to show off your pizza parlor. The free takeout menu template features a full color image on the back and customizable text areas inside. Add prices, food names, and ingredients to the restaurant menu design.
Promote your bakery with this custom dessert menu. There are several spaces to upload photos of your cute food and baked goods. Add a special coupon or promotion for customers for their next special order. List your cakes, cupcakes, pastries, and other delicious desserts.
This colorful menu template features a faded backdrop of your restaurant. The bold typography draws attention to your menu options. The center of the menu features three different food items.
This fine dining menu is perfect for an upscale restaurant. Include photos of the interior of your restaurant to show off your interior design. The front cover features a delicious-looking steak, and the inside lets you pair the list of food with photos.
Add your menu items to this bright and bold menu template. The red, yellow, and white color blocks guide diners through your menu and help them find the perfect dish. The food photos demonstrate what people who eat at your restaurant can expect on their plates.
Show off your cuisine on this free cafe menu template. Bold green design aspects include silverware and striped edges. Orange and white text stands out against the black backdrop. Use small chef hat icons to let customers know which menu items are the most popular.
This fun menu template features line drawings of hamburgers, sandwiches, and vegetables. Add photos and menu items to the different food sections. You can also add your contact information for delivery options.
Select one of these free menu templates, then check out our restaurant flyer examples to help advertise your restaurant. GotPrint has all the marketing tools you need to improve business at your restaurant, coffee shop, or cafe. Order a Free Sample Kit to test our different print products and paper stocks.