![]() ![]() But, before all of that happened, I delivered a style guide which became the foundation for all design work to come.” “I designed all of the brand materials, which included the logo, website, business cards, letterhead, coasters, menus-everything down to the matchbooks. If you’re a new establishment without any existing visuals and you have the budget for it, hiring a design professional who is experienced in brand design is certainly the best choice.īefore coastal Italian restaurant Bar Mezzana opened in Boston’s South End in 2016, graphic designer Kim Miller created the restaurant’s entire visual brand identity. Having an on-brand menu means it successfully fits in with the concept of your establishment, but also seamlessly goes hand-in-hand with all other printed and digital materials. Simple, dark text on light paper will always be easiest to read. Whether you’re designing it yourself or working with a template, patrons should remember you for your food, drinks, and service, not for your wild menu colors and fonts. Descriptive text is always helpful, but should be less prominent. No matter how you decide to split and display your items, consistency is key.įor emphasis on headlines, try increased type size, bold text, or all-caps-but use these methods sparingly. ![]() ![]() Organize your food and drinks not only on separate pages but also under distinct headlines. This provides a good lesson: the items on your menu should dictate the format. But when their selection grew, they accommodated by splitting out the menus. State Park started out with a single menu when local agency ICS Creative designed it. A menu is simplest to take in when there’s proper organization, clear text, and breathing room for the eyes to focus. The most valuable thing a well-designed menu can do is help patrons quickly understand the offerings at your establishment. Is the text large enough and dark enough to read? Are the category titles easy to scan? Are the offerings clear? State Park’s Cocktail Menu, via Instagram Organization and Readability Your printer will restrict heaviness of paper as well, so consider mounting it to a clipboard, placing it inside a sleeve or book, or folding it like State Park. State Park rotates their menu editions between four different paper colors, which not only enhances presentation, but also helps the team keep up with version changes. While her printer limits paper size, that didn’t stop the Heather’s team from getting creative. water-resistant unlike inkjet which can bleed.” “We print our menus with our trusty laser jet printer. With changes coming to their menus every two weeks, Bar Manager Heather Mojer and her team at State Park, a local favorite and early BevSpot customer in Cambridge, MA, have figured out a great system to edit and print their menus in-house. However, even a professional design will suffer when it’s printed or cut poorly, so it’s important to research a quality printer along with the the paper that it can handle. Going to a local print shop will yield more professional-looking prints, but for many restaurants, frequent modifications make in-house printing the best option. While printing may seem like the last thing to discuss, considering production at the start will allow you to efficiently plan budget and design. If you suspect your menu’s appearance may need a refresh, or if you’re starting with a blank canvas, here are four tips for menu presentation from a graphic designer, with considerations from two restaurants with beautiful menus. While some may see it as an afterthought, a well-designed menu is an opportunity for a powerful first impression and a cohesive customer experience. After all that work, did you overlook the presentation of your menus? ![]() BAR MEZZANA‘s DINNER MENU PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN SAMUELS You’ve agonized over your entrée offerings and spent weeks crafting the perfect drink list. ![]()
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