5 Restaurant Menu Printing Mistakes: Are You Sure You Aren't Making Them?

If you're opening a restaurant and have reached the point where it's time to print your menu, it can be easy to give this step less attention than others that seem to loom much larger - like securing financing, preparing your location, and figuring out your marketing plan. But your menu deserves just as much attention as these other tasks; it's a primary way to engage your customers in a meaningful (and profitable way) and it pays to handle your menu printing with the utmost care. Read on for five common restaurant menu printing mistakes and learn to avoid them if you want a menu that shines.

1 - Having a One-Size-Fits-All Mentality

Just because you find a menu you like doesn't mean you need to copy it. Your restaurant is unique and your menu should reflect that. While you do want to stay competitive, keeping up with the Joneses when it comes to menu printing isn't recommended. Pizza menu printing is a different animal than printing for a full-service five star restaurant - one may require a simple folded brochure while the other may call for a fancy-looking menu printed on parchment and bound in leather. Do what works for you and remember that custom menu printing can help put your own unique spin on things.

2 - Forgetting That Your Menu is a Powerful Branding Tool

When you hand customers a menu, you have the opportunity to make a strong impression that helps build your brand - keep that in mind when designing. Does your restaurant evoke a fun, family vibe? Bright colors and photos of your food will probably suit you well. If your restaurant is an upscale and exclusive place, you probably want to stick with a more minimal, classy design. Choose fonts, binding, paper coatings and covers that align with your brand and continue to project the image you desire. The same approach is recommended when you create a flyer design for your restaurant.

3 - Using Expensive Restaurant Menu Printing Companies

You deserve to be proud of the menu you create, but that doesn't mean you need to spend a fortune printing it. Don't get stuck believing you need to use a company that prints restaurant menus exclusively - they tend to be more expensive and you can get a beautifully-printed menu at an economical price from an online printing company that offers menu printing services.

4 - Changing your menu too often

If you want to build a lasting relationship with your customers, avoid frequently changing the items on your menu. People like to feel at home walking into their favorite restaurant and know their favorite menu items are available. If you change your menu frequently, it will be difficult to brand yourself over time and people will be confused about what you really offer. Try to use inserts for seasonal updates to your menu and avoid major overhauls. It will keep customers happy but also save on menu printing.

5 - Lack of attention to small details

Once you've printed your menus, it may be tempting to make small changes in writing using a permanent marker, sticky notes or a correction pen, but is this really the look you want to project to the public? Don't undo the hard work it took to create a menu that aligns with your brand by getting sloppy about menu changes. Always opt for a reprint before you decide to make a change to your menu - it's worth the expense.