You don't walk into a fast food chain and expect to be handed a leather encased 6 page à la carte menu, in the same way you don't expect to be reading an electronic backlit menu above the till at a fine dining experience.
The type of menu you choose matters!
Here is a breakdown of what we believe to be the main contenders.
Time dependent
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A la carte- this is a term used to oppose table d’hôte which a set menu. Essentially it means any menu item can be ordered by itself.
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Drinks - self explanatory! Important if you have a wide selection of wine, or maybe even craft beers or cocktails.
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Static - a menu that’s going to last a long time, this could be the house favourites or your entire menu if you don’t plan on updating it regularly.
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Du Jour - offers the daily specials, freshly made and normally limited in number.
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Dessert - Having a separate menu allows for clearer menu design and plenty of space to highlight your stars. Chances are it will help save table space too.
Style
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Blackboard/chalkboard - quick and cheap to change every day, you can erase items as they go out of stock and they're easy to read in right position.
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Table talker/trifold - always in the eye-line of the customer, great for weekly promotions and deals that you want to be table top.
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One page -This type of menu design will allow really fast decision making from your customers, will make sure you don't overcomplicate your menu items and is table and storage friendly.
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Two page - If it’s possible, this is your best choice! It’s natural to read, simple, and still implies a fully committed dining experience with sides and salads and desserts!
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Several pages - Obviously if you have a large selection of items this is a valid choice, just keep in mind that it doesn’t read as naturally as the two page and it isn't likely that your customers will read the whole thing.
- Electronic menu - a more expensive choice, but a great one if you're a fast paced establishment, you're always updating prices or your dishes work on a first come first serve basis!
Our SuperTuffMenus are ideal for à la cartes, static menus, wine lists, cocktail menus...the list goes on. They're made to last so probably aren't for you if you intend on updating your menu items every month!
We're passionate about menu design so get in touch if you're ready to get started!