If your restaurant offers takeaway dining, then you need to read this post. Today, Spencer Minuteman Press is bringing you design tips to catch the eyes of potential customers and get the orders flooding in.
Images on your menu are important!
Although you rarely see pictures of food on a sit-down restaurant menu, it’s crucial to include images on your takeaway menu. Why are images important? It lets people know what your restaurant is all about. Using pictures will get your customers’ mouths watering in addition to letting them know what style your food is. When they’re hungry, those images will come to mind and they’ll reach for your menu.
Follow these basic food-photography rules. Always use back-lighting as well as ambient lighting. Make sure to arrange the food artistically, and try to shoot against a white background, such as a white tablecloth or a white-tiled kitchen backsplash. Focusing on one element of a dish while keeping the rest of the shot blurry also produces professional-looking results. For example, if you are taking a picture of a piece of cake, manually focus on just the bite balancing on the edge of a fork, keeping the remainder of the slice blurry in the background.
If you’re a franchise, then you probably have professional food photos to work with. If you’re a private business, then consider hiring a professional food photographer (they exist!)
The first and most important thing to highlight is your restaurant information: name, location, hours of operation, and ordering info. This should be on the front cover of your takeaway menu, formatted in a way that stands out, for example, set inside a bold border.
If you offer different menus at different times of the day, make sure you clearly differentiate between your lunch and dinner menus. It is very helpful to vegetarians, vegans and other people with dietary restrictions if you separate out or label the dishes they can eat. If you offer lots of entree options, consider breaking them down into subgroups, such as sandwiches, fish, or house specialties. Make sure to include your side dish offerings and a list of all the condiments you offer.
Because dessert is especially appealing, place these options on the back of the menu. This makes them visible without even opening the menu, piquing interest and increasing your chances of landing a customer. Make sure the photos you select look downright delectable!
Of course, for the best digital printing in Melbourne, come to Spencer Minuteman Press so your printed images look almost like the real thing.
Download a sample menu with good layout here.
The last step in completing your takeaway menu is to select a paper type. We offer a wide range of options for you menu, but a high-quality paper with a glossy finish is always a good choice. You want a menu that is eye-catching and sturdy. Thicker, shiny paper will definitely get noticed and won’t get torn when stuffed in a kitchen drawer…
The colours on your menu should reflect the identity of your restaurant. Keep in mind that certain colours can actually stimulate appetite, while others tend to be a turn-off. The best colour choices are red, orange, and yellow or gold. Say away from using too much black or blue.
If your takeaway restaurant is looking to expand your customer base in Melbourne, then your first order should be at Spencer Minuteman Press. We are the CBD’s best printing source, from designing to finishing. Give us a call today!