Takeaway and restaurant menu printing
A menu is the one piece of print a food business cannot do without. We print folded takeaway menus for letterboxes, laminated menus that survive a busy dining room, booklet menus, tent cards and table talkers, and we can deliver the takeaway versions door to door with GPS tracking once they are printed.
Two very different jobs
A dine-in menu and a takeaway menu look similar but have opposite briefs. The dine-in version is handled dozens of times a day, splashed and wiped, and has to last months. The takeaway version is handled once, usually on a doormat, and has seconds to persuade someone to keep it on the fridge. Choosing the format starts with which of those you need.
If you serve both, do not assume one artwork file will do both jobs. A table menu can leave room for longer descriptions, while the takeaway version needs clear ordering details and a fold that leaves the right information visible. Tell us where each version will be used before choosing paper or deciding whether to laminate it.
Takeaway menus
The most popular takeaway format is A4 folded to DL, a tri-fold that slips easily through a letterbox and gives six panels: a cover, your full menu across three or four panels, and a back panel for opening hours, delivery area and phone number. A4 tri-fold menus start from £49 for 250.
Put your phone number and ordering method on the front panel as well as the back. People keep takeaway menus in drawers and should be able to order without unfolding them. Keep dish descriptions short, group items the way customers think (starters, mains, sides, deals), and make the meal deals easy to spot.
A fold changes the order in which people read the panels. Check the folded proof rather than reviewing only a flat sheet: a price list that looks tidy on screen can become awkward when a panel disappears behind another. For a door-to-door drop, think about whether your contact details are still visible when the menu is folded and put aside for later.
Dine-in menus, tent cards and table talkers
Before you sign off any menu, read every price and allergen note twice, ideally with someone who did not write it. A wrong price on 5,000 printed menus is an expensive mistake, and we always send a proof so there is a clear point to catch it.
For restaurants and cafés we print on heavier stock with matt or gloss lamination, which lets staff wipe menus clean between tables. Laminated menus start from £79 for 100. Booklet menus suit longer wine and drinks lists, and tent cards and table talkers promote specials, set menus or events without reprinting the main menu every time something changes.
Paper weight and finish should follow the way the menu is handled. A folded sheet intended for a letterbox has a different job from a table menu repeatedly passed between guests. We can discuss the available stocks and show how a matt or gloss surface changes the appearance of photos and text before you approve the finished artwork.
- Folded takeaway menus: A4 tri-fold from £49 for 250
- Laminated table menus: from £79 for 100
- Booklet menus for longer lists
- Tent cards and table talkers for specials
Design, turnaround and distribution
Send us your dish list, prices and any photos and our designers will build a clear, readable layout, or we can print your own artwork after a file check. Standard menu printing takes 3 to 5 working days, with express available when you are opening soon or prices change overnight.
Printed takeaway menus can go straight into our leaflet distribution. Shared drops start from around £30 per 1,000 and solus drops, where your menu goes through the door on its own, from £45 per 1,000, with a minimum of 1,000 and GPS tracking on every round. Our takeaway menu cost and drop campaign guides go into pricing and planning in more depth. Call 01162 161739 for a quote.
When you ask for a combined print and delivery quote, tell us whether the menus are for tables, letterboxes or both, the quantity you need, and the streets you want to reach. We can check your existing PDF or prepare the design, send a proof for your approval, then arrange printing and the chosen door-to-door round. The tracking shows the route taken; it does not tell you how many households ordered afterwards.
Related
Menu Printing FAQs
What is the best format for a takeaway menu?
A4 folded to DL (tri-fold). It fits through letterboxes and gives six panels for the menu, offers and contact details.
How much do takeaway menus cost?
A4 tri-fold menus start from £49 for 250. Larger runs cost less per menu.
Can menus be laminated?
Yes. Matt or gloss lamination is available, and laminated menus start from £79 for 100.
How long does menu printing take?
Standard turnaround is 3 to 5 working days, with express options available.
Can you deliver my menus door to door?
Yes. Takeaway menus can go into our GPS-tracked distribution, from around £30 per 1,000 shared or £45 per 1,000 solus, minimum 1,000.