How to Design a Menu for Your Restaurant (Free Templates)

Why your menu design matters more than you think

A menu is not just a list of food. It's one of the most important sales tools your restaurant has. Studies on menu engineering consistently show that layout, font size, and where items are placed on the page influence what customers order — and how much they spend.

A poorly designed menu signals low quality before a single dish arrives. A well-designed one builds trust, sets the right expectations, and nudges customers toward your higher-margin items without them realizing it.

The core principles of good menu design

1. Use typography that's actually readable

Restaurant lighting is often dim. Your font needs to work in those conditions. Stick to two fonts maximum: one for headings, one for body text. Avoid thin script fonts for descriptions — they look elegant but become unreadable at small sizes.

Font size: body text should be at least 11pt. Don't go smaller to fit more items on a page. If the menu is too crowded, cut items.

2. Structure your sections clearly

Customers scan menus rather than read them top to bottom. Help them navigate:

• Clear section headings (Starters, Mains, Desserts, Drinks)
• Consistent item layout: name, short description, price
• White space between items — cramped menus feel overwhelming
• One or two "featured" items with a box or different background to draw the eye

3. Photos: use them strategically

High-quality food photography increases orders for those items by 30% or more. But bad photos do the opposite — a blurry, poorly lit shot makes even great food look unappetizing.

Rules for menu photos:

• Use real photos of your actual dishes, not stock images
• Shoot in natural light near a window when possible
• 2–4 photos per menu page is enough; don't cover every item
• Make sure the photo matches what gets served

4. Pricing psychology

Small but real: removing the currency symbol (writing "280" instead of "฿280") reduces price sensitivity. Prices that end in 9 or 5 perform differently depending on positioning — for casual dining, round numbers feel more honest.

Avoid placing prices in a column on the right — it encourages customers to scan prices top-to-bottom and pick the cheapest option. Instead, put the price directly after the item description.

5. Paper and format choices

• Single-page laminated: good for cafes, fast casual, high turnover
• Folded card: classic for mid-range restaurants
• Bound booklet: suited to fine dining or restaurants with large menus
• Chalkboard / digital display: cafe staple, easy to update

Whatever format you choose, stay consistent with your branding — same colors, same logo placement, same tone of voice.

How to design your menu on Portplate

You don't need to hire a graphic designer or buy expensive software. Portplate's editor lets you start from a menu template and customize it completely:

1. Go to portplate.com and open the editor

2. Search "menu" in the templates panel

3. Pick a layout that fits your restaurant style

4. Replace the placeholder text with your actual items and prices

5. Swap in your own photos or use the built-in photo library

6. Change colors to match your brand

7. Export as PDF for print, or PNG to share digitally

The whole process takes 30–60 minutes for a basic menu. You can come back and update it any time prices change.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Too many items: analysis paralysis is real. A menu with 80 items overwhelms customers and increases kitchen errors. 20–40 items is a healthy range for most restaurants.
• Copying competitor menus: your menu should reflect your specific kitchen, your story, your prices. Generic layouts send a generic message.
• Forgetting allergen info: if you serve customers with dietary restrictions, clear labeling (GF, V, Vegan, Spicy) saves staff time and builds trust.
• Never updating it: menus should change with the seasons, ingredient availability, and what's actually selling.

Start with a template

The easiest way to get a great-looking menu without starting from scratch is to use a professionally designed template and make it your own. Portplate has free restaurant menu templates in multiple styles — minimalist, traditional Thai, modern cafe, fine dining — all fully editable.

Start designing at portplate.com — no account needed to preview templates.