Design & Layout
How to Create a Menu on Windows
Create a clear café, takeaway or event menu with organised sections, readable prices and a layout that is easy to update.
3 min read
7 October 2026
Start with an approved list of dishes and prices, choose the menu's finished size and group the items into clear sections. Build the layout in the RemPress Studio Editor, check the printed reading size and save both an editable master and a reviewed PDF.
Prepare the menu before designing
Gather the current names, descriptions, prices and any wording your business needs to show. Keep a single approved source list so that the kitchen, front-of-house team and designer are checking the same information. Mark temporary items clearly while the draft is being reviewed.
Group items in the order a customer will use them, such as breakfast, mains, sides and drinks. Short descriptions make a menu easier to scan. Have the responsible person check any dietary or allergen statements; a design template cannot verify whether those statements are accurate.
Choose a format for where it will be used
A menu read at a table needs different spacing from a wall display. Decide whether the publication is a single sheet, a folded handout or several pages. Confirm the paper size, orientation and printing method before positioning the content.
If the menu folds, sketch the panels on paper and make a folded proof. Keep prices, headings and important wording away from folds and page edges. Ask the printer for its specifications if you are ordering finished copies.
Arrange dishes and prices consistently
- Create section headings Make each category easy to identify. Use the same heading style throughout the menu.
- Add the items Keep dish names and descriptions visually distinct. Leave enough room for the longest name in each section.
- Align prices Use a consistent price column or clearly positioned price text. Check that a price cannot be confused with the item above or below.
- Balance the page Allow space between sections. If the page feels crowded, shorten the approved descriptions or use another page rather than making every line smaller.
Use pictures only where they help
A few relevant, clear photographs can support the menu. Too many pictures can compete with the dishes and make later updates harder. Use images you are entitled to publish, preserve their proportions and inspect them at the final print size.
Keep text readable against backgrounds. If a photo sits behind a heading, check the lightest and darkest parts of that area. A solid text panel is often easier to read than placing small lettering directly across a busy image.
Review the whole menu before printing
Ask a second person to check the draft separately. Correcting a price in the editable project does not update a PDF that was already sent to a printer, so export and name a fresh reviewed version after every change.
- Compare every price with the approved source list.
- Check that descriptions and dietary wording belong to the correct item.
- Read the menu as a customer would, at its intended size and distance.
- Check page order, folds and both sides of any double-sided sheet.
- Open the exported PDF and print one proof before making a full run.
Make the next update easier
Save an editable master and a dated final output. Keep seasonal versions separate so that an old menu is not accidentally reprinted. When a dish changes, check surrounding text and page balance as well as the edited line.
RemPress Studio runs on Windows. Use the Editor for creating and changing layouts; Free Viewer supports viewing, printing and PDF export from supported projects.