Menus & inserts
A card that gets handled every service and still looks composed at the end of the week.
- 5×7
- 8.5×11
Sizes
Build to the bleed dimension; keep live copy inside the safe area.
| Size | Trim | With bleed | Safe area | Minimum stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5" × 7" | 5" × 7" | 5.25" × 7.25" | 4.75" × 6.75" | 14pt cover |
| 8.5" × 11" | 8.5" × 11" | 8.75" × 11.25" | 8.25" × 10.75" | 100lb text |
How to set the file up
- Trim plus 0.125" bleed; 0.25" safety on anything that will be handled wet.
- Uncoated absorbs ink — expect a slightly softer black than a coated proof shows.
- If the menu changes weekly, ask about a printed shell with a digital insert.
Menus & inserts — questions we get
- Which stock survives a restaurant table?
- A duplex or a heavy uncoated cover. Laminate survives longest but kills the hand feel; most restaurants that care about the room choose a heavy uncoated and reprint more often.
- Can I write on the menu with a pen?
- On uncoated, yes. On soft-touch or any laminate, no — the pen skates and the ink never sets.
- Do you do painted edges on menus?
- Yes, on duplex and heavy cotton. It is painted by hand in a vise, so it suits a considered short run rather than a weekly reprint.
- Can we reprint just the insert?
- Yes — that is the usual build for a menu that changes. A foiled or letterpressed shell holds the identity and the insert gets reprinted plainly.
- What size should a menu be?
- Big enough to read in low light without becoming a newspaper. 5×7 for a short list, 8.5×11 for a full service. If the list is long, two cards beat one crowded one.