March 6, 2026 · 5 min read

Bleed, crop marks and safe zones explained for non-designers

What bleed, crop marks and the safe zone are, why a printed menu needs all three, the standard measurements in millimetres, and how to check a file has them before you print.

March 5, 2026 · 5 min read

The print-ready PDF checklist for restaurant menus

Everything a menu PDF needs before it goes to press: page size and bleed, CMYK and rich black, 300 dpi images, embedded fonts, PDF/X standard, overprint and the final checks.

March 3, 2026 · 5 min read

Laminated menus: pros, cons and the alternatives worth considering

When lamination makes sense for a restaurant menu and when it hurts: durability, glare, cost, the plastic look, and the alternatives from heavy board to synthetic paper.

March 2, 2026 · 4 min read

Matte, gloss or soft-touch: choosing the right finish for a menu

How matte, gloss, silk and soft-touch finishes change the look, feel and lifespan of a printed menu, with the lighting, photography and durability trade-offs of each.

March 1, 2026 · 5 min read

Menu paper weight guide: 250, 300 or 350 g and what each one feels like

What paper weight means in grams per square metre, how 250, 300 and 350 g boards behave in the hand and at the fold, and which to pick for each menu format and venue.