Restaurant Menu Design Tools

• Designing menus is simplified with desktop publishing. caffeesortiment image by Anja Greiner Adam from Fotolia.com

  Keeping a restaurant fresh and interesting helps bring return customers. A key component to an exciting restaurant is a changing menu. Creating a restaurant menu has been simplified with desktop publishing tools. These software programs offer a variety of templates to customize the menu's look. Using a variety of paper colors and textures will also customize the menu look. Restaurant owners pressed for time can use online services that offer menu creation and marketing.

Microsoft Publisher Menu Templates

• Microsoft Publisher software program is bundled with its Office software. Microsoft Publisher offers a number of templates specifically designed for menus. These template designs can be oriented both vertically and horizontally. They are designed with colors that the user can customize. The choices available get as specific as takeout menus and dessert menus, or can be a general menu used for any type of dining experience.

Broderbund: Print Shop Menu Templates

• This desktop publishing software offers restaurant menu templates. The templates provide a variety of options for different types of restaurants. This software program also provides thousands of photos and images to use in the menu design. This software can be used with Windows or Mac operating systems.

Serif: PagePlus x5 Menu Templates

• Four restaurant menu templates come with this software program. These templates can be edited. Images and text can be added or removed. PagePlus x5 also has photo-editing capabilities to customize images for use on menus.

Restaurant Menu Design Websites

• Many companies offer restaurant menu design services. This can be as simple as online templates that the user can customize. Some websites have a yearly fee and offer other templates such as event flyers and management tools. Others offer menu templates as well as marketing publications and other marketing ideas.

Word Processing Programs

• Basic restaurant menus can be created in most standard word processing programs. Some programs like Microsoft Word 2007 can download menu templates from the Microsoft website. The user can then customize these templates. Even without a template, you can create an interesting menu by using images, unique fonts and different colors.