Restaurant menu sizes: standard dimensions
Most restaurant menus are printed on letter (8.5 × 11 in), legal (8.5 × 14 in) or tabloid (11 × 17 in) sheets; a tabloid sheet folded in half makes a four-page 8.5 × 11 in menu. Drink, dessert and specials menus are often 4.25 × 11 in or half letter (5.5 × 8.5 in), and takeaway menus are usually legal tri-folds. In A-size countries menus are A4, A3 folded to A4, or A5. Add 0.125 in (3 mm) of bleed: a letter menu is set up at 8.75 × 11.25 in.
Menu sizes: dimensions, bleed and pixels
Bleed is 0.125 in on every side for inch sizes and 3 mm for metric ones. Pixels are rounded to the nearest whole pixel.
| Size | Inches | Millimeters | With bleed | Pixels at 300 ppi (with bleed) | Notes and template |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letter (single page) | 8.5 × 11 in | 215.9 × 279.4 mm | 8.75 × 11.25 in | 2,550 × 3,300 px 2,625 × 3,375 px | Free template |
| Legal (single page) | 8.5 × 14 in | 215.9 × 355.6 mm | 8.75 × 14.25 in | 2,550 × 4,200 px 2,625 × 4,275 px | Template |
| Tabloid (single page) | 11 × 17 in | 279.4 × 431.8 mm | 11.25 × 17.25 in | 3,300 × 5,100 px 3,375 × 5,175 px | Template |
| Tabloid folded in half | 17 × 11 in | 431.8 × 279.4 mm | 17.25 × 11.25 in | 5,100 × 3,300 px 5,175 × 3,375 px | Four pages of 8.5 × 11 in |
| Takeaway tri-fold (legal) | 14 × 8.5 in | 355.6 × 215.9 mm | 14.25 × 8.75 in | 4,200 × 2,550 px 4,275 × 2,625 px | Folds to about 4.69 × 8.5 in Free template |
| Drink or dessert card | 4.25 × 11 in | 107.95 × 279.4 mm | 4.5 × 11.25 in | 1,275 × 3,300 px 1,350 × 3,375 px | |
| Half letter | 5.5 × 8.5 in | 139.7 × 215.9 mm | 5.75 × 8.75 in | 1,650 × 2,550 px 1,725 × 2,625 px | Template |
| A4 | 8.27 × 11.69 in | 210 × 297 mm | 216 × 303 mm | 2,480 × 3,508 px 2,551 × 3,579 px | Template |
| A3 folded to A4 | 16.54 × 11.69 in | 420 × 297 mm | 426 × 303 mm | 4,961 × 3,508 px 5,031 × 3,579 px | Four pages of A4 |
| A5 | 5.83 × 8.27 in | 148 × 210 mm | 154 × 216 mm | 1,748 × 2,480 px 1,819 × 2,551 px | Free template |
Choosing the size
Start from the number of items, not the size. A short menu of 20 to 30 dishes fits a letter or legal page with room to breathe; a long menu does better as a folded tabloid or with sections split across pages than squeezed onto one sheet. Specials and drinks change more often, so a separate small card keeps the main menu from being reprinted every month.
Menus are read at arm’s length in dim light, so keep dish names large and descriptions no smaller than about 10 pt. Menus that go into sleeves or get laminated lose a little at the edges; keep everything at least 0.25 in inside the trim.
Takeaway menus
Takeaway and delivery menus are usually legal tri-folds, which fold to fit a bag or a door hanger, or half-letter cards. On a tri-fold the inside flap is 1/16 in narrower than the other panels: see brochure sizes for the panel widths, or let the template maker draw them.
Questions
- What is the standard menu size?
- In the US, 8.5 × 11 in (letter) and 8.5 × 14 in (legal) are the most common single-page menus, with 11 × 17 in folded in half for four-page menus. In most other countries, A4 and A3 folded to A4.
- What size is a menu in pixels?
- At 300 ppi, a letter menu is 2550 × 3300 pixels (2625 × 3375 with bleed) and a legal menu is 2550 × 4200 pixels (2625 × 4275 with bleed).
- What size should a takeaway menu be?
- A legal tri-fold (14 × 8.5 in flat, folded to about 4.69 × 8.5 in) or a half-letter card. Both fit a takeaway bag; the tri-fold holds a full menu.
- What paper is best for a menu?
- Heavy cover stock for menus that stay on the table, often coated or laminated so it can be wiped. Takeaway menus are usually lighter text-weight paper, which folds easily and costs less to hand out.
If the printer sends the file back
Terms on this page: Bleed, Coated vs uncoated paper, Lamination.
Real jobs at these sizes: Saffron fold-out menu, Shibuya takeaway menu.
More print sizes, or all of them on one page:
Cards, paper and stationery: Business card · Postcard · Paper · Envelope · Letterhead · Greeting card · Presentation folder
Flyers, brochures and handouts: Flyer · Brochure · Rack card · Door hanger · Table tent · Bookmark
Stickers, labels and tags: Sticker · Label · Hang tag
Bottle, can and jar labels: Wine label · Beer label · Water bottle label · Candle label · Jar label
Boxes and packaging: Mailer box · Shipping box · Tuck box · Stand-up pouch · Pizza box
Posters, books and calendars: Poster · Book · Calendar
Signs, billboards and vehicles: Banner · Yard sign · Car magnet · Billboard
T-shirts and apparel: T-shirt
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