Menu Product Parameters and Process Description
As an important carrier for restaurants to convey dish information and showcase brand style, the material selection and craftsmanship of menus directly affect customers' dining experience and impression of the restaurant. Below is a detailed introduction to the product parameters and process instructions of the menu.
1、 Product parameters
1. Material composition
The material of the menu needs to balance practicality, aesthetics, and restaurant positioning. Different materials can create distinct styles:
Cover material:
Leather: including genuine leather, imitation leather, etc. Genuine leather has a delicate texture and a warm touch, which can highlight the high-end level of the restaurant and is suitable for high-end Western restaurants, private restaurants, etc; Imitation leather retains the texture and texture of leather while being cost-effective, durable, and offering a wide range of color options. It can be customized according to restaurant styles and is suitable for various high-end restaurants.
Special paper: such as embossed paper, pearlescent paper, art paper, etc. The surface of embossed paper has a unique texture that can increase the tactile and layered feel of the menu, creating a retro or artistic atmosphere; Pearlescent paper tape has a soft luster, bright colors, and is not easily faded, making it suitable for fashionable restaurants, creative restaurants, etc; Art paper is often made from environmentally friendly materials, with thick and simple texture, suitable for restaurants that focus on original ecology and healthy concepts.
Wooden/Metal: The wooden menu features natural wood grain and a warm feeling, suitable for Japanese restaurants, rustic style restaurants, etc; The menu made of metal materials (such as brass and stainless steel) is full of modernity and industrial style, with strong durability, suitable for specialty themed restaurants. However, due to its relatively heavy weight, convenience of use needs to be considered.
Inner page material:
Copperplate paper: Smooth surface, high whiteness, bright printing colors, clear images, suitable for displaying exquisite pictures of dishes. It is a commonly used inner page material in the catering industry, divided into matte powder copperplate paper and glossy powder copperplate paper. Matte powder copperplate paper is not easily reflective and provides a better reading experience.
Matte paper: Soft texture, non reflective, natural and delicate color presentation after printing, suitable for menus that are mainly described by text and have a simple style, such as light food restaurants, cafes, etc.
Kraft paper: The color is natural and simple, with a retro atmosphere, environmentally friendly and resilient, suitable for restaurants that focus on nostalgic style and rural flavor, and can convey the concept of nature and original ecology.
Binding accessories: Binding rings are often made of metal loose leaf rings, nylon coils, or ribbons. Metal loose leaf rings are sturdy and durable, making it easy to add or remove inner pages and suitable for restaurants with frequent dish updates; Nylon coils come in a variety of colors, are lightweight in texture, and are flexible to use; Ribbon binding is more decorative and can enhance the delicacy of the menu, making it suitable for high-end restaurants.
2. Specifications and dimensions
The size of the menu should be determined based on the number of dishes, display requirements, and usage scenarios
Overall specifications:
The regular
single page menu sizes are mostly 210mm × 285mm (A4 paper size), 180mm × 250mm, 250mm × 170mm, etc. These sizes are convenient for handheld browsing and are suitable for restaurants with a moderate number of dishes.
Folding menus commonly include folding, triple folding, etc. The size after folding is usually 140mm × 210mm, 170mm × 250mm, etc. When unfolded, it can accommodate more content, save space, and be easy to carry.
The
large menu size of high-end restaurants may be larger, such as 285mm × 420mm, showcasing dish details and brand culture through a larger layout, but considering the convenience of placement and browsing.
Paper thickness: The thickness of the cover paper is usually 250g-400g, and a thick cover can enhance the texture and durability of the menu; The thickness of inner page paper is mostly between 128g-200g. If it is too thick, it will increase the weight of the menu, while if it is too thin, it is easy to break. 157g copperplate paper is a commonly used choice for inner pages, balancing texture and practicality.
3. Performance characteristics
The menu needs to meet various performance requirements in daily use:
Durability: The cover material should have a certain degree of wear resistance and stain resistance, and be able to withstand frequent flipping and slight water and oil stains. For example, leather and metal covers have strong durability; The material of the inner pages should not be easily torn, and the printed content should not easily fall off. After the copperplate paper is laminated, its resistance to dirt and wear will be greatly improved.
Printing adaptability: Different materials have different adaptability to printing processes. For example, copperplate paper is suitable for various printing methods and can accurately reproduce colors; Specialty paper may require special inks and printing parameters to ensure clear and secure printing effects; Leather materials often use processes such as hot stamping and embossing to prevent ink from falling off.
Texture and weight: The texture of a menu can affect the customer's user experience. A menu that is too heavy can give a sense of heaviness, while one that is too light may appear less refined. Usually adjusted according to restaurant positioning, high-end restaurants can increase weight appropriately to reflect texture, while fast food restaurants focus on lightness.
2、 Process Description
1. Processing technology
The processing technology of the menu is rich and diverse, which can create unique visual and tactile effects according to design requirements:
Cover craftsmanship:
Hot stamping/silver stamping: Metal foil is hot stamped on the surface of the cover at high temperatures to form shiny text or patterns, which can enhance the delicacy and high-end feel of the menu. It is commonly used for key information such as restaurant names and logos, and can be selected in various colors such as gold, silver, and red.
UV process: Apply UV ink on the printing surface and cure it quickly through UV irradiation, forming a raised texture that can highlight text or patterns and increase the wear resistance of the cover. It is suitable for menu titles, decorative patterns, etc.
Embossing/Embossing: Using molds to press textures or three-dimensional patterns on paper or leather surfaces, without the need for ink, the design is displayed through the material's inherent concave and convex changes, creating a low-key and exquisite texture suitable for retro or minimalist style menus.
Film coating: Covering the surface of the cover with a transparent film, divided into bright film and matte film. Bright film can increase glossiness, matte film is more textured, and film coating can enhance the waterproof and wear-resistant properties of the cover, extending the service life of the menu.
Internal page craftsmanship:
Four color printing: This is a commonly used technique for inner page printing. By mixing and blending four types of ink, namely cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, it can restore rich colors, accurately present the color and details of dishes, and make images more realistic and attractive.
Spot color printing: For text or patterns with specific color requirements (such as standard colors for restaurant logos), using spot color printing can ensure color consistency and accuracy, avoiding color differences that may occur in four-color printing.
Die cutting: Cut the inner pages into special shapes according to design requirements, such as circular, irregular, etc., which can increase the fun and uniqueness of the menu, suitable for creative or themed restaurants.
Binding process:
Loose leaf binding: including iron ring binding, rubber ring binding, etc., the advantage is that it can flexibly add or remove inner pages, facilitate dish updates, and is suitable for restaurants where dishes frequently change.
Adhesive binding: The inner page and cover are glued together, divided into flat binding and hardcover binding. Flat binding has a lower cost and is suitable for small and medium-sized menus; The hardcover adhesive is more sturdy and has a better texture, suitable for large high-end menus.
Horse riding nail binding: After folding the inside pages of the menu, use wire to nail them on the spine of the book. It has fast binding speed, low cost, and is suitable for menus with fewer pages (usually no more than 40 pages).
2. Production process
Requirements communication and design: Deeply communicate with the restaurant about brand positioning, dish features, target customer groups, and other information. The design team combines the restaurant style to design the menu layout, including dish layout, image selection, color matching, etc., to ensure that the information is clear and easy to read, while showcasing the restaurant's characteristics. After the design scheme is confirmed by the customer, it enters the production process.
Material selection and inspection: Select suitable cover and inner page materials according to the design plan, strictly inspect the thickness, color, flatness, etc. of the materials to ensure compliance with production standards, and prepare the necessary ink, metal foil, glue, and other auxiliary materials for printing.
Printing production: Select appropriate printing processes and equipment based on material characteristics. Inner page printing focuses on color reproduction and clarity, while cover processes such as hot stamping and UV require precise control of temperature, pressure, and other parameters to ensure that the process effect meets standards. After printing is completed, conduct preliminary quality inspection to check for issues such as inaccurate overprinting and missing prints.
Post processing: The printed pages are subjected to post processing such as lamination, embossing, and die-cutting. After the cover and inner pages are processed separately, they are assembled according to the binding method. For loose leaf binding, holes need to be punched and binding rings need to be installed. For adhesive binding, operations such as brushing and bonding are carried out to ensure firm and neat binding.
Quality inspection and delivery: Conduct a comprehensive inspection of the finished menu, including printing quality, process effect, binding firmness, dimensional accuracy, etc., to ensure that there are no defects. After that, package according to the restaurant's needs to prevent damage during transportation, and finally deliver it to the customer on time.
In menu production, our printing factory selects suitable materials and techniques based on the restaurant's positioning and needs, perfectly combining practicality and artistry to create high-quality menus that can clearly convey dish information and highlight the restaurant's characteristics, helping the restaurant enhance its brand image.
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