Simple Menu Template

When designing your simple menu, always remember to do so from a psychological perspective. For starters, keep the font size and type consistent throughout the menu. Too many fonts or overly fancy fonts can be distracting. Keep sentence structure concise, as customers should be able to quickly scan and decide what they want without too much effort.

It’s important to highlight specific items as well, especially your most profitable dishes. A great way to do this is by using catchphrases like “favourites,” “house special,” or “recommended.” Additionally, you’ll want to put the pricier items at the bottom of the page or near the end of the menu section, as customers naturally move their eyes downward when looking through a menu. That way, they’ll see these items last and likely consider them once they’ve already seen the other, less impressive, dishes.

Finally, don’t forget about adding visuals! Customers are attracted to visuals more than words, so adding images can help make your simple menu design more engaging and appealing — plus, it helps customers make quicker decisions!

The most popular items on simple menus are homemade cheddar biscuits, mozzarella sticks, and onion rings, and for good reasons. For one thing, these dishes are crowd-pleasers; they’re also relatively easy to make, which is vital for a busy kitchen. Plus, they’re versatile — depending on the menu, you may serve them as appetisers or main courses.

Let’s examine each one in detail below:

1. Cheddar Biscuits

These savoury biscuits are known for their flaky texture and cheesy flavour; you may make them with flour, baking powder, butter, milk, and cheddar cheese. You have the option of serving them as a side dish or snack.

To make this fantastic dish, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add cold butter to form coarse crumbs, and stir in shredded cheddar cheese and milk. Next, form the dough into small balls, and bake until golden brown. Your customers may enjoy these super cheesy snacks with butter, honey, or jam.

2. Mozzarella Sticks

Mozzarella sticks are a popular appetiser or snack comprising long, thin sticks of mozzarella cheese that have been breaded and deep-fried. To make this snack, cut mozzarella cheese into sticks and create a breading mixture of flour, salt, pepper, and seasonings. Prepare an egg wash and coat the mozzarella sticks with it first and the breading mixture afterwards. The next step is to deep-fry until golden brown and serve with marinara or another preferred sauce. A quality image of this dish would look irresistible on your chosen simple menu template.

3. Onion Rings

To make this side dish, you’ll need to slice onions into rings, mix a flour mixture with spices, such as salt and pepper, and then dip the onion rings into the mixture. Then, deep fry the coated onion rings until they’re golden brown and crispy before serving them with your desired dipping sauce.

When creating an authentic, simple menu, there are a few essential dishes you just can’t leave out. For starters, mac and cheese is the perfect comfort food — and it’s always a crowd-pleaser. Pigs in a blanket are the perfect appetiser, and French fries are the perfect side dish. Of course, these are just a few suggestions; you can always mix and match your menu items as you deem fit.

Let’s briefly describe each of these three dishes below:

1. Mac and Cheese

This classic comfort food comprises of macaroni pasta mixed with a creamy cheese sauce and topped with breadcrumbs before being transferred to the oven to bake. To make it, boil the pasta, prepare the cheese sauce by making a roux and adding milk and all kinds of cheese. Mix the pasta into the sauce, and add some crispy breadcrumbs and herbs before baking in the oven.

2. Sausage Rolls

Handmade sausage rolls are a popular snack or appetiser, typically made by wrapping small sausages in puff pastry and baking them until the dough is golden brown and crispy. To make this great snack, season your sausage meat with plenty of herbs and roll it into small sausage shapes. Roll out the dough and cut it into strips, then wrap a strip of dough around each sausage. Place the wrapped sausages on a baking sheet and bake for about 10–15 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and cooked. Serve hot with mustard or ketchup; you may also capture this fabulous dish for inclusion in any of Menuzen’s simple free menu templates.

3. French Fries

French fries are a popular side dish made from deep-fried slices of potatoes. They’re often served with fast food meals and are a staple at many restaurants and cafes. To make French fries, you’ll need potatoes, oil for frying, and salt for seasoning. First, wash and cut the potatoes into thin, even slices. Next, heat oil in a deep fryer or large pot to about 180 degrees Celsius. Carefully add the potatoes to the hot oil and fry them for about 3–5 minutes or until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fries from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain off the excess oil. Lastly, season with salt and serve hot.

A simple restaurant’s menu is sure to pack a variety of flavours that will tantalise your taste buds.

Here are the ingredients responsible for the different flavours in a simple restaurant’s menu, as well as common dishes prepared with these ingredients:

• Salt: Meats, vegetables, and sauces.
• Pepper: Meats, vegetables, and sauces.
• Garlic: Marinades and sauces for meat, as well as some vegetable dishes.
• Lemon: Fish, chicken, and vegetable dishes.
• Basil: Pasta dishes, salads, and sauces.

The six dishes already discussed may pass as a typical meal at a simple restaurant. However, one other dish consistently stands out, and it’s no other than fried chicken. You simply can’t go wrong with fried chicken when curating a simple menu design. This meal option has become a staple of restaurants and cafes worldwide, and its popularity is undeniable. In your restaurant, you can create a classic prix fixe menu featuring fried chicken as the main course and sides like mashed potatoes or coleslaw to give your customers a series of options. Also, don’t forget to include vegetarian or vegan options if necessary. You may also provide fun extras like honey or hot sauce for those who want more style on their plate.

Now let’s get to the fun part — designing your simple menu layout with Menuzen! No need to hire someone to do the graphic design, our menu maker has all of the high quality templates you'll need.

With the multitude of design options available on the platform, you may likely struggle with selecting a particular format, especially if you’re relatively new in the menu design space. In light of this, here are some tips to keep in mind when laying out your menu:

• Keep it simple: Avoid cramming too many items into each page. A simple design will make your menu easier for customers to read and navigate.
• Choose a font that’s easy to read: Often, a more decorative font can be challenging for customers to read, so choose a clear and legible typeface.
• Include images: Adding images of your dishes entices customers and draws their attention to particular items on the menu, so don’t neglect this aspect of your menu layout.
• Use organised categories: Organising items by courses or types of dishes (e.g., main courses, sides, appetisers, desserts, drinks, etc.) is an effective way of ensuring items are easy to find and navigate through on your simple menu design.