Platebill
How to design a cafe and coffee shop menu
A cafe menu is read standing in a queue, often from a few steps away. It has to answer three questions fast: what can I drink, what size, and what does it cost. Everything else comes second.
Organise drinks the way people order them
Most guests decide on a drink type first, then a size, then extras. Group the drinks list to match that: hot coffee, cold coffee, tea, and everything that is not coffee. Food goes in its own sections, usually breakfast, all day plates, and bakes.
Keep each drink name short and familiar. Cappuccino, flat white and cold brew need no explanation. Save descriptions for the drinks that do, such as a house special, a single origin pour over, or a regional drink like filter coffee or kahwa.
- Hot coffee: espresso, americano, cappuccino, latte, flat white, mocha.
- Cold coffee: iced latte, cold brew, blended cold coffee, espresso tonic.
- Not coffee: chai, hot chocolate, matcha, fresh juice, iced tea.
- Food: breakfast, toasts and sandwiches, bakes, desserts.
Show sizes as columns, not repeated lines
If most drinks come in the same sizes, put the size names once at the top of the section and line the prices up underneath. Guests then compare across a row instead of reading the same word on every line.
Drinks that only come in one size can sit in the same section with a single price in the last column. Use the same size names everywhere. If one drink says Regular and another says Medium, the columns break and guests wonder if they are different cups.
| Drink | Regular | Large |
|---|---|---|
| Cappuccino | 160 | 200 |
| Flat white | 180 | 220 |
| Cold brew | 190 | 230 |
| Cortado | 160 |
Handle milks, shots and syrups once
Extras are where cafe menus get messy. Rather than repeating oat milk 40 under every drink, add a short line at the end of the coffee section, or a section note such as ask us about oat and almond milk. If an extra only applies to a single item, list it right under that item.
Write add-ons the same way every time: the thing, then the price. Add oat milk 40, extra shot 50. Guests read it in a second and your staff stop answering the same question.
Pick formats for where the menu lives
Cafes often need the same menu in three places: a board above the counter, a card on the tables, and something for phones and Instagram. Design for each place rather than shrinking one menu to fit all three.
- Counter: a 16:9 TV board or a large poster, with big type and only the drinks and best sellers.
- Tables: an A4 or A5 card, or a 4 × 6 inch table tent with the coffee list on one side and food on the other.
- Drinks or desserts on their own: a slim DL card, 99 × 210 mm.
- Phones: a scrolling phone menu, plus a 4:5 social post or a 9:16 story for new items.
Keep the look calm
Cafes often lean on a hand drawn or chalkboard feel, which is fine for the name and headings. Keep drink names and prices in a plain, readable type so the list still works from the queue. One accent colour from your cups, signage or walls is usually enough.
A photo or two of a signature drink or bake can sell well on a table menu or a phone menu. On a counter board, text that can be read from a distance does more work than pictures.
Making a cafe menu in Platebill
When you start a menu in Platebill and pick cafe, you get a filled in sample with coffee sizes and all day food that you can change to your own. Give drinks Regular and Large prices and layouts line them up into columns for you. The same list can then be set as an A4 card, a table tent, a slim card, a TV board, a social post, or a phone menu, without typing it again.
Questions people ask
What should be on a coffee shop menu?
Your drinks grouped by type, the sizes you serve with a price for each, any extras like milk or shots with their price, and a short food list. Add opening hours and a line about alternative milks in the footer.
How do I show small, medium and large prices on a menu?
Put the size names once at the top of the section and line the prices up in columns beneath. This only works if every drink in that section uses the same size names, so keep them consistent.
What size should a cafe table menu be?
A5 or A4 works for a full table menu. For a short list, a 4 × 6 inch table tent or a slim DL card keeps the table clear. See menu sizes for the full list.
Can I make a menu board for a TV screen?
Yes. Platebill has a 16:9 TV board format and a 9:16 portrait screen. Export it as a PNG image and play it on the screen from a USB stick or a signage app.