How to design a table tent menu card

What a table tent is good for

Because it is small and always in view, a table tent works best for things you want every table to notice. Think of it as a poster for one idea, with a front and a back.

• A short drinks, desserts or specials list.
• A QR code to the full phone menu, with a line like scan for the menu.
• A set lunch, happy hour or weekend brunch with its times.
• A new dish or seasonal item, with a photo and a price.

Common table tent sizes

The most common size for a menu card in a stand is 4 × 6 inches, about 102 × 152 mm, upright. Acrylic holders in this size are easy to find, which makes it a safe default. Some places use 5 × 7 inches, A6 or a DL card instead. Measure your stand before you design, because a card that is a few millimetres too big will not slide in.

How much fits on each side

Less than you think. A 4 × 6 card read from across a table holds a heading, around 6 to 10 short items with prices, and a footer line. If you find yourself shrinking type to fit, move items to the back or to the main menu.

Use the two sides for two jobs. A good pattern is drinks or specials on the front, and a QR code, Wi-Fi details or opening hours on the back. If the card stands in a double sided holder, both sides face guests, so neither side should be an afterthought.

1. Write a short heading guests can read from the next chair, such as desserts or tonight only.
2. List the items with names and prices, one line each.
3. Add one line of detail if needed, such as served after 6 pm.
4. Keep the margins generous, at least 5 mm from the trim on a small card.

Type size and contrast

A table tent is read from 50 cm to a metre away, so it needs larger type than a handheld menu. Headings around 20 to 28 pt and item names around 12 to 14 pt are a reasonable starting point. Use dark text on a light background, or the reverse, and avoid placing text over busy photos.

Printing and finishing

Ask your print shop for a print ready PDF at the exact trim size, with bleed so colours run cleanly to the edge. A stiff card stock, often around 300 to 350 gsm, stands up better and survives being wiped down. A matte or lamination finish helps with spills, but gloss can reflect overhead lights and hide a QR code.

If you print at home, print both pages, trim along the crop marks and slide them into a two sided stand back to back.

Making a table tent in Platebill

Platebill has a table tent format set at 4 × 6 inches with a front and a back page. Your dishes flow onto the front first, then the back, and if they do not all fit the editor tells you which ones are left over, so you can trim the list or step the type size down. Export a print PDF with 3 mm bleed and crop marks, or PNG images for WhatsApp and social posts. Because the dishes are stored as a list, you can turn your main menu into a table tent in a click and back again. Read about QR code menus if you want the tent to point to a phone menu.