Printing menu cards seems like a simple task—until you find out that the text smudges, the colors lose their intensity, and customers complain that after a few days of use, the cards look like they’ve been through a few storms. We had this situation in one of our recent projects for a client in the restaurant industry. In this post, we show what was the source of the problem and how we managed to solve it – without the need to change the design or increase the budget.
Menu printing – where did the problem arise?
The order was for menu cards for a newly opened restaurant in a large city. Customer provided a finished design that looked great on screen—bright colors, elegant typography, delicate background. The problem arose with the first test print: some areas were smudged, and the font—especially the thin lines—lost its sharpness when exposed to moisture or greasy fingers.
A quick analysis revealed three potential causes:
- too delicate saturation of black and colors (design prepared for screen display, not printing),
- lack of surface protection (no varnish or film),
- poorly selected paper – absorbent and not very resistant to dirt.
How did we improve menu card printing?
Instead of modifying the entire project, we focused on optimizing three key aspects:
- Paper selection: we replaced 170g matte coated paper with 250g synthetic paper – durable, waterproof, and resistant to abrasion. This type of material retains its elegance but is much more durable.
- Surface protection: we have used a matte dispersion varnish that protects against smudging and greasy fingerprints. This not only keeps the card looking good for longer, but also makes it easier to clean.
- Print settings change: we have improved the black saturation and color matching settings in RIP, making the text and lines sharper and the print more contrasting.
The end result? A satisfied customer and delighted guests.
After implementing the changes, the menu cards were printed flawlessly – tests showed that the new cards do not absorb moisture, do not smudge even with intensive use, and look great for a long time. What’s more, this was achieved without a drastic increase in costs.
Menu printing – what to look out for?
If you plan to order menu cards, keep a few things in mind:
- Avoid low-grammage coated papers (they are easily damaged).
- Always use surface protection – varnish or film.
- Design with printing in mind, not just the screen – thin fonts or light colors may not print well.
Summary:
Printing menu cards may seem simple, but as our example shows, small technological decisions have a huge impact on durability and the final result. If you want to be sure that your menu will not only look good but also be practical, consult with the printing house at the design stage. This will save you time, stress, and money.