How to Design a Food Truck Menu in the UK (With Examples)

Catering vans in Ireland are all about personality, punchy menus, and standout experiences. Whether you’re parked up at a music festival, a GAA match, or a neighbourhood market, your menu design does more than list ingredients — it shapes first impressions and drives orders. In this guide, we’ll help you build an eye-catching, efficient menu that works on the go, with real-world examples and insights from Irish diners.

Why Your Menu Design Matters

A smartly designed catering van menu helps customers make quicker decisions, boosts average order size, and gets your queue moving faster — especially during peak hours when every second counts.

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, where 200 Irish restaurant-goers were polled on their restaurant design and menu preferences, 45.5% say price is their top deciding factor when ordering from a food truck, while uniqueness of dishes comes second at 29.5%. This means your menu should strike a balance between clear pricing and showcasing signature items.

Key Features of a Great Catering Van Menu

1. Keep It Short and Sharp

Irish diners expect a focused list — 46% prefer to see 6–8 items per menu section (source: Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025). Too many choices can lead to decision fatigue, especially when people are ordering quickly in the cold or queuing at a festival.

Toast Tip: Categorise by cooking style or cuisine type (e.g., BBQ, Indian, Pizza), which aligns with top Irish food truck searches.

2. Highlight House Favourites

43% of Irish diners say they’re more likely to order something if it’s marked as a best seller. Use bold headings or a coloured highlight box to spotlight your most popular items (source: Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025).

Tip: Include callouts like “House-Made”, “Local”, or “Best Seller” — these are persuasive to Irish diners, especially when paired with whole number pricing.

3. Use Whole Number Pricing

In Ireland, 58% of customers prefer seeing whole numbers on menus (e.g., €12 rather than €11.99). It feels more honest and makes quick comparisons easier at the till.

Tip: Align this with food truck POS systems to streamline orders and reduce checkout delays.

4. Add Visual Impact — But Keep It Clean

While bold designs catch the eye, legibility is key. In fact, 57.5% of Irish respondents say bold colours and fonts are fine “if readable” (source: Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025). Stick to high-contrast text and make sure your most important dishes stand out visually.

Real Irish Food Truck Examples

Food trucks in Ireland often combine rustic charm with bold, locally-sourced menus. These examples showcase everything from modern design to traditional Irish flair — perfect inspiration for creating a standout mobile offering.

The Salt Project (Dublin)

Fresh seafood, crisp branding, and simple, effective chalkboard-style menus that change with the tide. Seasonal ingredients and Instagram-worthy dishes dominate their look.

Julia’s Lobster Truck (Clare & Galway)

With an ever-changing menu on a simple chalkboard, this coastal truck focuses on sustainability and local shellfish.

The Big Grill (Nationwide Events)

Their festival-based BBQ setup features massive printed menus with clear combo options and highlighted crowd-pleasers.

Menu Design Tips for Irish Catering Vans

Don’t Make These Mistakes: Things to Avoid

• Too many items: Ranked as the #1 most annoying menu trait by Irish diners.

• No pricing: Ranked #3 most annoying to Irish diners; price transparency builds trust.

• Lack of clear categories: Make it easy for guests to scan and choose quickly.

Final Thoughts

Your catering van menu is more than a list — it’s a branding moment, a revenue tool, and a customer experience driver. In Ireland’s fast-moving, weather-shifting outdoor events scene, a well-designed menu helps guests decide quickly, spend more, and come back again.

Whether you’re serving bao buns, barbecue, or build-your-own burritos, use clear pricing, smart visual cues, and a concise layout to make every second count.