How to Design a Catering Menu in the UK (with Free Template)

Catering menus do more than showcase your dishes — they help clients visualise the experience and make decisions with confidence. Whether you’re catering a corporate lunch, a wedding, or a weekend market stall, your menu design has the power to convert browsers into bookings.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to design a catering menu that looks good, sells well, and works for your team. Plus, we’ll share real examples and insights from UK restaurants.

Why Catering Menu Design Matters

A well-designed menu is more than a list of dishes — it’s a storytelling and sales tool. UK consumers increasingly expect personalised, values-aligned dining experiences.

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, 73% of UK diners are influenced by menu design features like layout, photos, and formatting — and 66% say they prefer printed menus when planning events.

Menus are a chance to:

• Communicate your brand personality

• Highlight your most profitable items

• Address allergen, sourcing, and dietary needs

• Speed up decision-making at events

Step-by-Step: How to Design Your Catering Menu

1. Write Out All Your Menu Items

Use a spreadsheet to track dish names, ingredients, pricing, and notes. This makes it easier to adjust layouts later.

Pro tip: Categorise dishes as starters, mains, sides, and desserts, or by dietary type (vegan, gluten-free, etc.).

2. Set Strategic Prices

Use cost analysis and customer data to guide pricing. 35% of UK customers say they “often” choose menu items based on price.

Avoid long price lists in a single column — research shows diners spend more when pound signs (£) are removed.

3. Use Descriptions That Sell

Menu descriptions should be clear, specific, and evocative.

Use words like:

• House-made

• Seasonal

• Locally sourced

• Vegan-friendly

• Spiced with sumac and za’atar

According to our consumer preferences survey, 42% of UK customers are more likely to try an item when it’s described as “local”, “seasonal” or “chef’s recommendation”. Also, 39% of respondents said that premium descriptions definitely or usually justify higher pricing.

4. Choose a Colour Scheme and Typography

According to our survey, 89% of UK diners prefer bold fonts or bright colours if they remain readable.

Use tools like:

• Adobe Colour Wheel

• Coolors.co

• Canva’s menu templates

5. Use Real Photos Sparingly

Photos can boost sales by up to 30% — but only when they’re high-quality and well-placed. 73% of UK consumers rank photos as a top-three influence on menu decisions.

Consider working with a professional food photographer or using your most recent event shots.

6. Keep It Short and Scannable

Aim for one to two pages. Group items by course or style, and highlight:

• Bestsellers

• Seasonal dishes

• Dietary icons (vegan, gluten-free)

46% of UK diners skim-read menus, so clarity is key.

7. Add Icons and Callouts

Use icons for:

• Vegan 🌱

• Spicy 🌶

• Allergen info ⚠️

Icons ranked more important than item photos for many UK diners, especially in shared catering settings.

8. Choose Fonts and Layouts Carefully

Fonts should be consistent and brand-aligned. Think about where the reader’s eye lands:

• Top-centre and top-right are “Golden Triangle” zones for bestsellers

• Avoid clutter — whitespace improves legibility

9. Print, Share or Upload

Make sure your menu is:

• Printable as PDF

• Viewable online or via QR

• Available in black-and-white or full colour

10. Keep Testing and Improving

Use sales data from your POS to review what sells, what doesn’t, and where customers are hesitating.

Le Bab, a buzzing London restaurant, transformed the way they work — speeding up service and making catering more efficient — all by switching to Toast’s handheld POS and smart menu tools. It’s helped their team stay focused on what matters most: great food and happy guests.

Final Thoughts

Your catering menu is a living asset. Done right, it’s a powerful tool for growing revenue, delivering memorable experiences, and expressing what makes your food and service stand out.