Table of Contents
- Elements of a Good Banquet & Buffet Menu
- Simple Banquet Menu Template
- Chalkboard Style Banquet Menu Example
- Vintage Theme Banquet Menu Layout
- Wedding Buffet Menu Card Template
- Governess Dinner Banquet Menu Design
- Manor Inn Event Banquet Menu
- Simple Buffet Menu Sample
- Resort Banquet Buffet Menu Example
- How to Create a Great Banquet & Buffet Menu (5 Steps)
- Simple Tips for an Excellent Banquet & Buffet Menu Layout
- Types of Menus
- Sizes of Menus
- FAQs about Menus
- 1. What is menu planning?
- 2. What are the factors to consider when planning a menu?
- 3. What is menu balance?
Banquet and Buffet Menu Designs
During special occasions and events, there will never be an instance wherein feasting is not involved. People enjoy going to events because they get to feast while they socialize. On the other hand, there are also certain food establishments that offer buffet meals to their customers regardless if there are any events involved.
When people go to banquets or buffets, they get to feast to their heart’s content. However, even if this is the case, a menu card should still be used since they help in informing people about the kinds of dishes and beverages that are being served to them. Below, we have some banquet menu templates that you can choose from. You can also use these Menu Templates to create beautiful menu in minutes.
Elements of a Good Banquet & Buffet Menu
Don’t give yourself the assurance that just because you are using a menu for your banquet or buffet event, your information is already sufficient. You should always remember that the content of your menu is the only factor that can make it informative, and these are the elements that should be included on your menu card.
-
1. Title of the menu card:
What is the menu card about? Even though people are already aware that the menu is used for a banquet or a buffet, the purpose of throwing the event is still worth mentioning on the menu. This is usually the case for banquets and buffets that aren’t business-related, wherein the guest should at least be reminded as to why they are there.
-
2. List of food and drinks:
This element identifies the different food and drinks that are being served in the banquet or buffet, and the contents here are usually organized into sections to make them easier to read. These sections are arranged according to their order in the meal; and from the top, it usually starts with the appetizer (also known as a starter), followed by the main course, and ending with either the list of desserts or drinks.
-
3. Short descriptions:
This may seem unnecessary if you’re planning to serve common dishes that everyone has heard of. But if you’re planning to go fancy with your dishes and drinks, then it might be a good idea to write a short description of that dish and drink. The description should not only identify the ingredients, but it should also explain very briefly how that dish or drink is being prepared.
-
4. Date and place:
For banquets and buffets that take place only for one day, the date may be worth indicating on the menu card. However, for those that occur on a regular basis, you no longer need to mention that. In terms of the place, this element describes where the banquet or buffet is going to be held, and this should consist of both the name of the place and the corresponding street address.
-
5. Contact details:
Regardless of your purpose for throwing a banquet or buffet, the inclusion of your contact details on the menu can be very helpful since it provides guests with an easy way to contact you. People may need to reach out to you for inquiries, and what better way to do that than to provide them with your contact information.
The best thing about this article is that it ensures that you’ll be getting every resource you need to effectively make wonderful banquet and buffet menus. Here are some menu templates to help give you a head start, these may even be used simply as a guide if you choose to make your menu from scratch.
Simple Banquet Menu Template
Chalkboard Style Banquet Menu Example
Vintage Theme Banquet Menu Layout
Wedding Buffet Menu Card Template
Governess Dinner Banquet Menu Design
Manor Inn Event Banquet Menu
Simple Buffet Menu Sample
Resort Banquet Buffet Menu Example
How to Create a Great Banquet & Buffet Menu (5 Steps)
Creating a food menu is tedious, but ensuring a great menu is even harder. Here is a step-by-step guideline to teach you how to make an amazingly-stunning banquet and buffet menu. These instructions are also highly organized that they can be considered as a foolproof way of creating a food menu.
-
Step 1: Prepare a list of the menu items
Knowing what to write can ensure the quality of your content while also minimizing the risk of committing errors. Having a draft can also help in saving you a lot of time because you will already know what to write on the menu, and you can work on it at a steady but consistent pace.
-
Step 2: Gather the necessary images
Take images of the food and drinks, and make sure that every mouthwatering detail is emphasized on the photo. If you’re planning to use stock images, always go for non-watermarked ones. This will ensure that you’ll have all the resources you need to beautify your menu and keep it informative.
-
Step 3: Download a menu template
In order to have a guide or a basis on what you’ll be working on, just download a menu design from this article. This will also save you a lot of time since templates already come with elements and design that are both fully editable.
-
Step 4: Add the necessary elements
Indeed, the templates are fully editable and they often don’t have the elements you need. Which is why it is very important to gather the needed images beforehand so you can add them right away during the editing process. Also, adding the elements refers to adding the menu’s content, and you may refer to the list that you have prepared in Step 1.
-
Step 5: Have your menu printed
When finally printing out your menu cards, you should decide whether to do it yourself or have printing companies do it for you. While the latter is the most common choice, you may also do the printing yourself, just make sure to use high-quality materials.
Simple Tips for an Excellent Banquet & Buffet Menu Layout
To further ensure that you’ll not mess up your chance of creating an excellent banquet and buffet menu, here are some tips that can provide you with assistance. These tips are relatively easy to understand, but they can greatly help in improving the layout of your menu card.
- Add photos to represent some of the menu items, but use them sparingly in order not to clutter the layout.
- Align your items centrally if you’re planning not to include a price list.
- Utilize colors in order to stimulate a mood that can lead to a better appetite.
- Do not take negative spaces for granted, they can help in emphasizing the necessary elements.
Types of Menus
If you think there’s only one type of menu card, then you’re wrong. Aside from the ones enumerated on the list below, there are many other types. But to keep you from being overwhelmed or confused, we have narrowed it down to only six types. Feel free to refer to the list below when choosing a particular type for your banquet and buffet menu card.
-
1. A la carte menu:
A la carte menu actually translates to “according to the menu”, which means that guests choose from what is being listed on the menu according to how they are being written. Since the menu items are being listed individually, the guests will also need to choose their dishes individually.
-
2. Du jour menu:
Du jour is actually French for “on the day”, and the items listed down on the menu may vary from day today. In order for the establishment to easily remove and replace the content on the menu, du jour menus are commonly written on a chalkboard or a digital display. This type of menu is very common in small and startup food businesses.
-
3. Prix fixe menu:
Also known as the table d’hote menu type, this works by offering a set of dishes for a fixed price; in fact, prix fixe and table d’hote translates to “fixed price” and “the host’s table”, respectively. For this type of menu, various options are offered to the guests and each option comes with multiple courses. The guest is then given the choice to change the individual items, although the amount to be paid will remain unchanged.
-
4. Cycle menu:
This type of menu involves having a set of dishes written on the menu and then using that same menu over a period of time. It is being coined a “cycle” menu because its items are being used in a cycle and will only be modified after the completion of that cycle. This type of menu is very common in hotels, resorts, and school and office cafeterias.
-
5. Dessert menu:
This type of menu is intended for only one purpose, to list down the different dishes and sweet treats that are being served by the establishment. Dessert menus often consist of ice cream or dishes that contain ice cream, cakes, fruit salads, and many more. This is often separated from the main food menu because they are often overlooked by the guest.
-
6. Beverage menu:
There are times wherein the customer focuses more on the main courses when they make their orders that they often forget to order a beverage. Instead of having to ask again for the food menu, they can simply ask for a menu that lists down only the beverages, and this makes it a lot more convenient.
-
7. Captain’s book menu:
This type of menu is only very common in fine dining restaurants and those that have their very own wine cellar. A captain’s book menu lists down only the wines and spirits which are kept separate from the beverage menu. The establishments that use this type of menu would usually encourage their guests to complement their meals with a glass of their finest wine.
Sizes of Menus
Aside from the different types of menus, there are also different sizes that you can choose from, and these two features usually go hand in hand. In fact, part of the process of creating a menu is deciding on the type and size, and the latter should always be enough to fit the menu’s content without making it look cramped.
- 4.25″ x 11″
- 5.5″ x 15″
- 8.5″ x 11″
- 8.5″ x 14″
- 11″ x 17″
- 11″ x 25.5″
FAQs about Menus
We are certain that there are other matters related to menus that have not yet been tackled by any of the information above, and we have taken the liberty of gathering some FAQs in the hopes of providing you with supplemental information. Refer to these questions anytime if you’ve got concerns regarding menu cards.
1. What is menu planning?
Menu planning may refer to the practice of planning what to eat to ensure a balanced diet, but in food service, it refers to the process of listing down the items that will be offered to the customers.
2. What are the factors to consider when planning a menu?
- The time required for cooking the dish.
- The availability of the ingredients during different seasons.
- The variety of foods.
- Upcoming special occasions.
- Budget or financial resources.
3. What is menu balance?
This refers to the process of offering dishes that contain a variety of proteins, fruits, vegetables, and sweets. In addition, this also refers to the variety of cooking methods such as fried, grilled, poached, and steamed.
Were you able to find the menu template that you need for your buffet or banquet event? You’ll never go wrong with any of our templates since they were all designed by professional graphic artists. Make your buffet and banquet menu cards stand out by downloading and using any of our templates.