How To Create A Coffee Shop Menu

How to Design a Menu Board for a Coffee Shop

When you open up a coffee shop, a key component is the menu. The menu is an advertisement for your cafe as soon as people walk through the doors, a beautiful display of what you have to offer. It should be simple, legible, and be consistent with the aesthetic of the coffee shop.

The components of a well put together menu board include your drinks and the varieties you offer, specialty items, food if any. The layout and design of the menu board should be consistent with the rest of the shop: font, color scheme, graphics.

Drinks

In all places (excluding Amsterdam), a coffee shop serves exactly what the name states: coffee. It is the main ingredient of a great menu board. Starting with espresso, there are a couple varieties to offer. In contrast to hot drinks, most coffee shops offer iced drinks as well. Based on your shop, adding a couple unique specialty drinks can have people raving.

Sizes

Everyone has a different tolerance when it comes to caffeine, to help coffee shops offer multiple sizes. The standard sizes for serving coffee are 12, 16, 20, and 24 ounces, served for "here or to go." The 24 ounce option is used more with iced drinks. The larger size allows room for ice. No one likes a cup full of ice with a splash of beverage.

Milk Alternatives

Not all people can handle the lactose in dairy milk, and it can be a benefit to offer alternative milk options for a slight cost. Alternative milk options include almond, cashew, coconut, flax, hemp, and soy.

Menu Heading: Espresso

An espresso is usually made with a machine, grinding the coffee beans to a fine powder. The last time you visited a coffee shop did you notice the big machines? The machine that produces two liquid waterfalls of a pinecone brown color. The barista, then grabs what looks like a large spoon attached to the machine, bangs it on the counter (clink!), dumping the used grinds into the garbage. That is an espresso machine. With that, you can make a couple of drinks such as a cappuccino, latte, mocha, and americano being the most popular. Make it a double shot of espresso for a little extra money.

Cappuccino

A cappuccino starts with equal amounts of espresso to milk. The milk is then frothed (steam adding small bubbles) which about doubles the volume of the milk. The frothed milk is the added to the espresso.

Latte

A latte is similar to a cappuccino with a slight difference. There is a bit more milk, about double the amount of espresso, and instead of frothing the milk, the milk is heated. Mix the milk and espresso together in a mug, and use the leftover foam from the milk to create a fancy design.

Mocha

A mocha is a latte with hot chocolate added to it. It is your call on the type of chocolate to offer: white, milk, and dark. Usually topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon or chocolate powder.

Americano

The recipe for an americano is a shot of espresso and water. The ratio between the two is roughly 1:1, or 1:2, espresso to water. Unless you make a request for the barista, an americano does not have any milk in it.

Menu Heading: Drip

Another method of hot coffee is by drip. The difference between drip coffee and espresso is how fine the beans are ground and the length of time. The beans with drip coffee don't have to be as fine as espresso. The heated water sits with the beans and drips, hence drip coffee. An espresso is quick with a brewing time of about 30 seconds, while drip coffee takes a couple of minutes to brew.

Menu Heading: Iced Drinks

Know what is amazingly refreshing on a hot summer's day? Iced drinks. A coffee shop menu that serves iced drinks is a necessity, as most people expect them. A few of the most popular options include the cold brew, the more recent nitro cold brew, iced espresso drinks, and iced tea. Iced drinks are easy to make and quick to serve because they are already prepared.

Cold Brew

A cold brew is regular drip coffee chilled to make it cold. The barista should ask if you would like room for cream or milk.

Nitro Cold Brew

Nitro cold brews have become very popular thanks to the advertising and marketing strategy of Starbucks. A nitro cold brew is brewed over multiple hours to get the full flavor of the coffee bean. Nitrogen is then infused with the coffee to add texture. When dispensed from the tap, a waterfall-like effect occurs, making it very fun to watch. After a few minutes, there is a foam that forms at the top of the brew. Nitro cold brews are stronger than your regular cup of coffee, limited serving sizes may be best to offer.

Iced Espresso Drinks

Cappuccino, latte, mocha, americano can all be offered as an iced version. Instead of steaming and heating the milk, the milk is added cold. Also, some shops like to add a bit of syrup flavoring to their iced espresso drinks.

Iced Tea

Tea is steeped and then iced, it's a simple process. Keep the tea steeping for a little longer than normal to account for the ice that will melt, diluting the tea. Similar to the popular trend of nitro cold brew, iced matcha green tea is another option to offer. The matcha usually comes as a powder that you add to the water. Make it a latte by adding some milk and mixing in the matcha powder.

Menu Heading: Specialty

Whether it's a seasonal drink or a drink specific to your shop, specialty drinks can have your customers craving. For example, a pumpkin spice latte is very popular during the holiday season starting early September. It creates a story of warmth and comfort related to the holidays. I have seen herbs such as lavender and sage added to espresso drinks. Also, CBD based drinks are becoming very popular. The CBD is the medicinal side of marijuana and does not create the psychoactive affects. CBD derived from hemp is legal in all 50 states. CBD beverages create a relaxed feeling with an energetic kick from the coffee.

Another recent popular drink is fat infused coffee. Popularized by Dave Asprey is the bulletproof coffee, coffee mixed with a tablespoon of MCT oil (concentrated coconut oil), and a tablespoon of organic grass-fed butter. For a protein boost, add a scoop or two of collagen protein.

Need some help with creating specialty drinks? Here are a few you can create and offer:

Lavender latte
CBD infused cappuccino
Buttered coffee with MCT oil
Pumpkin spice (fall seasonal)
Peppermint candy cane latte (Christmas seasonal)
Cookies and cream vanilla latte (topped with whipped cream)
Iced vanilla matcha latte with gold flakes (St. Patrick's day seasonal)

Menu Heading: Food

The type of coffee shop you plan to open will determine what type of food you offer. Coffee shops are popular morning destinations, so food offerings should be related. Offering a steak at a coffee shop is an interestingly odd combination. Most coffee shops offer pastries such as donuts, cookies, mini cakes, and bagels. Also, offer different kinds of toasts and breakfast burritos too.

Keep the menu items simple. Most of the time customers just want a quick bite to eat before heading to work. Or, something to nibble on while they drink their coffee and chat with a friend. Read more about what kind of food to serve in your cafe here.

Layout

You have done your research, visited multiple coffee shops, and created a list of items to offer on your menu. Now you want to beautifully display what your coffee shop has to offer. While you are going around visiting the different coffee shops, ask the barista if you can have one of their menus, if you can't take one with you snap a picture. With all your menus collected lay them out and take notes on what you like and what you don't like about the menus, the placement, material, design, font, color scheme, graphics.

Placement

Coffee shops offer coffee, and that is what most people are going to purchase when they arrive. Display your coffee options at the top of the menu. While we were talking about different coffee options above, I placed them in order which you can use on your menu. Espresso as the heading, below that a list of cappuccino, latte, mocha, and americano, and any other espresso-based drinks you want to offer. After the espresso drinks, offer the drip coffee options. On the right-hand side of the menu the iced offerings, underneath the specialty, and at the bottom the food options. Somewhere on the menu, you should have extras that people can add to their drinks. List the prices of the drinks in relation to the size and make it clear: this size drink costs this amount (ex: 12oz/$3.12).

Menu Board Material

Menu boards that are chalkboard give you more opportunity to add some of your creativity. You can draw cool designs and fonts to make your menu board pop. Another option, print menu board that can be created on your desktop and made into the appropriate dimensions. A print menu board can make it easy to update with new items and seasonal designs.

Design

The design of your coffee shop menu should be consistent with the aesthetic of your coffee shop. For example, If you have a rustic coffee shop make the menu board look rustic. Consistency is a big part of any business. Is your logo and coffee shop name visible on the menu, does your font match, what about color scheme? All the menus in your coffee shop should be similar in design. You do not need to put an address on the menu board, but If you offer takeaway menus, having your address displayed somewhere on it can help people find your shop. Also, if you offer wifi, place that near the bottom of your menu board. It can help reduce the number of times your employees are asked, "What's the wifi password?"

Bold the headers to make it easy for people to quickly see what you offer. Most people going to a coffee shop already have an idea of the drink they are going to purchase. Bold menu headings draw attention to the categories of drinks that you offer so customers can make a decision more easily.

Your color scheme should match the colors of your shop. It is recommended to use no more than 3 colors. You don't want to hurt the eyes of the customer, and to many colors can discourage people. Basic colors such as black, white, grey, and different shades of brown work best. If you place your logo on the menu, use the color scheme of your logo.

Graphics and pictures are a great opportunity to display what you have to offer or help educate the consumer on coffee options. We have seen coffee shops that have mini graphics on the difference of ingredients for espresso-based beverages. Check out James Aimer article Cappuccino, Latte, Ristretto or Macchiato? to get an idea on the alternate espresso drink options graphic.

Now that you have some ideas in mind for your menu, take a look at our six-step guide for learning how to open your coffee shop here.

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